It's summer, and that means that happy music - or at least music that sounds happy - is a must for those pool party playlists, hot early morning drives to work, and nights on the beach with good friends. Luckily, the kings of upbeat have delivered another stellar album, just in time for summer.
If you're not familiar with Vampire Weekend, have no fear. Their music is about as easy to dive into as a heated pool. Melody is the name of the game, but it's not their only asset; their almost impossibly catchy tunes are assisted by well crafted, admittedly esoteric lyrics ranging from college girlfriends to Yahweh, all bravely belted/yodeled/crooned by lead singer Ezra Koenig. The other asset is the tightness of the instruments. The music is so mathematical, so precise, that you half expect it to sound cold and methodical. Far from it. Vampire Weekend evokes euphoria in almost every song, even in nostalgic laments like "Diplomat's Son" or gut-wrenching love/hate letters to God like "Ya Hey."
Vampy Weeks has been criticized for being pretentious, but if you know anything about the band it's very easy to pick up on the self-awareness and cheekiness in their music.
Every time that I post an essential artist, I strongly encourage you to get ahold of their entire discography and listen to it all the way through. This is especially easy for VW because they only have three albums.But for now I'll leave you with a playlist of some of my favorites. Happy listening!
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