Vampire Weekend (album)

Last updated
Vampire Weekend
VampireWeekendCD2.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 29, 2008
Recorded2007
Studio
  • Lerner E573
  • Tomson family barn
  • 17 Moultrie
  • 14-16 Bedford Street
  • Meserole and Diamond
  • Meserole and Dobbin
  • Hicks and Joralemon
  • Baio's mom's house
  • Treefort (DUMBO)
Genre
Length34:13
Label XL
Producer Rostam Batmanglij
Vampire Weekend chronology
Vampire Weekend
(2008)
Contra
(2010)
Singles from Vampire Weekend
  1. "Mansard Roof"
    Released: October 23, 2007
  2. "A-Punk"
    Released: February 28, 2008
  3. "Oxford Comma"
    Released: May 26, 2008
  4. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"
    Released: August 18, 2008
  5. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"
    Released: November 18, 2008

Vampire Weekend is the debut studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released on January 29, 2008 by XL Recordings. The album was produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, with mixing assistance from Jeff Curtin and Shane Stoneback. Released after a year of building internet buzz, the album showcased the band's unique hybrid of indie pop, chamber music, and Afropop influences. [2]

Contents

In the United States, the album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200. [4] In the album's 11th week in the UK chart, it peaked at number 15. [5] The album also reached number 37 in Australia. [6] It was accompanied by the singles "Mansard Roof", "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance".

The album was ranked as the 5th-best album of 2008 by Time , [7] the 56th-best album of the decade by Rolling Stone [8] and 51st on Pitchfork 's list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s. [9] In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 430 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". [10]

Recording history

The album was recorded in a variety of environments including a basement where there was "a good set up for recording drums", a barn, the apartments of two band members, and Tree Fort studio in Brooklyn. The locations bore an effect on the sound that was produced, demonstrated by a session recorded early in 2007 at a barn, which resulted in "really echoey drums". [11] The album draws influence from African pop styles such as soukous and Congolese rumba while incorporating string textures and harpsichords. [12] The group jokingly described this hybrid of indie, afropop, and chamber pop as "Upper West Side Soweto." [2]

In October 2007, the lead singer Ezra Koenig, said that the band had "some of the tracks [...] for a long time", so they were aware of how the album would sound but that it was "just a matter of tightening it up and remixing it a little". Koenig also said that the band was "really excited" and "psyched" about two songs in particular, which were recorded around September 2007, called "I Stand Corrected" and "M79". [11]

The album's cover depicts the chandelier in St. Anthony Hall, a Columbia University semi-secret society. [13] The photo is a Polaroid picture from one of the band's early shows at Columbia.

Release

The album sold over 27,000 copies in the first week of its release, debuting at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and as of 20 January 2010, has sold nearly half a million copies. [14]

The album was ranked as the 5th-best album of 2008 by Time , [15] the 56th-best album of the decade by Rolling Stone [8] and 51st on Pitchfork 's list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s. [9] In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 430 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". [10] The album was also ranked 24 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 greatest debut albums of all time, citing them for having inspired a wave of indie bands with world music influences, despite largely criticizing the album on its release. [16] Paul Simon has spoken out in favor of the album, responding to the derision of some for perceived similarities to Simon's 1986 album Graceland and confirming that he does not consider the album to contain any stolen work. [17] [18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 82/100 [19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [2]
The A.V. Club B− [20]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [21]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A− [22]
NME 8/10 [23]
Pitchfork 8.8/10 [1]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [24]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [25]
Spin Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [26]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Vampire Weekend received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 38 critic scores. [19]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Heather Phares wrote, "Everything is concise, concentrated, distilled, vivid; Vampire Weekend's world is extremely specific and meticulously crafted, and Vampire Weekend often feels like a concept album about preppy guys who grew up with classical music and recently got really into world music. Amazingly, instead of being alienating, the band's quirks are utterly winning." [2] At The A.V. Club , Gordon Scott claimed that, "The young band's saving grace is compactness, which not only saves thousands of dollars in kora-player and backup-singer bills, but also keeps things alert and accessible." [20] Talking about the band's array of musical styles in the review for Blender , Ben Sisario felt that, "Vampire Weekend’s version of globalization is too tightly and smartly woven to be mere dilettantism, and at times Koenig is emphatic, even desperate, about escaping white-bred familiarity" [3]

