Vampire Weekend closed out Day 2 of the WonderStruck 2022 music festival at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland on Sunday, July 10, 2022. David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com
Almost two decades ago, the formation of indie-rock band Vampire Weekend made possible its impressive and ever-growing collection of hit songs.
The band’s members lean into their Ivy League reputations, making insightful allusions in the form of preppy, musically complex tracks. Full of distinct elements like Afropop beats and orchestral music, Vampire Weekend’s sound knows practically no bounds, especially in its new album, titled “Only God Was Above Us.”
The record opens with “Ice Cream Piano,” a song with notes of edginess and chaos that differ from the four-piece’s recognizable style.
“You don’t want to win this war,” lead vocalist Ezra Koenig sings. “Cause you don’t want the peace.”
With a satisfying, jazz-like bassline accompanied by a distorted electric guitar riff, the second track — called “Classical” — is a more upbeat and catchy tune reflecting on how historic narratives can change with time. The band’s flare for intellectual and cultured thinking is apparent in the lyrics, which muse on “how the cruel, with time, becomes classical.”
The album slows down a bit with “Capricorn,” a slightly melancholic track that provides a fresh perspective on life from a more mature vantage point. This song asks difficult questions that arise from contemplating age and one’s brief time on earth, entering into philosophical territory in a relatively seamless fashion.
Following “Capricorn” is “Connect,” which consists of rushed drumbeats and frantic piano arpeggios, echoing the sense of desperate urgency that comes with recollecting old memories.
“I know once it’s lost, it’s never found,” Koenig sings. “I need it now.”
“Prep-School Gangsters” opens with an edgier, punkier guitar solo that appropriately accompanies lyrics commenting on rebellious teen behavior and the somewhat gratuitous criticism it attracts.
Conversely, “The Surfer” is a slightly unsettling but dreamy combination of slide guitar, piano, strings and synth that strings together a series of ironies depicting the struggle to find identity.
“Lost and deluded,” Koeing sings. “Trying to find your place.”
Vampire Weekend closed out Day 2 of the WonderStruck 2022 music festival at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Credit: David Petkiewicz | cleveland.com (via TNS)
Moving forward, “Gen-X Cops” unapologetically identifies flaws within the examples set by previous generations. In it, the band experiments with jarring tones that bolster the lyrics with an intentional bluntness.
“Each generation makes its own apology,” Koenig sings.
“Mary Boone,” which is a direct reference to a prominent New York art dealer, alludes to the city’s culture and lifestyle. The track’s disorderly tone, in juxtaposition with the angelic choir, effectively models the inherent variety and eclectic nature of New York City living.
The repetition of a delicate guitar riff gives “Pravda” a uniquely light and airy feel that sets it apart from other tracks on the record. In the song, Koenig makes vague references to his past and New York City lore.
“I know what lies beneath Manhattan,” Koenig sings. “I know who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb.”
A thought-provoking final song, named “Hope,” contributes to the theme of retrospective clarity, but on a grander scale than the other tracks.
Koenig’s observation that “our enemy’s invincible” is perhaps a metaphor for the inevitability and inescapability of time, and his comforting tone while singing “I hope you let it go” implores listeners to reckon with the idea that factors outside of one’s control are sometimes worth letting go.
With “Only God Was Above Us,” Vampire Weekend takes a step in a new direction while also maintaining its one-of-a-kind flare. In this album, the band dares to contemplate heavy topics while also experimenting musically, a feat I commend and look forward to seeing more of from Vampire Weekend.
Rating: 4/5
