It’s hard to listen to Contra without comparing it to their debut album, but Vampire Weekend’s innate individuality leaves you with little else to hold it up to. That leaves us with a slight catch 22 that means that we’ll always be a little disappointed with Contra. It will never be quite as unique and fresh as it’s predecessor, it doesn’t have the same wildness to it or free-flowing spirit and it isn’t anywhere near as packed with tunes. However, there are a few really good things about VW’s followup album that leave you with the thought that there is a lot more to come from them.
We had the album on as we wrote and if we’re being honest it isn’t until Giving Up the Gun that we take much notice of it as something other than just background music. A part of that is because the first seven songs are so familiar that you kind of dismiss them as songs you’ve heard many times before (on the first album). It isn’t that Giving Up the Gun lacks the familiar Vampire Weekend sound, it’s just that it’s accompanied with new tones that make it sound like a progression instead of a continuation. For us it’s the best song on the album and exemplifies the sense of empathy that Ezra has developed in his songwriting for Contra.
It’s then followed by a MIA inspired dance-beat in Diplomat’s Son, along with addictive computer game bleeps and vocal samples from Hussel. Flipping and switching between African beats to the MIA Kala sound, it’s the second big step forward on the album.
Contra is closed by a beautiful, orchestral I Think Ur A Contra, which brings the album together. When it all fades out on simple African drums you forgive Vampire Weekend for any similarity, because Contra is a good album with some great moments that blends different worlds and different sounds with empathetic questions, new inspiration and the magic of old school computer games. It may not be as sharp as Vampire Weekend, but it is a solid follow-up record for the New Yorkers.
Vampire Weekend, Contra album review: 3.7/5
