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Vampire Weekend - Contra

The second album by the Vampire Weekend entitled Contra is not better than their first one, but it is definitely a qualified successor and the band seem to have overcome the 'noise'...
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Vampire Weekend - ContraThe new album by the Vampire Weekend was released last Monday, January 11th, two years after their famous homonym debut. The album is entitled Contra and comes against the triple album Sandinista! released by the Clash in 1980. In the history of Nicaragua, the Contras were a loose federation of right-wing activists, opposed to the marxistic activism of the National Front of Sandinistas at the end of 70s-beginning of 80s.

The Clash are a source of inspiration for the Vampire Weekend and at the same time their singer Ezra Koening's favorite band, as he declared in an interview to the recent Uncut! The cover is embellished by the photo of a young blond California girl wearing a yellow polo t-shirt. Contra was recorded in Brooklyn, produced by their multi-organist Rostam Batmanglij and the influence from modern African rhythms are more intense, compared to their first release, while the synths - which are at certain points reminiscent of the New Order - have become more apparent. Also, Ezra Koening often sounds like Paul Simon.

I have distinguished
Horchata, which has been distributed as a free download since last year, the ska rhythms of Holiday, the introduction of which brings to mind Too much too young by the Specials, Run and Cousins, probably the most speedy song of the album, and at the same time the first single. In Diplomat’s son – the title refers to Joe Strummer born in Ancara, son of a British diplomat in Turkey - the longest song recorded by the band, who usually give us short creations, there is a sample from MIA's Hussle.

California English is closer to the style of their first album, while in Giving up the gun the R&B melody predominates. In I think Ur a contra there is the phrase “Complete Control”, which is the title of the third single by the Clash in 1977 and through this the band pays respect to them once more.

The second album by the Vampire Weekend entitled Contra is not better than their first one, but it is definitely a qualified successor and the band seem to have overcome the 'noise' provoked by the later and to have grown, taking steps of evolution. Some will say their sound is more mainstream and more concrete and I couldn't blame them, although the album does not include many hits…

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