Indie rock outfit Vampire Weekend released their third studio album, Modern Vampires of the City last month. This latest effort saw the band creating a new sound that contains remnants of the energetic rhythms found in their second album, Contra. Vampire Weekend has been revered as one of the best indie rock bands of the past decade — it is high praise for a relatively young group amidst the sea of indie rock currently being unleashed to mainstream crowds.
Indie music has dominated the mainstream music scene of late. Hipsters hold all the influence. Vinyl is coming back into style and with it, so are values that recall the golden age of music. The sixties and seventies saw a wave of unbridled musical talent, accompanied by rebellious youth who used music as their voice.
Vampire Weekend’s latest album exemplifies these ideals in a modern setting. Their previous album Contra, had a lighter feel with its optimistic themes. The current album has darker themes that question one’s mortality and the meaning of love.
The lead single “Diane Young” contains an electric beat that drives the vocal line. It makes your body move to the music, and evokes summer nights spent with friends. The single “Step” contains a more serious them; the lyrics focus on growing up, which fans of Vampire Weekend can easily relate to.
Vampire Weekend is embracing the current trend of using music to rebel. Whether that means wanting to change the world, or just to stay up a couple hours past curfew, kids feel their music expresses these sentiments for them.
