Contra is another great instalment of Vampire Weekend's discography. As great as I think the album is, it doesn't hold as much weight as their self-titled début. Most of the tracks really are excellent, but I think that the previous album captured the "Vampire Weekend essence" a little bit better. And if they weren't going to do that as perfectly as they did before, their second album should have at least matured more. The sound, while incredibly distinctive, did little in developing. However, I can't complain. Vampire Weekend continues to be a ground breaking band, and I am far from tired of the work that they are producing. My favourite tracks on ...  Read the complete review

It is no surprise that Vampire Weekend is one of the rising stars in the alternative music scene. They have quickly made the rise from Indie superstars to Alternative celebrities. They are loved for their unique sound everywhere they go, and they seem to attract more and more young fans every day with their witty lyrics and soft and poetic sound. Perhaps we are witnessing the rise in their stardom with the release of their new album, Contra. This is the follow-up to their first album, which was self-titled (a gutsy move for an up-and-coming band from New York City). Contra offers fans a plethora of new material that allows the guys of Vampire to explore with new ...  Read the complete review

Vampire Weekend released their first studio album of the same name, to huge critical acclaim in 2007. Spin magazine called them 'The best band of 2008' and their song 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' was ranked 67th on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 best songs of the year. The band, named after lead singer Erza Koenig's amateur film of the same name, have a unique sound which may be why they have not been able to match their critical success with commercial success. 'Oxford Comma' and 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' reached 38 and 178 in the UK charts respectively, and even 'A-Punk' which has featured in many TV shows and films, managed only to get to 55. The album as a ...  Read the complete review