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April 13, 2007

Band To Watch: Vampire Weekend

Brooklyn's Vampire Weekend sent Stereogum a blue CD-R, which popped up in our iTunes as Vampire Weekend: Blue CD-R. Fair enough. The demo's sound quality matches the title's DIY promise, but these are indie-pop gems of a different cut, pulling on the world music bend of Paul Simon's Graceland and late Talking Heads, wrapped in literary barbs and ample alliteration ("all your diction dripping with disdain," for one).

VMPRWKND cite African bands like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Kanda Bongo Man as pull points, and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" delivers. Of course, these Columbia grads flaunt their Western roots, too: "A-Punk"'s got some Kinks, "Oxford Comma" is like MMJ's Z revisited from Brooklyn. Still haven't seen 'em live, but the reviews have been astounding. Take a listen and love.

Vampire Weekend - "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" (MP3)
Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma" (MP3)

Vampire Weekend are releasing their first "official" 7" on Free News Project and a proper EP, both in May. They're booking a tour to see the sights of the eastern seaboard. We'll getcha those dates in a bit, so there's time yet to work on your kwassa kwassa.

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46 Comments

These guys are amazing!

Posted by: jiggy at 04/13/07 8:02 PM | Reply
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HOLY COW!

I love these guys. I have listened to their album maybe more than any others over the last couple months.

Posted by: Steve Schroeder at 04/13/07 8:16 PM | Reply
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=)

Posted by: pauly at 04/13/07 8:17 PM | Reply
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I have been listening to these guys like crazy too!

Posted by: Cory Weaver at 04/13/07 8:39 PM | Reply
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honestly ive listened to this cd every day on my ipod-- its absolutely amazing, about time they got famous!!

Posted by: Vivian West at 04/13/07 9:06 PM | Reply
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Ah, their time has finally come... wahahahaha!

Posted by: ~christine at 04/13/07 10:15 PM | Reply
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YES! i love this band!

Posted by: James at 04/14/07 2:03 AM | Reply
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Hell yes

Posted by: Caleb at 04/14/07 3:12 AM | Reply
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you folks talking about an album got an upload to fill on oink

Posted by: adsf at 04/14/07 3:22 AM | Reply
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Nice stuff.. the Graceland\late-period 'Heads comparison is pretty much on the money.

Posted by: Richie at 04/14/07 8:50 AM | Reply
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you boys clean up your bedroom or no indei rock for you!

Posted by: mathamatic at 04/14/07 1:56 PM | Reply
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great to see these guys getting some attention. i reviewed the CD for the next issue of the Deli magazine. they have a knack for pop, that's for sure. i expect big things. some label better jump on this fast.

Posted by: joe at 04/14/07 2:00 PM | Reply
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They're playing the WBAR-B-Q tomorrow:

WBAR-B-Q 2007 Lineup Announced

This year's WBAR-B-Q will take place on Sunday, April 15. With nine bands on the bill, it promises to be one of the tightest events ever staged by humans. Brooklyn rockers ONEIDA headline the festival, with support from Athens, GA's insane DARK MEAT, WBAR favorites caUSE co-MOTION, and more. Also on the bill are several WBAR-affiliated bands, including The Shot Heard Round the World, Yan Yan, and Vampire Weekend.

ONEIDA**
Dark Meat***
caUSE co-MOTION!******
Public Record*********
Soiled Mattress & the Springs*************
Vampire Weekend****************
Nat Baldwin & Sam Rosen********************
The Shot Heard Round the World***********************
Yan Yan********************************

Sunday, April 15, 2007.
Doors @ 12:30 PM, Music @ 1 PM.
FREE ADMISSION
CHEAP FOOD
2 IDs to Drink.

Lehman Lawn, Barnard College
Take the 1 train to 116th Street, enter at 117th and Broadway.

Posted by: D at 04/14/07 2:30 PM | Reply
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I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BAND BUT WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VAMPIRES I MEAN THEY ARE CLEARLY JUST RICH KIDS WHO CAN AFFORD TO HAVE LIP SURGERY AND ALSO THEY HAD MUSIC LESSONS GROWING UP

Posted by: max rosenberg at 04/14/07 2:31 PM | Reply
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MY NEW BAND IS CALLED LIP SURGERY

Posted by: matty at 04/14/07 2:58 PM | Reply
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these boys are awesome. i booked them for my bday party in september, fell in love, had them back for the very first pull-out method i threw in jan, and have watched them skyrocket from there. they deserve every bit of praise! flavorpill (ok, me) has been on their tip from the beginning: http://nyc.flavorpill.net/65360 and
http://nyc.flavorpill.net/mailer/issue343/index.html#pullout

Posted by: lady savv at 04/14/07 4:16 PM | Reply
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They should rename stereogum.com stereoshamelesspromotiongum.com

Posted by: joshua brandt at 04/14/07 6:31 PM | Reply
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joshua brandt what the hell are you talking about. do you not understand the purpose of an mp3 blog is expose good music to a wider audience?

