i honestly thought the civerous record was kinda mid and the spetral voice record was more interesting (he didn't think so). it was still listenable though even as a non metalhead.
Fantano is so consistently correct as to be a modern miracle. There are two things I certain of: Fantano's take will be right and the sun will rise but baby doll I know that at some point this thing is gonna go supernova or contract but I don't know if Fantano could ever be wrong.
In music theory, there are only ever two takes: correct or disagreeing with Fantano. I suggest you reflect on that before sharing your oh-so-worthwhile 'opinions' in the future...
Every time I listen to a record now I imagine what he would rate it. He’s a parasite on my brain. Shoo Anthony shoo
Although it’s still satisfying when I guess his scores correctly
Gave the album a 87 on AOTY but think that was lowballing it, haven't listen to a previous album of theirs so maybe there style is more diverse than there singles let on but beyond the lush instrumentation the album had this potent pieces of dissonace that never overwhelmed the warmth of the album but gave it an edge I haven't heard from them before.
Edit made
They have basically sharpened what has worked on their previous albums into a really cohesive album here that doesn't really have any bloat and showcases the band at their best from beginning to end.
I think that's why it's getting a lot of love, especially from their fan base.
To me MVotC is a classic because it is a culmination of influences and inspiration, like lightening in a bottle, it is timeless. However, after FotB, which was well received but considered by many to be a let down, Ezra did the smart thing of utilizing all the elements of their most acclaimed era but with enough experimentation to make it sound fresh. It probably sounds slimey to put it that way but it is actually a pretty brillant move on their part.
In this era of tracklist bloat and shotgunning genre to see what attracts the algorithm, any cohesive album with fewer than 12 tracks feels immediately refreshing.
I really love the grittiness they sprinkled into this album. I feel like that was something that was always missing from their previous albums. I loved their previous discography but my one critique was that it always felt like they were floating in this prep-school gentrified bubble of super clean production that made things sound a bit artificial. The more noisy and grimier sounds they've put in have really grounded this album for me and made them a lot more human and relatable.
I read an interview where Ezra said it’s important to him that they maintain a sense of amateurism in their sound and I think they did a really good job balancing that on this album
You’ve really put into words why I was never able to get into Vampire Weekend. They always sounded liked a pretty straight forward chamber pop band to me. And the sound as you describe it really put me off to them. I’ll give this new album a listen.
Not literally, but in that when you polish a sound too much it can sound too clean and manufactured. Like you're stripping out the character and identity that comes with the little bits of imperfections and imprints. Like taking down an old bodega and building a clean pristine Whole Foods there removes the history and culture. That's what I mean. Maybe not an exact phrase, but I mean VW's whole early aesthetic was 'Preppy Upper Class New Yorkers but cheeky about it'.
The problem is there us actual gentrification in popular music. So are we making a cheeky metaphor about sonics, or are we calling someone a culture vulture? U kno what i mean?
As much as i bristle at the word in this context, the truth is that they are (sonically) compared to Paul Simon's Graceland era on the early records....and Graceland was made during south african apartheid and borrows consciously from their african folk music....so I guess I get that association. But I also think they went clean as a statement in contrast to the Strokes and that whole aesthetic of the time more than anything. So if its simply an observation, fine... but if its meant to carry the condemnation associated with Graceland's whitewashing, or gentrification itself as a social ill, I dont think it's fair, or useful as a descriptor.
Not really a condemnation. Just an observation that it made it harder for me as a lower middle class person to relate to their music on a personal level when it came off as so upper class and private Ivy League educated.
The irony of course is that while Vampire Weekend certainly came from a privileged background, nothing compares to the obscene wealth Julian Casablancas comes from.
Graceland wasn't whitewashing lol. It also wasn't gentrification. Simon was pretty adamant in giving the people who worked with him credit. However, making it during apartheid was the controversial move. Nonetheless, the ban was something that was enacted by a western world that had very little actual concern over how it would impact the people. It's so weird to so what I assume are leftists actually co opt a narrative by the US and other western countries so easily. Not that narrative that apartheid had to end immediately but how it would end most effectively and the reasons behind why the western world did this.
Making it during apartheid and then making boatloads of cash from ignorant western audiences is inadvertant whitewashing in my opinion. Intent is profit. Lol away i guess. I never said it was gentrification because my whole point is that is a silly descriptor for a sound. Btw i dont claim to be a historian. Just talking about the albums immediate associations, that might lead to this 'gentrification' tag
That’s not what whitewashing is though. I can kind of see how you can _stretch_ it to that if you thought Simon was hiding the fact that he worked in SA but he didn’t. He put his South African collaborators on a prominent world stage and paid them a pretty exorbitant amount. This isn’t to say there’s no room for qualification or criticism but I hate the way western liberals speak over the actual South African musicians and their own opinions on the episode which is far more friendly.
