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Still Fluffy Fun … And That’s Okay

Far from what the title suggests at first glance, Contra is no counter-revolution for Vampire Weekend. Think more folk-skip around the world with your buds. Shrewd beyond their years, the Brooklyn kids realized there was no possible way to quell the eventual ballyhoo of this sophomore effort. So in response, they turned down the pop-hype and twisted on the self-indulgence. Knowing one thing holds true in life: if it ain’t broke …

For starters, keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij once again produces; yet Contra is arguably a mob effort. Each track sounds close to their individual stories and worldly experiences at heart with every pluck, wane, and subtle lyrical wink that would make Paul Simon proud. From sipping ‘Horchata’ in a café in Spain to channeling afro-beats in a Richard Serra influenced world under a ‘White Sky’ – these boys get around in subtle superficial style. They don’t waste time with political nonsense other than the headline blurbs and thankfully could care less. If anything, they just want you to be content. In fact, so delicate is all of Contra that even nods to “Hussel” by M.I.A. in their schoolboy melodrama ‘Diplomat’s Son’ can be lost in the albums brilliant breezy ease. It’s not until boppy ‘Holiday’ and ‘Cousins’ gives us a cold cup of the Clash does one really take note of their 2008 self titled effort – an achievement in its own right. How do you overshadow such a milestone on your second time around? You don’t. Like VW you simply relax in its silhouette on the lido deck but give us a glimpse of rockabilly-ska in coach.

Sure, there is some unfortunate auto-tune samples thrown into the mix at one point (even my indie isn’t safe from your evil clutches) and just about every song is asininely innocuous. Yet Contra is a slender tilt in a new direction - still keeping its toes in warm and fuzzy familiar waters. So much so you may just overlook its brilliance. While their debut was more up front, Contra takes some time to decode its prep boy charm. Fist pumps are now mixed up emotions of dancehall reggae. Eighties rebellion is replaced by sandy beaches. Rest assured, Vampire Weekend knows where they are going and have no problem taking their time to skip a few rocks along the way. So sit back and enjoy the sunny times before they realize the world we live in is a ghetto.

Sean Kendall