So what do you want me to say? That Contra is excellent? That, despite little musical deviation from their debut album, Vampire Weekend's newest is yet another keeper that will continue the band's domination of both Billboard charts and critical top ten lists?
Well it is. There isn't really much I could say about Contra that wouldn't be reiterating what critics have written about it since its release seven months ago. Songs like "Giving up the Gun" and, especially, "Run" are glorious pop romps that are both angelic and erudite, while songs like "Cousins" and "Holiday" own a certain spontaneity that hearkens back to the highlights of Vampire Weekend, such as that of "A-Punk".
Blah blah blah sophomore slump. Blah blah blah boat shoes. If you haven't listened to this album by now, it's a pretty good time to make it your album of the summer.
But Contra isn't without its flaws, however slight they may be. Although an increased production value is welcomed to the overall album experience, some of Contra's songs suffer from far too meticulous planning, most notably on the otherwise exquisite "Horchata". And, although it may serve a narrative purpose, the Auto-Tune on "California English" is so distracting, it sounds more like a novelty jest rather than an analysis of what connotes identity.
Blah blah blah sophomore slump. Blah blah blah boat shoes. If you haven't listened to this album by now, it's a pretty good time to make it your album of the summer.
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