Ten Years Ago: Vampire Weekend - Contra

 

In the Ten Years Ago series, we take a look back at the ten most brilliant releases of 2010 which are celebrating their first decade this year. Next up is the sun-kissed and charming ‘Contra’ by Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend burst into the mainstream in early 2008 and brought with them a much needed injection of energy and fun. Indeed, in a year that was to be remembered for the emergence of a global recession, the melodic and youthful sound of the band was a welcome antidote. Their self-titled debut was met with a widely positive reception and tracks such as ‘A-Punk’ and ‘Oxford Comma’ became huge hits and gained the band lots of airtime and new fans.

So how to follow up? It’s safe to say that their sophomore record, 2010’s ‘Contra’, retained their preppy infused youthful melodies but also found the band sounding more confident and trying out new identities.

Opener ‘Horchata’ is the perfect bridge between the two records and could comfortably belong to either. It is a sister track to its predecessors opener ‘Mansford Roof’ and finds Ezra Koenig recalling lazy days “in December drinking Horchata”. The jangly electronic infused melody slowly builds to a choral wave accompanying Koenig as he yearns for a “feeling you thought you’d forgotten, just to sit in sidewalks to walk on”.

The record quickly meanders into more upbeat territory with ‘White Sky’. The track finds the bands components coming together perfectly to frame Koenig’s whirling falsetto vocal whilst ‘Holiday’ steps it up another gear and it’s brief riot of colour and joy is one of the record's most fun filled and sun drenched moments. It is the quintessential Vampire Weekend sound.

It is exciting on ‘Contra’ to hear the band try out a new range of sounds and pay clear tribute to their influences. Whether it’s tapping into Beatles flavored psychedelia on ‘California English’ or channeling a raw and raucous Kings of Leon vibe on lead single ‘Cousins’, the ambition suits them. It may not always work, as the slightly mediocre attempt at an 80’s infused pop sound on ‘Giving Up the Gun’ shows, but it is exciting watching a band evolve.

And it’s not always the high octane moments of energy that stand out. Koenig and (now former member) Rostam Batmanglij’s songwriting is at some of it’s finest on the more laid back ‘Taxi Cab’ which sounds just like a gentle sunny amble around Manhattan in the back of one of the famous yellow vehicles. The colorful and sophisticated swirl of strings, percussion and synths flow perfectly alongside Koenig’s melodic vocals on ‘Run’ and ‘Diplomat’s Son’.

‘Contra’ was a big success for the band and saw them grow their profile and fan base. It may not have veered too far away from their debut's charmingly preppy persona but who gives a hoot when it sounds this good! The band may have gone on to even bigger and better things but this remains a standout moment in their career.