Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires Of The City: All 12 Tracks Reviewed & Analysed

Time passes. Vampire Weekend used to be a bunch ovf Ivy League prepsters who'd come out with the ubiquitous 'A-Punk' and made a killing with their first album worldwide. But, another album - Contra - proved to be a more world-based album, with 'Horchata' and 'Cousins' thumping in teenagers' and hipsters' speakers everywhere. Yet, with time comes age and wisdom, and with age comes growth, and with growth comes - hopefully- maturity. For Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires Of The City chronicles the band finding common ground with skepticism, love, and religion - talking about each at great length on their career-defining, and most artistic album. Let's visit each track in turn...

1. Obvious Bicycle

Ezra's voice is a sure highlight on many Vampire Weekend tracks, but this one especially. Twisting words into a tightly-knit bow, Koenig does a masterful way of balancing witty words with a floaty, memorable melody. Instrumentally, this track serves as a welcoming, refreshing new twist. Every note between the instruments is delicately placed - soft to the touch and emotional to the ear. Koenig opens up at the very end of the track, dwelling on love for clowns and sleeping on high school gym floors. As it transitions perfectly back to the chorus, a quiet pulse beats and echoes out with a clever piano bit. Resounding and the perfect way to start an album.

rating: 5

2. Unbelievers

Interpreted as some to be an atheist anthem, the second track puts a jaunty, foot-tapping riff down on a soaring vocal melody - "Got a little soul / The world is a cold, cold place to be" takes off and latches on for dear life. Adding string sections and a unrelenting rhythm makes this track more than enjoyable, as it never echoes a faint resemblance of anything disappointing. There's a faint organ in the chorus and second verse that seems right at home, maintaining a serious fact about 'Unbelievers' - it varies with so many small sounds and achieves to strive such a huge sound. Vocally, Koenig masters a tone that is earworming and delightful.

rating: 4.5