Vampire Weekend
Contra

When the nerds win...

Are you interested in a weekend with vampires? ...because the name of this little group comes from an amateur comedy/horror film shot by the same members a few years ago.

Did you enjoy Paul Simon in full afro high of "Graceland"?

Do you admire David Byrne and the Talking Heads?

Do you feel like listening to something that doesn't necessarily require too much mental and aural commitment, but is at the same time quite original and intelligent?

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

If you answered NO: Thank you & Goodbye

But if you answered YES: it is my humble duty to inform you that this little disc in question is really quite nice. The four young guys from New York, who instead of being from the Big Apple could easily be from Cape Town, decisively prove on their second ruthless attempt that they know how to handle the pop subject, and to realize this without a hassle, just listen to the first track "Horchata" which (rhymes with orang-e-ade), will stick with you for at least a week, guaranteed!

The other tracks? each one more beautiful than the last, including the lyrics (take that track by track analysis, right?). The sounds hark back to the eighties and the use of electronics in some cases reminds us of the experiment named Postal Service ("Giving Up The Gun" in particular), but the afro guitars, the mixture of genres, and above all, the positive melodies are the strong points of this album.

Highly recommended for easing up on more demanding listens underway, or simply to smile at the daily "hassle."

For the picky: David Byrne likes them quite a lot...