Vampire Weekend’s third album, Modern Vampires of the City, is like a yawn on a warm summer day. It does not amaze or enthrall, but there is a welcoming comfort to be found within.
The band has clearly fallen into a comfortable groove with their third album. Their pep feel is still present, but the album as a whole seems more chilled out and down-to-earth. While the calming drawl of the music is welcome at the start, it gets tiring as the album progresses to the back half.
“Obvious Bicycle” opens the album with a tone that will be kept throughout. A minimalist drumbeat pulsates throughout the song, and lead singer Ezra Koenig gently lulls the reader into a calm with his soft voice.
The third track “Step” is probably the best song vocally on the album, with a catchy syncopated melody and lyrics that dance poetically throughout the song.
Lyrically, “Step” is also a wonderful tune. It is littered with clever aphorisms like “I used to front like Ankor Wat” and “Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife.” With clever lyrics and groovy vocals, the song comes together to create a fantastic homage to the wonder of music.
The highlight of the front-loaded album is undoubtedly the surf-rock infused “Diane Young.” The song sounds like it would be perfectly at home on a beach in California in the mid-60s. On the chorus, the band uses pitch-shifting to drop Koenig’s voice down to an Elvis-esque slur and back up in waves.
“Don’t Lie” starts out with deep chords on a rotary organ, however the beauty of the organ is swallowed by a cacophony of drums, strings and synthesized noises.
“Everlasting Arms” is a piece that seems to be experimental for the sheer sake of experimentalism. There are great moments within the song, but in the end it comes out as a convoluted mix of a dozen different instrumentations and feelings.
At the end, the album seems to taper out into nothing, ending in a sad whimper.
The band continues to show their obsession with death and grand ideas when it comes to the lyricism of the album. For better or worse, the band pens contemplative lyrics in almost every song. Even the upbeat “Diane Young” talks about the death of youth, and “Ya Hey” takes on God and questions the undying love religion asks for.
Modern Vampires of the City shows all of the signs of a band that has become comfortable with itself. There are some risks and gimmicks that don’t pay off, but there are also a few great moments to be found. It’s not an album that will blow minds or change lives, but it’s still an enjoyable listen.