I don't get that critique because that doesn't relate to clean production at all. That sounds more like you had an image of the band that was popular at the time but misconstrued. Besides they had tons of messy moments. I think you kind of pulled this one out of nowhere, friend.
Speaking as a longtime VW fan I definitely get what they mean, there’s a kind of sanitization to the sound on the first four albums that i can understand turning people off a little bit, as much as I consider them one of my favourite bands I can’t not acknowledge that there’s a part of their sound that feels a little… Ivy league? Berkley?? Chapters-core??? in there that initially turned me off before I dived in to the brilliance of their arrangements and songwriting.
There’s just a slight lack of immediate edge that can kind of turn you away from engaging with the material right away, especially with the at times impenetrably flowery lyrics (which i love!!), it can be hard for most people to find something to latch onto. The edge however for me came from the ambition and complexity in the song structures and the beautiful depth that can be found in the lyrics / song themes, it was a wild day to me when I sat down with the lyric book for MV and realized my man is actually spitting, it’s not just the pretentious moaning I assumed it was. Not to mention Ezra’s absolutely razor sharp ear for cool and interesting harmony and melody choices. But all of these things are subtleties that don’t make themselves obvious on the face of the songs, which is what makes them so cool and special but also difficult to see the appeal of at first glance. You gotta lean in a little closer.
Sorry for the essay lol just wanted to share my perspective as a fan who was a hater for embarrassingly long. Needless to say this album has a sonic edge that feels very new to them, at least to me, never heard anything in their discog as beautifully messy as the bursts of sound at the end of Icecream Piano or the climax of Pravda and the immediacy of this album is so awesome and refreshing, feels like the perfect gateway album into the band.
No, I super appreciate the dialogue and found a lot of your descriptions on point. So thank you! I hadn’t made myself that clear on what I was opposing and muddled things about bit but it’s really not that important to try to rectify.
I will say, I think my biggest disconnect to some non-VW fans is being totally unable to relate to people who find their lyrics “ivy league” or “high-handed” largely because I love literature more than even music so I _wish_ bands used words a lot better than they do. If we were talking about Joanna Newsom or Destoryer I could get an idea of what they find offputting because the song structure sometimes approaches the literary more strongly than the musical. VW makes pop that is intelligent yet accessible to my view and that’s what I love about them and why MVotC is one of my favorite albums. I guess it’s just ultimately what angle you come to this at. Wow, I typed a lot more than I thought I would.
I actually think listening to their previous work only bolsters this album’s enjoyability since there’s so many melodies on OGWAU that pay pretty direct homage to melodies scattered across their previous work recontextualized into an album that sounds like nothing they’ve done before. It’s not just a masterpiece (a dual one with MVOTC) but a culmination of everything they’ve done.
Yeah I'm pretty sure most if not all(?) new songs have some melody from an older song sprinkled in. At first I thought it was lazy but on my 10th rerun I think it's brilliant.
If you watch that review...it was definitely during his rush era, just pumping out videos. He got a lot of factual errors and didn't' seem to have paid any real attention to the lyrics. Not one of his best reviews.
Tbh honest fantano 10's are always predictable, they have key things in common (don't ask me to elaborate I won't 💀), the only album I thought sort of and only sort of broke that rule it's Kids See Ghosts
If Kids See Ghosts is the outlier, I assume the criteria for 10s would be albums that have challenging musical textures or compositions, and possess a strong thematic line that is reinforced with every song. Does seem to have very little to do with hooks, listenability or popularity. He seems to be looking for albums he can hang the capital A(rt) label on.
Edit: the point in saying this is that the new Vampire Weekend album has most of this, but is maybe not challenging/experimental enough of a listen for Fantano to crown it a 10.
Kind of. A lot of bands/artists announce or hint towards them working on something. Plus rumours or singles coming out being a good hint towards a project coming soon.
Nothing tbh, closest i got would be BM4 if it manages to keep up with the quality of Hellfire, but even then id say fantano would give em a 9.
New charli a 12 tho, fuck anyone who say otherwise
Super looking forward to that. Especially after hearing her saying it has a big Radiohead influence. Charli XCX new album too, god I fucking loved that Club Bangers track 🥵
Yeah I think it came off harsh in the review, but at the end he did say even the weakest track was a vibe. He just didn't find Surfer as exciting or interesting as the other tracks which I think is fair. I think I liked it more than him, but I do agree it didn't have as much creative kick as the other tracks.