In a review for The Guardian , Alexis Petridis claimed that, "Behind the penny loafers and songs about commas, there's a bold band that can balance dexterous originality with an innate pop sensibility." [21] Writing for NME , Sam Richards commented that, "A mischievous pop sensibility ensures all these little experiments come off as refreshing quirks rather than heinous transgressions." [23] At Pitchfork , Nitsuh Abebe stated, "Bring any baggage you want to this record, and it still returns nothing but warm, airy, low-gimmick pop, peppy, clever, and yes, unpretentious--four guys who listened to some Afro-pop records, picked up a few nice ideas, and then set about making one of the most refreshing and replayable indie records in recent years." [1]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Ezra Koenig except where noted; all music is composed by Vampire Weekend except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mansard Roof" 2:07
2."Oxford Comma" 3:15
3."A-Punk" 2:17
4."Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" 3:34
5."M79"additional lyrics by Rostam Batmanglij 4:15
6."Campus"music and lyrics by Batmanglij; additional lyrics by Koenig2:56
7."Bryn" 2:13
8."One (Blake's Got a New Face)"contains elements of "Obeah Wedding" by Slinger Francisco 3:13
9."I Stand Corrected" 2:39
10."Walcott" 3:41
11."The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" 4:03
Total length:34:13
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Ladies of Cambridge [a.k.a. Boston]"2:40
13."Arrows"3:04
Total length:39:57

Personnel

The song "Campus" was used in Gossip Girl and I Love You, Man . "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was used in Viper Club and a trailer for The Big Sick . "Mansard Roof" was used in Grey's Anatomy and Someone Great . "Oxford Comma" was used in The Chair , Roswell, New Mexico , New Girl , Suits , How I Met Your Mother and I Love You, Man . The song "A-Punk" was used in the 2008 film Step Brothers and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off . The song "M79" was used as the theme song for the TV series The Chair

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Vampire Weekend
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [45] Gold35,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [46] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [47] Platinum394,220 [48]
United States (RIAA) [49] Platinum1,000,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop</i> 1996 studio album by Stone Temple Pilots

Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop is the third studio album by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on March 26, 1996 through Atlantic Records. After a brief hiatus throughout 1995, the band regrouped to record the album together at Westerly Ranch in Santa Ynez, California, where they also lived at the time. Like all of the band's albums up to that point, production was handled by Brendan O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs song)</span> 2003 single by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"Maps" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their debut full-length album, Fever to Tell (2003). The song is about the relationship between Liars frontman Angus Andrew and Yeah Yeah Yeahs lead singer Karen O. Released in September 2003, the song reached number nine on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 26 in the United Kingdom. The band performed the song at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, and the music video received extensive play on MTV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire Weekend</span> American indie rock band

Vampire Weekend is an American rock band formed in New York City 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. Batmanglij departed the group in early 2016 but has continued to occasionally contribute to subsequent albums as a songwriter, producer, and musician.

