| "Big Blue" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Vampire Weekend | ||||
| from the album Father of the Bride | ||||
| A-side | "Sunflower" (double A-side) | |||
| Released | March 6, 2019 | |||
| Length | 1:49 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ezra Koenig | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Vampire Weekend singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Big Blue" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. It was the second single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride , and was released on March 6, 2019 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Sunflower". [1]
The guitars on the track have been compared to those of the Beatles' guitarist George Harrison, [2] [3] [4] while the sparse electronic backdrop has been likened to Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak (2008). [5]
The song received mostly positive reception from critics, with some criticisms of its short length. Eric Krebs of The Yale Herald praised Big Blue for its sound, saying of the song, "It’s sweet — maybe a bit sugary — and it feels like someone thawed and diced a track or two from their last album, Modern Vampires of the City , threw in some sunshine for flavor, and pureed it in their NutriBullet," but noted its brevity, stating it "just doesn't quite satisfy." [4] Will Gottsegen of Spin gave the track a positive review, stating that it "feels fully realized," but also noted of the song's length, saying, "At less than two minutes, it’s a concise counter to the decidedly knottier 'Sunflower.'" [6]
Credits adapted from Father of the Bride's liner notes. [7]
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [8] | 33 |
Stereogum is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and irreverent commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio. The band's eponymous first album Vampire Weekend (2008)—which included the singles "Mansard Roof", "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"—was acclaimed by critics for its world music influences. Their following album, Contra (2010), was similarly acclaimed and garnered strong commercial success. Their third studio album, Modern Vampires of the City (2013), won the group the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. Batmanglij departed the group in early 2016. The band's fourth album, Father of the Bride, was released in 2019, and earned them a second Grammy win for Best Alternative Music Album. The album was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Ezra Michael Koenig is an American musician, rapper, singer-songwriter, television producer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and radio personality. He is best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Additionally, Koenig is the creator of the Netflix animated comedy series Neo Yokio and also hosts the Apple Music radio talk show Time Crisis with Ezra Koenig. Time Crisis is airing its fourth season, as of 2019.
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Father of the Bride is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released on May 3, 2019 by Columbia Records, as their first album on a major label.
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"Harmony Hall" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. It is the lead single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride, and was released on January 24, 2019 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "2021". It was the band's highest-charting single on the U.S. Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts, peaking at No. 8 and No. 5, respectively. It also received a nomination for Best Rock Song at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
"2021" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. Alongside "Harmony Hall", it serves as the double A-side lead single for their fourth studio album Father of the Bride, and was released on January 24, 2019 by Columbia Records.
"Sunflower" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend featuring singer and guitarist Steve Lacy. It was the second single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride, and was released on March 6, 2019 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Big Blue". In response to Post Malone and Swae Lee's identically-titled single, the band covered the song as a part of their BBC Live Lounge session.
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"Unbearably White" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. It was released on April 4, 2019 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "This Life", and the third single from their album Father of the Bride.