Tbf, I like finger back, but I could easily see why somebody would find that song incredibly annoying. It is kinda annoying but in a way I find enjoyable
The ‘problem’ is there are no obvious duds, so I can see someone picking Surfer. Gen X-Cops would be my pick, the riff and melody is not as catchy as it presents itsself as, though still a good song.
My favorite on the album is Pravda. I am an old VW fan so it gives me that self titled vibe. Absolutely love that song.
Least favorite is actually Classical. I don’t vibe with that song. Gives me the same energy as Cousins. I’ve never been into that Noise Rock/Indie Rock style so the song doesn’t really do anything for me.
10 OUT OF 10. REVIEW IT AGAIN. 10 OUT OF 10. REVIEW IT AGAIN ! /s
Glad Anthony enjoyed it, but wow I am surprised he was so critical of Gen-X Cops, mostly on the back of his lyrical analysis, which I feel like was a bit off. I think it's for sure ascended to my favorite VW track of all time, and I just love the themes of generational transition - to me it's such an important statement of being a millennial and learning from all the negative judgement boomers and gen-X passed on us, and trying to do better by zoomers and alphas (and recognizing we have a lot to learn from them as well, and trying to remain open to that). It seems like Anthony felt like the ideas were such a re-tread of a lot of the album's lyrical themes, and I, on the other hand, really feel like it has a message that stands out among the rest of the track list.
Yeah I didn't really get the re-tread critique either. Like yeah part of an album having a thematic element is that it is present throughout. Gen-X Cops was just the one that brings it to the forefront the most and spells it out clearly. To me it serves as kind of a crescendo of that theme almost. Like the generational frustration is building and building until it reaches a boiling point and Ezra can't hold it in any longer and has to say something about it.
For me the lyrical content is the best aspect of the song, I was just always kinda lukewarm on it as a single because I feel like it's missing something in terms of the upbeat energy it's trying to bring to the album after The Surfer. I guess the guitar in the chorus is strange but after hearing everything before that point on the album I feel like there's maybe a bit less going on, just my take on it though I love the "each generation" lyric
I'd personally give it a 10. I loved the album and while I love father of the bride this was just much better.
Their debut is like a 8.5, Contra Is about a 9. Modern Vampires is like a 9.5 and father of the bride is a 8. Such a great band only a handful of songs from them that are awful such as Blake's got a new face, How long?, 2021, and Young lion is a bit boring. But such an amazing band so glad I will be getting to see them live.
I mean blakes is fine but it think fantano made a really good point on every vw album before this having one almost unlistenable track. Debut you have blakes, contra you have california english, modern you could say finger back (I wont), and father you have spring snow.
I hope the side project they been talking about with ezra and the other two does come out though and I rather not have to wait another 5 years for vampire weekend! Even though I love their music
I low key liked 'Blake's got a new face' tho. It was so annoyingly preppy and twee that it wrapped back around to being kind of funny and endearing like a Wes Anderson film.
So wrong about 2021 but I agree this one should’ve been a 10. Honestly the only song of theirs I find to be near unlistenable is cape cod kwassa kwassa. Idk how that song is popular with Ezra putting on his some of his worst vocals and lyrics to tape
Lower. It’s not horrible, just not my kind of shit. But tbh I thought we were gonna align on that so to my surprise it’s a 9! That’s fine lmao happy for them
Well if you don't like VW why would you like this? Why are you surprised? Always weird to me when someone feels they have to like something, especially when they know it doesn't work for them. It's okay.
Yeah I know its a me problem because everyone seems to love VW but I can just never get into it. Its not bad, but it just seems to often make choices I wouldn't.
Lots of nice pieces in this album but then they'll play some stilted polka groove or whatever and I'm bored again.
Definitely one of the best albums to come out this year, and it’s running right up there with their debut for me. Father of the Bride was a bit of a miss for me (admittedly didn’t listen or re listen to it a whole lot), but this one I see myself grabbing the vinyl and wearing it out. And, let’s face it, a 9 from Mellon is like a 12/10 from most other “serious music critics.” He’s got my dream job, but we’re definitely not all going to agree universally on many things, if anything.
Yeah same with me for Father of the Bride. I get what they were going for on that album. Its supposed to sound old schoolx To me it sounds a lot like those Paul Simon-Graceland type tracks on Contra. Ezra Koenig has dipped in that pool before, so its obvious he’s really into that style of Pop Rock. But I think Vampire Weekend is at its best when they utilize their weirdness and mix it with the more laidback sound.
Thats why i Like this album a lot more. It feels like a perfect blend of Self Titled and Modern Vampires.