<i>Oracular Spectacular</i> 2007 studio album by MGMT

Oracular Spectacular is the debut studio album by the American band MGMT, released on October 2, 2007, by RED Ink and physically on January 22, 2008, by Columbia. It was produced by Dave Fridmann and is the band's first release of new content, being recorded from March to April 2007. Promotion for the album started as early as June 2007, when the song "Weekend Wars" was given away in summer issues of free monthly magazine Nöjesguiden in Stockholm, Sweden. Matching CDs could be picked up for free in all stores in three different shopping malls around Stockholm from June 26 to July 31. The album was also promoted with three singles: "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel" and "Kids". Both "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" were re-recorded for the album; they were originally included on the band's previous release Time to Pretend (2005), with the opening track serving as a "mission statement" and the theme continuing through the album's subsequent tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezra Koenig</span> American rock musician (born 1984)

Ezra Michael Koenig is an American musician, record producer, and radio personality. He is 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 ninth season, as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa</span> 2008 single by Vampire Weekend

"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" is the fourth single by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released 18 August 2008. The song was rated 67th best song of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tegan and Sara discography</span> Band discography

Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara have released ten studio albums and thirteen singles. They released their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, independently in 1999. Their first major release was This Business of Art, released in 2000 on Vapor Records. This album contained their debut single, "The First".

<i>Radio Retaliation</i> 2008 studio album by Thievery Corporation

Radio Retaliation is the fifth studio album by American electronic music duo Thievery Corporation, released on September 23, 2008 by ESL Music. Intended to be a political album, it was recorded in the band's hometown of Washington, D.C. from April 2007 to August 2008.

<i>Working on a Dream</i> 2009 studio album by Bruce Springsteen

Working on a Dream is the sixteenth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on January 27, 2009, through Columbia Records. It topped the charts in nine countries, including the US, where it was Springsteen's ninth No. 1. "The Wrestler", which appeared as a bonus track, won a Golden Globe award. E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt said that Working on a Dream completed a trilogy which started with The Rising (2002) and continued with Magic (2007), all of which were produced by Brendan O'Brien.

<i>Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix</i> 2009 studio album by Phoenix

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the fourth studio album by French indie pop band Phoenix. It was released on 25 May 2009 by V2 Records. While the band's previous work enjoyed a moderate underground following, the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix drew the attention of a more mainstream audience. In the US, Phoenix began a promotional tour including performances on several late night talk shows. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix continued to gain momentum with the increased exposure of the tour. The album received critical acclaim with many publications calling it one of the best albums of 2009. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix earned the band a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards held on 31 January 2010.

<i>Contra</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Contra is the second studio album by the American rock band Vampire Weekend, produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij and released in January 2010 on XL Recordings. It was preceded by the 2009 singles "Horchata" and "Cousins."

<i>Modern Vampires of the City</i> 2013 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Modern Vampires of the City is the third studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on May 14, 2013, by XL Recordings. The group began to write songs for the album during soundchecks on the supporting concert tour for their previous album, 2010's Contra. After a period in which each member explored individual musical projects, they regrouped and continued working on Modern Vampires of the City in 2011. With no deadline in mind, the band brought in an outside record producer for the first time, Ariel Rechtshaid, to record the album.

<i>Free the Universe</i> 2013 studio album by Major Lazer

Free the Universe is the second full-length studio album released by Major Lazer. The album was released on April 16, 2013, and features appearances by Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman, Santigold, Peaches, Tyga, Flux Pavilion, Bruno Mars, Wyclef Jean, Shaggy, and more. The album peaked at No. 34 in both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart. It is a follow-up to their 2009 debut Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do (2009)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire Weekend discography</span>

The discography of American indie rock band Vampire Weekend consists of five studio albums, four extended plays, one live album, eighteen singles, and ten music videos.

<i>Indie Cindy</i> 2014 studio album by Pixies

Indie Cindy is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Pixies. Released in April 2014, it was the band's first album since 1991's Trompe le Monde, and the first Pixies album not to feature bass guitar player Kim Deal. Instead, bass guitar duties on the album are handled by Simon "Ding" Archer, a former member of the British post-punk band The Fall.

