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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Album / Song / Upcoming The New Vampire Weekend Track Is Actually Really, Really Nice

Posted by Eric Grandy on Tue, Oct 6, 2009 at 11:00 AM

Vampire Weekend have released the first single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Contra, and it's called "Horchata," like the Mexican rice drink. Some poor folks are seizing on the "exoticism" of the track's title* to put on their 2000-and-late cultural appropriation po-face, but, c'mon, we've been through this before (and it was an arguable look even then). Yes, the lyrics on the verse (and especially the cultural touchstones) are kind of daft—but when has that not been part of Vampire Weekend's charm? ("Balaclava" here has its precedent in the "keffiyeh" of the previous album's "Campus"; the phenomenon of great, catchy, emotionally resonant songwriting with just occasionally wincing lyrics has its precedent in New Order.) The track's tumbling kalimba, marimba, and keyboards are certainly convincing enough (credit Rostam Batmanglij's sharpened skills as an arranger), as is Ezra Koenig's high-reaching voice on the chorus, signing, "here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten." No doubt all the usual sticks in the mud and would-be early backlash adopters will be hating on Vampire Weekend for this song, just like they have been since the band's first positive record review—it will continue to be their loss.

*You can find the exotic elixir at multiple places within two blocks of our Capitol Hill office.

Comments (21) RSS

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I like this. It's this decade's "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"

Posted by mackro

on October 6, 2009 at 2:02 PM

hahahaha die

Posted by The Earth Dies Screaming on October 6, 2009 at 2:24 PM

SHOTGUN BLASTS TO THEIR FACES. NOW.

Posted by holy crap FUCK these rich whiteboys on October 6, 2009 at 4:11 PM

I said it last year, Now I will say it again. Vampire Weekend sucks.

Posted by coolio on October 6, 2009 at 4:34 PM

I don't get this. They're reminiscing about their vacation in the tropics? How inspiring!

Posted by Hellohello on October 6, 2009 at 4:43 PM

This is Jay Reatards Underwear and i don't believe one word of this horse shit! The only shit i appreciate is Jay Reatards SHIT! Not this college yacht rock horse shit! Jay's Underwear didn't go to college so perhaps i "just don't get it"

Posted by Jays Underwear on October 6, 2009 at 5:25 PM

Wow. It's really not that good.

Posted by Irena on October 6, 2009 at 6:05 PM

This sounds pretty cool when combined with the Pearson Sound video up top.

Posted by Mashup on October 6, 2009 at 6:40 PM

you have to be messing with me- this is not really, really nice

Posted by biolabode on October 6, 2009 at 8:48 PM

dont like this at all. i'm not a vw hater--i actually love their debut and listen to it regularly. but this is as overwrought as a natasha bedingfield track: too many disparate ideas that aren't really pieced together very well. the melody is overly repetitive and very "safe" compared to their earlier work. it's not a horrible song, but i'm just underwhelmed.

Posted by fred couples on October 6, 2009 at 9:06 PM

I like this too. It's not a large departure from anything on the first VW album (maybe a few more strings, but you know who it is within the first 20 seconds).

I read Line Out every day and Eric gets a lot of shit from commenters for whatever reason - some deserved, some not - but there are seven comments above that say this song sucks, but not one person explains why (no, just hinting at race and class isn't enough). At least Eric shows his work and tells you why he likes this song.

Posted by Chris B.

on October 6, 2009 at 9:13 PM

Hey...a comment that explains why they don't like this song appeared while I was writing my comment.

To quote another VW song, I stand corrected.

Posted by Chris B.

on October 6, 2009 at 9:18 PM

can we talk about the new Tao Lin/Hipster Runoff collaboration now? not horrible!

Posted by josh

on October 6, 2009 at 10:23 PM

Eric, sometimes I think you're stupid, but you're right on this one.

Posted by teenage eagle on October 6, 2009 at 10:27 PM

naw. erics pretty much always stupid.

and this song is bad because it is soul-less. it is performed, produced, and executed perfectly for what it is, and what it is is a horribly lame, paul simon/peter gabriel derivative from the limpest, and most forgetful era of 80's yuppie excess. it isnt progressive, its regressive. and lazy.
and just because they are flawless in the eyes of pitchfork.com (several columnists at pitchfork freakin WENT TO COLLEGE with members of the band.) eric once again just echoes the sentiments of what has become the least edgy music website around....cause, i suppose, he is just as lazy as the band.

so-good fit.

Posted by not just hatin-this band is quite terrible. on October 6, 2009 at 11:20 PM

Nice preemptive strike Grandy. Do you also want to defend Roman Polansky?

Posted by bioavailable on October 7, 2009 at 5:39 AM

not liking things because other people like them is so hipster...

Posted by wecame on October 7, 2009 at 10:04 AM

The most devastating review I ever read of Tortoise, from some time around 'TNT' was "Every generation gets the soft-rock it deserves."

I think this sentiment fits Vampire Weekend well. They are the soft-rock, 'AM-GOLD-compilation-that-your-mom-ordered-off-the-TV,' sort of music that really speaks to slightly overweight 25 year-olds.

Posted by Chris Jury