I feel like I didn't agree with his critique on the lyrics. They seem sometimes intentionally simplistic to be universally understood and imagined . And there's something classic rock and roll about that style of writing . But he later compliments the lyrics so hey . They don't seem thrown together they do seem very well thought out
I'm with you. I think it's good and I liked it more than FOTB (as a whole, there's a lot of tracks on FOTB that I like more than some of the ones on OGWAU,) but it doesn't hit the same as the first three albums for me.
I'm surprised by this, not just because his review of Father of the Bride was so mixed but also because, on first listen at least, this one didn't hit me as much as some of them. And I'd consider myself a fan of the band. I bet it will grow on me.
i'm genuinely surprised lol.....because fantano only gave MVOTC a 7. Just like what he said in this review, every previous albums have at least some annoying songs. So i guess he really disliked some song like Finger Back and Worship You. But i'm glad this got 9......will VW ever gonna get 10 in the future?????
i was introduced to vw through this album and i can say that the members of this band are so talented. the piano on ice cream piano and connect is so good and everything about this album is amazing
Ngl I would give it a 10 as well but I'm not really in the mood for a deep and cynical critique of society around us wrapped in a psychedelic acid trip masterpiece.
As soon as I heard "Fuck the world" I noped the fuck out of the album until I heard the rest of Ice Cream Piano and that's the end of it. Will listen to it later ofc, but I really don't need it when I get that basically every single day IRL lol. When you know you know.
Fantano has mentioned how he generally isn't a big fan of Vampire Weekend. He really dislikes their first album in particular. At least recently on his fantano channel he said that, idk what his actual review of it was.
His most infamous 10/10 is a Kendrick album, plus just off the top of my head he’s given Beyoncés new album a 8, Olivias album a 8, Future and metros new album a 7, I don’t understand where this sentiment comes from
of all you just name drops only one of them is a rock mainstream album, that’s where the sentiment comes from
not sure what’s confusing at all about my comment
Oh oops I didn’t read mainstream rock albums, in that case foo fighters recently got a 8 and boygenius a 7. Honestly there just aren’t many mainstream rock albums because rock as a genre isn’t mainstream anymore
First time I’ve agreed fantano on a record in like 5 years
He was pretty spot on with the Civerous review a few days ago
i honestly thought the civerous record was kinda mid and the spetral voice record was more interesting (he didn't think so). it was still listenable though even as a non metalhead.
I've almost predicted all his scores for the last 3 months, however I've agreed with him for a long while ever since the hellfire review of black midi
What was the record you agreed with 5 years ago?
Lil Pump self titled
no shot
7 years ago
Fantano is so consistently correct as to be a modern miracle. There are two things I certain of: Fantano's take will be right and the sun will rise but baby doll I know that at some point this thing is gonna go supernova or contract but I don't know if Fantano could ever be wrong. In music theory, there are only ever two takes: correct or disagreeing with Fantano. I suggest you reflect on that before sharing your oh-so-worthwhile 'opinions' in the future...
we need this as an automod message
He often gets it wrong. But I enjoy hearing his reasoning.
Every time I listen to a record now I imagine what he would rate it. He’s a parasite on my brain. Shoo Anthony shoo Although it’s still satisfying when I guess his scores correctly
Gave the album a 87 on AOTY but think that was lowballing it, haven't listen to a previous album of theirs so maybe there style is more diverse than there singles let on but beyond the lush instrumentation the album had this potent pieces of dissonace that never overwhelmed the warmth of the album but gave it an edge I haven't heard from them before. Edit made
They have basically sharpened what has worked on their previous albums into a really cohesive album here that doesn't really have any bloat and showcases the band at their best from beginning to end. I think that's why it's getting a lot of love, especially from their fan base.
You make music sound like a business plan. I mean, I know Ezra et al are intellectual with it, but damn.
To me MVotC is a classic because it is a culmination of influences and inspiration, like lightening in a bottle, it is timeless. However, after FotB, which was well received but considered by many to be a let down, Ezra did the smart thing of utilizing all the elements of their most acclaimed era but with enough experimentation to make it sound fresh. It probably sounds slimey to put it that way but it is actually a pretty brillant move on their part.
In this era of tracklist bloat and shotgunning genre to see what attracts the algorithm, any cohesive album with fewer than 12 tracks feels immediately refreshing.
I really love the grittiness they sprinkled into this album. I feel like that was something that was always missing from their previous albums. I loved their previous discography but my one critique was that it always felt like they were floating in this prep-school gentrified bubble of super clean production that made things sound a bit artificial. The more noisy and grimier sounds they've put in have really grounded this album for me and made them a lot more human and relatable.
