Vampire Weekend – Contra

2008 was quite a year for Vampire Weekend. After the release of their eponymous debut album in January, the New York quartet graced the cover of Spin Magazine, played on almost every television program from Saturday Night Live to David Letterman, and toured the world several times over including stops at the Coachella and Bonnaroo festivals. They regrouped in early 2009 to begin the recording of their sophomore album, Contra. Like their first, Contra was produced by keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij and is the realization of a whole and unique musical vision that sees the band stretching out and adding new textures, instrumentation, and rhythms into their sound. Primarily recorded in New York with a springtime sojourn to Mexico, Contra feels altogether fresh, joyous, and like nothing else, but is immediately recognizable as the sound of Vampire Weekend.