A month shy of two years ago, Vampire Weekend made their network television debut on Letterman with “A-Punk.” They returned last night bringing their punkest bit yet with “Cousins,” a familial and frantic, ska-siphoned racer that always feels its a half-beat from derailing completely, and yet they stick the landing every time. That is probably because before last night, “every time” really just meant every time Contra cued up on the iTunes, but last night’s “Cousins” was just some church bells from its recorded form, right down to Ezra’s ability to convey all the charm he sets to tape each time he’s onstage. As discussed while prematurely evaluating, Contra‘s maybe most notable for Rostam’s leap as a producer, but here’s Vampire Weekend, showcasing its least dressed moment — tape art and masks not included.
Mexico’s Toy Selectah became somewhat of a listening advisor to the band during their Contra-cocooning time in Mexico. His remix of “Cousins” is high energy and fairly dope:
Contra is an album that will be released by the label XL. “Horchata” is a song on it, and if you missed this year’s MySplice, “Pina Horchata” is a mashup party favor for which it’s worth revisiting that link.
Here’s the album:
On tour:
01/12 – Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theater
01/17 – New York, NY @ United Palace Theater
01/18 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
01/19 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
02/05 – Bexhill, UK @ De La Warr
02/07 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange
02/08 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Apollo
02/09 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy
02/10 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
02/12 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 Academy
02/13 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
02/14 – Edinburgh, UK @ Picture House
02/16 – London, UK @ O2 Academy
02/17 – London, UK @ O2 Academy
02/19 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
02/20 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria
02/21 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel
02/22 – Brussels, BE @ AB
02/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
02/25 – Paris, FR @ Olympia
02/26 – Tolouse, FR @ Le Bikini
02/27 – Barcelona, ES @ Penelope
02/28 – Madrid, ES @ Teatro Circo Price
03/14 – Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Event Centre
03/15 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
03/16 – Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theatre
03/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
03/19 – Denvero, CO @ Ogden Theatre
03/20 – Aspen, CO @ Spring Jam Core Party
03/22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
03/23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
03/25 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
03/27 – Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre
03/29 – Columbus, OH @ Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
03/30 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
04/01 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
04/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
04/03 – Washington, DC @ Dar Constitution Hall
04/05 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
04/06 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
04/08 – Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
04/09 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
04/10 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s
04/11 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
04/13 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
04/14 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
04/19 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Theater
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in before the backlash. that was awesome.
It was a good performance. The album has better songs, but that is a good tune for the people who haven’t heard them yet.
Preview of future comments:
1. I can’t understand why people like them.
2. They suck live
3. They are just stealing Paul Simon’s sound
4. Hipster/Preppies can’t make good music
anymore?
Indeed. Love or hate them, it takes some talent to keep those blistering sixteenth notes together without the whole thing turing to muck.
This song is getting better every time I hear it.
I associate nothing but good things with the song itself…Water Skiing with the Go Go’s…Clark Grizwalds white loafers…Flea…
this is just totally average hipster music. would not listen again. the guitar “break” or “solo” or whatever that was was totally stupid and unnecessary.
So I suppose instead you would rather David Letterman host good bands like Andrew Bird and Radiohead all the time, right? Because only you like good music, and everyone who rides a fixie or listens to VW or is different can just go to hell, right?
Letterman: “The new album is out Today? Tomorrow? Oh next week!”
Those guys can play.
Theres worse people to cop than P.Simon to begin with…
Shows what you know.
Excellent! The reverb off all the glass in that studio made it sound even better. I agree that this was a good one to play for virgin ears – enough pop appeal as to not be off-putting. I have to say though I was waiting for the confetti!
is his mic blown out or did they intentionally add distortion? this was an awesome performance, i love the last 20 seconds where they finally release all that tension and just go balls out
performance was very good indeed. the sound on the set was one of the best i’ve heard froma letterman performance…
I like this band for the most part, and I like most of the new album, but Cousins is the worst song they have ever recorded.
First album didn’t really grab me, but that was a hell of a performance. Looks like I have to give these guys a second chance.
Haven’t heard the recorded version yet. Almost don’t want to now. That was lean, mean and tight. And I like it that way.
Why hasn’t Stereogum reported the full album is at the band’s Myspace?
NEEDS MORE JAPANDROIDS
Glad to see the scarves are retired, even if it is the middle of winter.
Great performance. The album a nice step forward from the first one as well. Something old, something new. Someone mentioned it’s on MySpace. It’s also on NPR.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122213523
whole album also streaming at vampireweekend.com
Yeasayer > Vampire Weekend
relevant comments > ridiculous comparisons
the only thing i dislike more than vampire weekend is people predicting what others are going to say about vampire weekend. if you have no better way to spend your time then i really dont care to hear your opinion on anything
New record has Auto-Tuned vocals!!!! Yay!!!!
Hey “shut up” …happy new year!!!!
goddamn rich kids
according to Ezra, they’re not rich kids. He got a scholarship to Columbia from the labor union his dad’s in and he’s still paying off college loans. just because you go to an expensive, selective college, doesn’t mean you’re rich. niether does wearing Penguin brand clothing…
If you want to hate on bands that got where they are for being rich kids, there’s plenty others to pick from- start with the Strokes. look it up, you have the internet.
yeah, but the strokes are GOOD so
…and who the fuck is Ezra? oh should I use teh internest
I wonder who is that woman on the cover? Anyone knows?
I like this song even more with each listen. It’s so damn contagious! Ahem, A-punk flashback.
a bass capo. ha
So the members of Vampire Weekend have money. Get over it.
There are plenty of other great bands who lived comfortably before blowing up, like the Beastie Boys for example.
Let’s not forget The Strokes. They might wear leather jackets and act all garage-y, but Julian Casablancas had to fight his way out of a pair of khakis before he could squeeze on those skinny jeans and dance in a Converse commercial.
I hope people don’t give them shit because other people have actually HEARD of them now. I’ve been following VW since mid 2007 and am excited for the new album. MTV kind of blew them up and they got tracks in a bunch of TV Shows / Movies but who cares? They make good music, and now you have an artist in common with joe shmoe.
I always figured VW’s live show would be kinda boring, but this was a pleasantly invigorating three minutes.
I never really liked anything these guys did, but this song rips.
what about that bass capo?
His CDs are always so big
not that anyone is reading this post anymore, but i admit being a total pretentious ass with my previous post. the reply to my post is totally just and this correct way to view this. i may not like it, but who the hell says they have no right playing on letterman. they sure as hell have worked harder than i have at my music.
sorry stereogum.
I listened to their new album and as much as it pains me to say this, Cousins is the best song on it.
They are brilliant live though, especially Ezra.
Watching this makes my hands ache (and no, not ’cause I’m whacking off)
I enjoy this song…but I heard the Cousinz remix on Playlist.com before I heard this…and it’s much better
I loved the video. Nice to see ‘em do it live.
Catchy shit.