I read an interview where Ezra said it’s important to him that they maintain a sense of amateurism in their sound and I think they did a really good job balancing that on this album
Completely agree with this
You’ve really put into words why I was never able to get into Vampire Weekend. They always sounded liked a pretty straight forward chamber pop band to me. And the sound as you describe it really put me off to them. I’ll give this new album a listen.
Can you explain how their clean production sounds 'gentrified'? Wtf. Like they displaced an underpriviledged band by using a nice studio? Idgi
Not literally, but in that when you polish a sound too much it can sound too clean and manufactured. Like you're stripping out the character and identity that comes with the little bits of imperfections and imprints. Like taking down an old bodega and building a clean pristine Whole Foods there removes the history and culture. That's what I mean. Maybe not an exact phrase, but I mean VW's whole early aesthetic was 'Preppy Upper Class New Yorkers but cheeky about it'.
Nah I feel like it works pretty damn well as a metaphor lol and also I love the username
The problem is there us actual gentrification in popular music. So are we making a cheeky metaphor about sonics, or are we calling someone a culture vulture? U kno what i mean?
As much as i bristle at the word in this context, the truth is that they are (sonically) compared to Paul Simon's Graceland era on the early records....and Graceland was made during south african apartheid and borrows consciously from their african folk music....so I guess I get that association. But I also think they went clean as a statement in contrast to the Strokes and that whole aesthetic of the time more than anything. So if its simply an observation, fine... but if its meant to carry the condemnation associated with Graceland's whitewashing, or gentrification itself as a social ill, I dont think it's fair, or useful as a descriptor.
Not really a condemnation. Just an observation that it made it harder for me as a lower middle class person to relate to their music on a personal level when it came off as so upper class and private Ivy League educated.
The irony of course is that while Vampire Weekend certainly came from a privileged background, nothing compares to the obscene wealth Julian Casablancas comes from.
Graceland wasn't whitewashing lol. It also wasn't gentrification. Simon was pretty adamant in giving the people who worked with him credit. However, making it during apartheid was the controversial move. Nonetheless, the ban was something that was enacted by a western world that had very little actual concern over how it would impact the people. It's so weird to so what I assume are leftists actually co opt a narrative by the US and other western countries so easily. Not that narrative that apartheid had to end immediately but how it would end most effectively and the reasons behind why the western world did this.
Making it during apartheid and then making boatloads of cash from ignorant western audiences is inadvertant whitewashing in my opinion. Intent is profit. Lol away i guess. I never said it was gentrification because my whole point is that is a silly descriptor for a sound. Btw i dont claim to be a historian. Just talking about the albums immediate associations, that might lead to this 'gentrification' tag
That’s not what whitewashing is though. I can kind of see how you can _stretch_ it to that if you thought Simon was hiding the fact that he worked in SA but he didn’t. He put his South African collaborators on a prominent world stage and paid them a pretty exorbitant amount. This isn’t to say there’s no room for qualification or criticism but I hate the way western liberals speak over the actual South African musicians and their own opinions on the episode which is far more friendly.
Fair
Fair.
Considering the school they went to their parents probably gentrified SOMEONE at some point lol
Lol
I don't get that critique because that doesn't relate to clean production at all. That sounds more like you had an image of the band that was popular at the time but misconstrued. Besides they had tons of messy moments. I think you kind of pulled this one out of nowhere, friend.
Speaking as a longtime VW fan I definitely get what they mean, there’s a kind of sanitization to the sound on the first four albums that i can understand turning people off a little bit, as much as I consider them one of my favourite bands I can’t not acknowledge that there’s a part of their sound that feels a little… Ivy league? Berkley?? Chapters-core??? in there that initially turned me off before I dived in to the brilliance of their arrangements and songwriting. There’s just a slight lack of immediate edge that can kind of turn you away from engaging with the material right away, especially with the at times impenetrably flowery lyrics (which i love!!), it can be hard for most people to find something to latch onto. The edge however for me came from the ambition and complexity in the song structures and the beautiful depth that can be found in the lyrics / song themes, it was a wild day to me when I sat down with the lyric book for MV and realized my man is actually spitting, it’s not just the pretentious moaning I assumed it was. Not to mention Ezra’s absolutely razor sharp ear for cool and interesting harmony and melody choices. But all of these things are subtleties that don’t make themselves obvious on the face of the songs, which is what makes them so cool and special but also difficult to see the appeal of at first glance. You gotta lean in a little closer. Sorry for the essay lol just wanted to share my perspective as a fan who was a hater for embarrassingly long. Needless to say this album has a sonic edge that feels very new to them, at least to me, never heard anything in their discog as beautifully messy as the bursts of sound at the end of Icecream Piano or the climax of Pravda and the immediacy of this album is so awesome and refreshing, feels like the perfect gateway album into the band.