Posted by: Dekker at 04/14/07 6:39 PM | Reply
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an all-girls band consisting of only-yoko ono's should start a band called dracula's vacation

Posted by: karen fu-gazi at 04/14/07 6:41 PM | Reply
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an all-girls band consisting of only-yoko ono's should start a rival band called dracula's vacation

Posted by: karen fu-gazi at 04/14/07 6:41 PM | Reply
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someone should start an all-girls band consisting of only-yoko ono's called dracula's vacation

Posted by: karen fu-gazi at 04/14/07 6:42 PM | Reply
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whoops! where's the delete button on this page? my bad!

Posted by: karen fu-gazi at 04/14/07 6:46 PM | Reply
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Good Weather for Airstrikes had the same two songs posted more than two weeks ago.

Is Stereogum the new Pitchfork?

Posted by: rc95 at 04/14/07 7:23 PM | Reply
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First song: I don't think I like this. Too cute. I do like the line "It feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel." Still, actual African music (and Graceland) should supercede this stuff.

Second song: dull.

Posted by: Spencer at 04/14/07 7:51 PM | Reply
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really really good music, can't wait to hear more!

Posted by: artmusiche at 04/15/07 2:29 AM | Reply
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this is really fun--i'd like to hear more...where are they playing?

Posted by: Kwame Sp at 04/15/07 10:41 AM | Reply
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dekker, i think joshua brandt was talking about all the self-promotion in the comments on this post. but i don't blame anybody for doing that; people don't read all these random blogs (good weather for whatsitnow?), so this is their chance to say "more opinions here, in this place you've never heard of." i really don't mind, i usually check. as long as it's related to the stereopost.

ah, and this music is fucking rad. k, i'm done.

Posted by: pissymist at 04/15/07 11:18 AM | Reply
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spencer you are in big trouble

Posted by: walcott at 04/15/07 8:20 PM | Reply
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INSANE

Posted by: ashersarlin.com at 04/15/07 10:42 PM | Reply
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Vampire weekend is a wonderful band and I'm so glad to see that others feel the same. p.s. I LOVE ROSTAM!!!!

Posted by: Joey Roth at 04/15/07 10:45 PM | Reply
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they are hot. and i love oxford coma.

Posted by: drink my blood at 04/16/07 12:57 AM | Reply
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So fantastic live, so fun recorded.

Posted by: J at 04/16/07 1:02 AM | Reply
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I love pink plaid boy on keyboard. His dance moves are unbeatable.

Posted by: stephanie at 04/16/07 1:05 AM | Reply
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this is good.

Posted by: jed2 at 04/16/07 1:39 PM | Reply
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A++ these kids stand more than a chance!

Posted by: walter dansby at 04/16/07 6:48 PM | Reply
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they sort of make me feel like i'm on a cruise ship in the 80's.

Posted by: bryan at 04/18/07 2:00 PM | Reply
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Bryan, these guys would have been thrown off a cruise ship in the 1980s, unless they could have come up with a credible Beach Boys cover STAT.

Posted by: John S at 04/18/07 6:23 PM | Reply
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i love it!!!
oxford comma is amazing.

also, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was mashed with Clipse's "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" by Les Bank Robbers (listen here: http://www.myspace.com/lesbankrobbers)
i'm not a very big fan of the mashup (i'm too much in love with the Clipse + Grizzly Bear one) but it's worth a listen.

Posted by: vladislalalava at 04/18/07 10:43 PM | Reply
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They are boooring. Rich college kids with PR money. Strange Boys are a much better young band

Posted by: Jeff Tweedy at 08/12/07 5:12 PM | Reply
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I went to college with these guys and they were in a diff band back then and I didn't understand what the hype was then and still don't understand it.
It's more about their image than their actual music if you ask me. Not inspiring at all!

Posted by: seafoam at 09/27/07 4:02 AM | Reply
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i loveeeeeeeee these guys ,i've listening to their songs over and over recently especially oxford comma!

Posted by: simmy at 02/06/08 3:17 AM | Reply
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Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?

Posted by: Kyle at 02/06/08 5:30 AM | Reply
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Posted by: 27SiMn无缝管 at 02/26/08 7:59 AM | Reply
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Boooo they went to college

Posted by: Mike at 03/03/08 6:00 AM | Reply
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their music makes me feel funny... down there.

Posted by: steve at 05/15/08 5:10 PM | Reply
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I find it funny how 95% of these comments are incredibly positive, but now a few months later, theres a fucking anti-hipster backlash.

Posted by: Kevin at 05/27/08 2:21 PM | Reply
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