vampireweekend-californiaenglish.jpg

Yes new Vampire Weekend, but I think ur a stiil a full eight tracks from hearing all of Contra proper, unfortunately. “California English, Pt. 2″ is not to be confused with “California English”; the latter is the album track, whereas this one, the sequel or whatever, is the b-side to “Cousins.” With “Horchata” and “Cousins” the band’s laid out some aural bookends, one eschewing guitars in favor of African instrumentation, the other one of their most kinetically guitar-driven. “California English, Pt. 2″ is on the “Horchata” end of the sonic spectrum, a hiccuping, harmonized vocal loop providing most of the accompaniment to Ezra’s straight-ahead, sunset-lit ode to a state that’s clearly been an inspiration point for this upcoming record. They’ve never explored the studio’s possibilities for arrangement more than on this one, and if a track this pretty is being cast off as a b-side, Contra just got a little more exciting.


(Thanks for the tip, PMA)

Contra is out 1/12 via XL.

[Photo by Tim Soter]

Comments (24)
  1. Cousins>California English Pt2 >Horchata. Really liking this, getting excited for Contra.

  2. i dig it, sucks that every band hates texas and wont come near it unless its sxsw

  3. tommy  |   Posted on Dec 4th, 2009

    im sure this is a bside because its too “experimental.” not because they had better stuff than this for the rest of contra. regardless, this might be one of the best things vampire weekend has ever released. (and i say that as a fan)

  4. It’s pretty good but Cousins is better. Cant wait for this album to come out…if only I had gotten tickets for their Jan 12th show…dammit!

  5. But…. if I listen to part 2 then the cliffhanger of part 1 won’t work for me.

  6. erik  |   Posted on Dec 4th, 2009

    is it just me or has every single one of these new songs sucked?

  7. Don’t know if what I’m about to say has ever been said before or not but I feel it must be said…

    Vampire Weekend ripping-off Animal Collective?

    • jmfran  |   Posted on Dec 4th, 2009

      “ripping-off” is too strong of a word. I’d say its Vampire Weekend “channeling” Animal Collect. But you know, with song structure and direction. (I love VW and AnCo BTW)

    • And so is everyone else.

    • Also it’s not so much bands trying to “rip off” animal collective. It’s bands trying to make Grandpa Pitchfork proud.

      This is the sound of the 2000s-2010′s, and it is going to sound like bad ’80s synth pop when our kids here it in 25 years. It’s good, but it’s far more of the moment, than it is timeless.

  8. I Saw Her Again  |   Posted on Dec 5th, 2009

    Bring on the Neon Indian remix…

  9. Sirrobear  |   Posted on Dec 5th, 2009

    wow. it seems like Vampire weekend took a page out of animal collectives book. it sounds alot like panda bear – Comfy In Nautica

  10. Thank god this is just a B-Side. Cousins is great, Horchata is okay, I can’t get into this one.

  11. james  |   Posted on Dec 6th, 2009

    COMPLETE PANDA BEAR RIPOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD! It is like when Bush and the likes came out after Nirvana!

  12. franc  |   Posted on Dec 7th, 2009

    this new tune is such an AC bite. not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s just too minimal and half-baked to be good for more than one listen.
    it’s not like VW was ever doing anything really original in the first place…and if someone brings up “afro-beat” in their response to this- go listen to some real afro-beat, VW hardly has anything to do with it.

  13. The hype I’m feeling for this album is almost unbearable.

  14. Eric  |   Posted on Dec 11th, 2009

    Wow, this new Animal Collective song is not very good…

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