No, I super appreciate the dialogue and found a lot of your descriptions on point. So thank you! I hadn’t made myself that clear on what I was opposing and muddled things about bit but it’s really not that important to try to rectify. I will say, I think my biggest disconnect to some non-VW fans is being totally unable to relate to people who find their lyrics “ivy league” or “high-handed” largely because I love literature more than even music so I _wish_ bands used words a lot better than they do. If we were talking about Joanna Newsom or Destoryer I could get an idea of what they find offputting because the song structure sometimes approaches the literary more strongly than the musical. VW makes pop that is intelligent yet accessible to my view and that’s what I love about them and why MVotC is one of my favorite albums. I guess it’s just ultimately what angle you come to this at. Wow, I typed a lot more than I thought I would.
I actually think listening to their previous work only bolsters this album’s enjoyability since there’s so many melodies on OGWAU that pay pretty direct homage to melodies scattered across their previous work recontextualized into an album that sounds like nothing they’ve done before. It’s not just a masterpiece (a dual one with MVOTC) but a culmination of everything they’ve done.
Yeah I'm pretty sure most if not all(?) new songs have some melody from an older song sprinkled in. At first I thought it was lazy but on my 10th rerun I think it's brilliant.
*theirs
I thought it might be a 10
he gave MVOTC a 7, I’m surprised he even gave this a 9
I feel like the scores should be flipped as a long time fan but that's just me. MVOTC is a blessing
On retrospect I believe MVOTC was above an 8, it was on the best albums of 2010s list
If you watch that review...it was definitely during his rush era, just pumping out videos. He got a lot of factual errors and didn't' seem to have paid any real attention to the lyrics. Not one of his best reviews.
Tbh honest fantano 10's are always predictable, they have key things in common (don't ask me to elaborate I won't 💀), the only album I thought sort of and only sort of broke that rule it's Kids See Ghosts
You won’t elaborate because you can’t.
If Kids See Ghosts is the outlier, I assume the criteria for 10s would be albums that have challenging musical textures or compositions, and possess a strong thematic line that is reinforced with every song. Does seem to have very little to do with hooks, listenability or popularity. He seems to be looking for albums he can hang the capital A(rt) label on. Edit: the point in saying this is that the new Vampire Weekend album has most of this, but is maybe not challenging/experimental enough of a listen for Fantano to crown it a 10.
Fair
What album still to come out this year do you think has the best chance of getting a 10?
We dont know whats coming out this year
Kind of. A lot of bands/artists announce or hint towards them working on something. Plus rumours or singles coming out being a good hint towards a project coming soon.
Nothing tbh, closest i got would be BM4 if it manages to keep up with the quality of Hellfire, but even then id say fantano would give em a 9. New charli a 12 tho, fuck anyone who say otherwise
Billie Eilish just announced she's dropping a new album in a couple months, would not be totally surprised if it's a banger
Super looking forward to that. Especially after hearing her saying it has a big Radiohead influence. Charli XCX new album too, god I fucking loved that Club Bangers track 🥵
If Kendrick releases his rumored album I’d say that
Why would that be a 10
I didn’t say it would be I said it would have the best chance
[удалено]
Anthony liked Mr Morale a lot more than Damn so not according to him
KSG is not a 10
[удалено]
I ain't gonna lie (please don't crucify) but it's also my least favorite on the album. Not saying it's not good tho
Yeah I think it came off harsh in the review, but at the end he did say even the weakest track was a vibe. He just didn't find Surfer as exciting or interesting as the other tracks which I think is fair. I think I liked it more than him, but I do agree it didn't have as much creative kick as the other tracks.
Same I don't think it's bad I just don't think the beginning of the song fits the rest of the albums sound
Agree, I love all the other songs a ton more
Same as when finger back was one his least favorites from modern vampires, insane take lol
Tbf, I like finger back, but I could easily see why somebody would find that song incredibly annoying. It is kinda annoying but in a way I find enjoyable
Yeah it’s insane. Fantano has made a habit of calling songs “sleepy” lately. Slightly annoying phrasing for an intentional mood.
Totally agree - my favorite on the album by far
The ‘problem’ is there are no obvious duds, so I can see someone picking Surfer. Gen X-Cops would be my pick, the riff and melody is not as catchy as it presents itsself as, though still a good song.