<i>Father of the Bride</i> (album) 2019 album by Vampire Weekend

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmony Hall (song)</span> 2019 single by Vampire Weekend

"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 is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Life (Vampire Weekend song)</span> 2019 single by Vampire Weekend

"This Life" is a song by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released as the third single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride. It was released on April 4, 2019, by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Unbearably White". The highly referential song contrasts bright music against a lyrical exploration of uncertainty and suffering, and was written by lead singer Ezra Koenig with iLoveMakonnen and Mark Ronson. The track was released to widespread critical acclaim, being described as amongst the band's best work, and peaked at 11 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unbearably White</span> 2019 single by Vampire Weekend

"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.

<i>Only God Was Above Us</i> 2024 album by Vampire Weekend

Only God Was Above Us is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on April 5, 2024, through Columbia Records. It marks the third collaboration between the band and their longtime producer Ariel Rechtshaid. It is also the first album recorded by the band as a trio of vocalist-guitarist Ezra Koenig, bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson after the 2016 departure of keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij; 2019's Father of the Bride, the first post-Batmanglij Vampire Weekend album, was created and promoted by Koenig as a solo project with Baio and Tomson only involved for the album's tours.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Abebe, Nitsuh (January 28, 2012). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Phares, Heather. "Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". AllMusic . Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Sisario, Ben. "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Blender . Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  4. "Vampire Weekend Lands First No. 1 Album". Billboard . 20 January 2010.
  5. "BBC Radio 1 Chart Show: The UK Top 40 Albums". BBC. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  6. "Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - Music Charts". acharts.us. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  7. Tyrangiel, Josh (2008-11-03). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - Top 10 Albums". Time . Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  8. 1 2 "100 Best Albums of the Decade". Rolling Stone. 2009-12-09. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  9. 1 2 "Pitchfork Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100-51". Pitchfork . 2009-09-30.
  10. 1 2 Wenner, Jann S., ed. (2012). Rolling Stone - Special Collectors Issue - The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. USA: Wenner Media Specials. ISBN   978-7098934196
  11. 1 2 "Vampire Weekend reveal debut album details". NME . 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  12. Sylla, Fanta (February 2018). "On Hearing My Father's Legacy in Vampire Weekend". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  13. Harris, Sophie (2018-01-29). "Vampire Weekend's Debut Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  14. Norris, John (2008-02-06). "Vampire Weekend Take Their Preppy, Indie Afropop To The Billboard Top 20". MTV. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  15. Tyrangiel, Josh (2008-11-03). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - Top 10 Albums". Time . Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  16. "Rollingstone". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 2018-07-01. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
  17. "Paul Simon Defends Vampire Weekend". 17 March 2011.
  18. "Paul Simon on Kevin Youkilis, Jay-Z, Vampire Weekend—Oh, and His New Album!". Vanity Fair . 16 March 2011.
  19. 1 2 "Reviews for Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend". Metacritic . Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  20. 1 2 Gordon, Scott (January 28, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". The A.V. Club . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (January 24, 2008). "Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend". The Guardian . London. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  22. Christgau, Robert (March 2008). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  23. 1 2 Richards, Sam (February 1, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". NME . Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  24. "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Q (260): 109. March 2008.
  25. Hoard, Christian (February 7, 2008). "Vampire Weekend : Vampire Weekend". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on September 2, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  26. Hermes, Will (February 2008). "International Bright Young Things". Spin . 24 (2): 91. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  27. "Australiancharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  28. "ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-19. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  29. 1 2 "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  30. "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  31. "Dutchcharts.nl – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  32. "Alternative Top 30" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  33. "Lescharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  34. "Officialcharts.de – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  35. "吸血鬼大集合" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  36. "Swedishcharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  37. "Vampire Weekend | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  38. "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  39. "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  40. "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  41. "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  42. "End of Year Charts: 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus . Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  43. "Billboard 200 Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  44. "Independent Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  45. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  46. "Canadian album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Music Canada.
  47. "British album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". British Phonographic Industry.
  48. Paine, Andre (1 August 2018). "Vampire Weekend's Sony move confirmed". Music Week. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  49. "American album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Recording Industry Association of America.