Music Snitch

While today is marked on my calendar as, “Padre’s B-Day”, I have a sneaking suspicion that January 12th has an alternative significance to most music enthusiasts. Today, lingering impatience can fade by the wayside along with the all the premature hype, because, Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album, ‘Contra’, has been released.

If countless sold out shows across the US and Europe is an accurate indication of fan interest, I would say people are pretty excited about Vampire Weekend’s new music. So after two years, was it worth the wait?  My first impression…yeah, there are some pretty neat tracks on ‘Contra’, but give me a few more listens because I don’t get it yet.

“Horchata” (the first single) kicks off the album with some harmonium drone and is followed by the track, “White Sky”, a song you might recognize if you’ve seen Vampire Weekend live.  Next up is the track, “California English”, which has been receiving some mixed attention due to the autotune effect on Ezra Koenig’s voice.  Why so surprised/disappointed folks…did you forget about Vampire Weekend’s previous fascination with Lil Jon?  It makes perfect and reasonable sense; Vampire Weekend is obviously intrigued by “Lil” things.

About halfway through the album  you arrive at the track, “Cousins”, which is the most memorable part of ‘Contra’ for me.   It’s frenetic, clever, and highlights the bands’ ability to create fresh sounding music.  The last three tracks on the album seem to be unnecessarily long, they sound promising during the first minute or so, but they aren’t really attention holders.

Now, after multiple encounters with ‘Contra’, I come away mostly ambivalent with a couple new additions to my “currently into” playlist. I do not think this album is as immediate as their debut; it requires a bit of persistence…so go grab a granola bar.

Not sure how long it is going to last, but you can listen to ‘Contra’ in its entirety now on Vampire Weekend’s MySpace page.  The album is set to be released next week, January 12th via XL Records.

Also, a full album review is coming soon to Music Snitch…so stay tuned.  And if you haven’t already, pick up a free download of ‘Contra’s’ first single, “Horchata,” here.

Vampire Weekend just released a new video for “Cousins”, a song that can be found on their forthcoming album, ‘Contra’.

Vampire Weekend recently surprised fans by offering the opening track from their upcoming sophomore album, ‘Contra’, for free via their website.

Ezra Koenig offered a bit of background information regarding the track, “Horchata” (NME): The percussionist who plays a bunch of stuff on “Horchata” is a Brazilian guy named Mauro Refosco,” he explained. “We just heard he’s joined Thom Yorke’s band. He’s an amazing percussionist.

Take A Listen: Horchata from Vampire Weekend

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Horchata (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

Upcoming Tour Dates:
10/08 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
10/15 – London, UK @ King’s College
10/22 – Paris, FR @ Nouveau Casino
11/02 – Long Beach, CA @ The Art Theater
11/05 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
11/07 – Lafayette, CA @ Town Hall Theatre
11/08 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst
11/09 – Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
11/10 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Downtown Brew
11/12 – Bakersfield, CA @ Chencho’s
11/14 – Lomita, CA @ VFW Hall
11/17 – Tokyo, JAP @ Tokyo Unit
11/21 – Sydney, AUS @ Oxford Art Factory

Vampire Weekend – Website

It seems as if Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album, “Contra”, has been highly anticipate since the release of their self-titled debut LP in 2008. I for one cannot wait to hear the new Rostam-produced album, which will be released on January 12th via XL Records.

Contra TrackList:
01 – Horchata
02 – White Sky
03 – Holiday
04 – California English
05 – Taxi Cab
06 – Run
07 – Cousins
08 – Giving Up the Gun
09 – Diplomat’s Son
10 – I Think Ur A Contra

Take A Listen: White Sky from Vampire Weekend (Live on Fallon)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: White Sky (Live) (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

Vampire Weekend – Website

The funky collaboration between Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and British DJ/Producer duo Radioclit, didn’t just stop with their self-titled mixtape. This music outfit known as, The Very Best, is getting set to release their full-length debut album ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ this fall via Green Owl records.

The albums’ title track, which features Ezra Koenig (of Vampire Weekend), is a light-hearted afro-pop tune that brings the word “jovial” to mind.

Take A Listen: Warm Heart of Africa by The Very Best

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Warm Heart of Africa (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

The Very Best – MySpace

Rostam Batmanglij (of Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (of Ra Ra Riot) have apparently been working on a side project titled, Discovery, since last year, but just recently a couple of their songs started making visible rounds on the internet. Discovery’s debut LP should appear sometime this summer.

I feel like I am going to be shunned and placed into some type of music blogger purgatory for saying this but, I am not really loving either of these tracks. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot, in fact both of these bands are in a heavy and constant rotation on my ipod. Perhaps if I heard these songs not knowing who the artists were, I would be more satisfied, but I expected to be all giddified by the musical outcome of two great bands merging. Of the two tracks that I have heard, ‘Orange Shirt’ is the one I prefer, although I am not sure its play count will sky rocket anytime soon. I have my fingers crossed for the LP.

Take A Listen: Orange Shirt by Discovery

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Take A Listen: Osaka Loop Line by Discovery

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Orange Shirt by Discovery (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox

Download: Osaka Loop Line (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox

Discovery – MySpace

Maps & Atlases has been a little dormant since their last EP, “You and Me And The Mountain’ but, now they are back and sharing a new demo song, “Pigeon.” This song will apparently be included on their upcoming full-length album, which they are recording in late April for a release in late Summer/ early Fall 2009.

And yes, this song reminds me of Vampire Weekend’s sound on their debut album.

Take A Listen: Pigeon by Maps & Atlases

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Maps & Atlases – MySpace