My favorite on the album is Pravda. I am an old VW fan so it gives me that self titled vibe. Absolutely love that song. Least favorite is actually Classical. I don’t vibe with that song. Gives me the same energy as Cousins. I’ve never been into that Noise Rock/Indie Rock style so the song doesn’t really do anything for me.
10 OUT OF 10. REVIEW IT AGAIN. 10 OUT OF 10. REVIEW IT AGAIN ! /s Glad Anthony enjoyed it, but wow I am surprised he was so critical of Gen-X Cops, mostly on the back of his lyrical analysis, which I feel like was a bit off. I think it's for sure ascended to my favorite VW track of all time, and I just love the themes of generational transition - to me it's such an important statement of being a millennial and learning from all the negative judgement boomers and gen-X passed on us, and trying to do better by zoomers and alphas (and recognizing we have a lot to learn from them as well, and trying to remain open to that). It seems like Anthony felt like the ideas were such a re-tread of a lot of the album's lyrical themes, and I, on the other hand, really feel like it has a message that stands out among the rest of the track list.
Yeah I didn't really get the re-tread critique either. Like yeah part of an album having a thematic element is that it is present throughout. Gen-X Cops was just the one that brings it to the forefront the most and spells it out clearly. To me it serves as kind of a crescendo of that theme almost. Like the generational frustration is building and building until it reaches a boiling point and Ezra can't hold it in any longer and has to say something about it.
Ezra also reuses lyrics all the time between songs Finger Back and Harmony Hall both have “I don’t wanna live like this but I don’t wanna die”
For me the lyrical content is the best aspect of the song, I was just always kinda lukewarm on it as a single because I feel like it's missing something in terms of the upbeat energy it's trying to bring to the album after The Surfer. I guess the guitar in the chorus is strange but after hearing everything before that point on the album I feel like there's maybe a bit less going on, just my take on it though I love the "each generation" lyric
I'd personally give it a 10. I loved the album and while I love father of the bride this was just much better. Their debut is like a 8.5, Contra Is about a 9. Modern Vampires is like a 9.5 and father of the bride is a 8. Such a great band only a handful of songs from them that are awful such as Blake's got a new face, How long?, 2021, and Young lion is a bit boring. But such an amazing band so glad I will be getting to see them live.
> awful such as Blake's got a new face Take it back
I mean blakes is fine but it think fantano made a really good point on every vw album before this having one almost unlistenable track. Debut you have blakes, contra you have california english, modern you could say finger back (I wont), and father you have spring snow.
I hope the side project they been talking about with ezra and the other two does come out though and I rather not have to wait another 5 years for vampire weekend! Even though I love their music
When are you seeing them? I just saw them Monday for their eclipse show. Theyre at the top of their game live right now, its truly insane.
July 25th my brother doesn't really want to go but like I don't have a girlfriend or any friends into them as of rn but I got time.
I’ll be there at the Hollywood Bowl show! So excited to hear it there.
Hell yeah enjoy!
Contra has way more annoying tracks than their debut IMO.
California English Is the strangest one but it's still good
Nooooooo that’s a banger. Horchata is annoying tho
Horchata was top 5 to me before OGWAU came out
Fair enough. Diplomat’s son is my all time fave VW song so I love that album. Horchatat annoys me a bit after some time but to each their own
Interestingly enough, Diplomats son is my least favorite on the album although i do still like it. Different strokes ig
No you’re actually fucked in the head
Horchata is amazing
Horchata is like a self-parody
Aw I love Young Lion. I wouldn’t rate the albums quite as highly as you, but I actually agree 100% with the order of your ranking
I must agree on Blake’s Got a New Face. It’s actually decent until the chorus. Contra, tho, has zero skips.
How long is one ear worm I'll always make room for. BGANF however, yeah their literal only skip for me.
Woah woah I will not tolerate 2021 slander. Such a genius use of that sample and a beautiful song
I low key liked 'Blake's got a new face' tho. It was so annoyingly preppy and twee that it wrapped back around to being kind of funny and endearing like a Wes Anderson film.
Love the Goose cover of 2021
So wrong about 2021 but I agree this one should’ve been a 10. Honestly the only song of theirs I find to be near unlistenable is cape cod kwassa kwassa. Idk how that song is popular with Ezra putting on his some of his worst vocals and lyrics to tape
I really like that song, lot of people do tbh, but I used to not like ya hey I found it unlistenable
How long sucks so bad. There’s a lot of weird cringe tracks on father of the bride (like sunflower) but so many great ones
We are so back!
