Perhaps its Rolling Stones four and a half star review. Though I should have known better, I expected something a little more than this good to great tracks about aging and death (and bad romances). It sounds like what it is Vampire Weekend’s third album, with the African rhythms cruelly diminished and its New Wave circa 1983 still firmly in place.
Nathan Brackett began his review with “they really don’t give a fuck about an Oxford Comma” as though it’s a good thing while the fact remains their first album was the best and while their third album, released on Tuesday, Modern Vampires Of The City is probably the equal of Contra, Contra hasn’t aged as well as it might have, has it?
It is a downer and it is meant to be. Growing old is a finite progression and from “Diane Young” to “Don’t Lie” that’s the beat we expect and it is absolutely the beat we get. Those two songs, with “Step” just before them is the weakest link though it isn’t all that bad (except “Diane Young” -a bad choice) and while the album doesn’t sink without a trace, it isn’t till the last three songs that it builds to the blast off which will have the world raving. “Worship You” feels like a very important closer and, like so much of this album, seems infomed by his Jewish faith, “thru the fire and through the flames, you won’t even say your name”. r
“Ya Hey” is a maybe a masterpiece, we will see. But “Fingers Back” is definitely a masterpiece, it is a very enjoyable romp with an Orthodox Girl.
So faith, death, love and the passing of time. If they are gonna spend four years between albums on a constant basis I’m not surprised. PS? I reserve the right to change my mind after a few more listens!
Grade: A-