It’s been 10 years since indie band Vampire Weekend came out with their debut album. The album cover of a hazy pink and orange chandelier is actually a polaroid picture from one of the band’s early shows at Columbia University. The whole album showcased a new sound the band would be known for in their career but here are just a few of my favorite tracks to look back on:
This song is pretty much a staple of Vampire Weekend. Even those who aren’t avid listeners have probably heard it played at parties circa 2008. The band actually made their TV debut playing this song on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Fav lyric: “His honor drove southward seeking exotica // Down to the Pueblo huts of New Mexico”
Here’s another hit from the band’s first album that I love. Inspiration came from a Facebook group called “Students for the Preservation of the Oxford comma.”
Fav lyric: “Lil Jon, he always tells the truth.”
Mansard Roof was the first single released by the band. This song goes through highs and lows while keeping a sunny sound. You can rock out to it one second and close your eyes the next.
Fav lyric: “The ground beneath their feet is a nautically-mapped sheet // As thin as paper while it slips away from view.”
A very soothing and slow song, Kwassa Kwassa refers to a dance rhythm from the Congo that is reflected through the beats. Ezra Koenig, lead vocalist, said he was listening to accordion music when he wrote the song.
Fav lyric: “Can you stay up to see the dawn in the colors of Benetton?”