In the last few years the phrase �literate indie rock� has been thrown around willy-nilly to describe bands that make some sort of �smart� reference in their music. The term could easily be applied to the online-hype-driven Vampire Weekend. ***image1***
But let�s be clear here. Grammar-dropping doesn�t make a band any smarter than name-dropping makes a hipster cooler. In �Oxford Comma,� from its full-length self-titled debut, Vampire Weekend uses a highfalutin term as a title for a vapid little diddy about a girl who puts on ChapStick and tells lies about silly things.
Both �Oxford� and the song �Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa� have been bounced around blogs and media outlets, garnering the band an undeserved amount of attention. Whereas the lyrics of �Oxford� are unimaginative, it�s the actual music of �Cape Cod� that makes the songs almost unlistenable. A simple little guitar riff is repeated over and over and over again before finally taking a little break for a few bars so that the hand drums get their moment of glory. Then the riff is back, unchanged. The complete lack of complexity might make the song a good starting off point for a band with more imagination. Instead, what should be 30 seconds of a jam session are stretched out into two, three and sometimes four minutes of trite indie pop.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Vampire Weekend
XL Recording
But let�s be clear here. Grammar-dropping doesn�t make a band any smarter than name-dropping makes a hipster cooler. In �Oxford Comma,� from its full-length self-titled debut, Vampire Weekend uses a highfalutin term as a title for a vapid little diddy about a girl who puts on ChapStick and tells lies about silly things.
Both �Oxford� and the song �Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa� have been bounced around blogs and media outlets, garnering the band an undeserved amount of attention. Whereas the lyrics of �Oxford� are unimaginative, it�s the actual music of �Cape Cod� that makes the songs almost unlistenable. A simple little guitar riff is repeated over and over and over again before finally taking a little break for a few bars so that the hand drums get their moment of glory. Then the riff is back, unchanged. The complete lack of complexity might make the song a good starting off point for a band with more imagination. Instead, what should be 30 seconds of a jam session are stretched out into two, three and sometimes four minutes of trite indie pop.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Vampire Weekend
XL Recording