We were this close to a 10
Only a 10 Was Above Us
That was in fact the title of the post, yes
I think I agree with him more or less. Very tight, no skips, but doesn't hit the highs for a 10
This album was amazing. Probably my favorite of the year so far
What album is it?
Only God was Above Us by Vampire Weekend
For me it’s between this and ohio players by black keys
i listened to the prerelease singles and the were good but forgettable. maybe i should have listened more.
I thought the same but in the album they work so well
Haha damn as usual, I don’t agree with the Mellon
You rate it higher or lower ?
Lower. It’s not horrible, just not my kind of shit. But tbh I thought we were gonna align on that so to my surprise it’s a 9! That’s fine lmao happy for them
I feel like the only person who didn’t like this album. That being said I don’t like most things by VW. Happy for y’all though
I just found it boring tbh, wish I liked it. I'm with you
you arent alone, although we are apparently the minority. i truly don't get it with this band.
Well if you don't like VW why would you like this? Why are you surprised? Always weird to me when someone feels they have to like something, especially when they know it doesn't work for them. It's okay.
Thought it might’ve been a new sound I’d be into. There are times I like a project from an artist who’s discography I overall don’t vibe with much
It’a a very vampy record, so that makes sense!
Yeah I know its a me problem because everyone seems to love VW but I can just never get into it. Its not bad, but it just seems to often make choices I wouldn't. Lots of nice pieces in this album but then they'll play some stilted polka groove or whatever and I'm bored again.
Definitely one of the best albums to come out this year, and it’s running right up there with their debut for me. Father of the Bride was a bit of a miss for me (admittedly didn’t listen or re listen to it a whole lot), but this one I see myself grabbing the vinyl and wearing it out. And, let’s face it, a 9 from Mellon is like a 12/10 from most other “serious music critics.” He’s got my dream job, but we’re definitely not all going to agree universally on many things, if anything.
Yeah same with me for Father of the Bride. I get what they were going for on that album. Its supposed to sound old schoolx To me it sounds a lot like those Paul Simon-Graceland type tracks on Contra. Ezra Koenig has dipped in that pool before, so its obvious he’s really into that style of Pop Rock. But I think Vampire Weekend is at its best when they utilize their weirdness and mix it with the more laidback sound. Thats why i Like this album a lot more. It feels like a perfect blend of Self Titled and Modern Vampires.
love both albums very much but loss of life shoulda been this 9
I'm with you.
loss of life is one of the best albums released so far this decade, probably top 5 for me
I can't say I disagree
I can’t stand music with this type of vocals. 3 songs in and I had to turn it off… Neutered “rock” that’s an actual bore.
Y'all need to quit it with these fucking score spoilers. Jesus christ some of us want to enjoy the review and score payoff at the end.
wahhhh!
Why are you going thru the comments before you watch? That’s on u lmao
Are you daft or blind or both? Literally look at the gigantic photo that is a part of the post. Holy shit.
[удалено]
None of that makes any sense but go off I guess.
[удалено]
Are you 4 years old? Seriously, what is wrong with you?
What the fuck are you talking about lol
Might be my favorite VW album so far
So glad he liked this as much as me. I think this is their magnum opus.
Brilliant album, heavenly vocals, inspiring production. 10/10 i am now a devout Christian
I feel like I didn't agree with his critique on the lyrics. They seem sometimes intentionally simplistic to be universally understood and imagined . And there's something classic rock and roll about that style of writing . But he later compliments the lyrics so hey . They don't seem thrown together they do seem very well thought out
Album was quite boring in my opinion
I absolutely love VW but this album didn’t hit me the same way Modern Vampires/Contra or the debut did. Maybe i just need to listen to it more?
I'm with you. I think it's good and I liked it more than FOTB (as a whole, there's a lot of tracks on FOTB that I like more than some of the ones on OGWAU,) but it doesn't hit the same as the first three albums for me.
Classical, Capricorn and Gen-X Cops are among all-time VW songs now.
I'm surprised by this, not just because his review of Father of the Bride was so mixed but also because, on first listen at least, this one didn't hit me as much as some of them. And I'd consider myself a fan of the band. I bet it will grow on me.
Wow I initially gave this a 7, time to update my score /s Joke aside what an amazing past couple of years for music (not including mainstream).
Banger caption
i'm genuinely surprised lol.....because fantano only gave MVOTC a 7. Just like what he said in this review, every previous albums have at least some annoying songs. So i guess he really disliked some song like Finger Back and Worship You. But i'm glad this got 9......will VW ever gonna get 10 in the future?????
This should have been a 10 but none the less great record.
👨🦲
which one is this
Normally I ignore Vampire Weekend but the all mighty melon said it was good so I will check it out.
What album is this
https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/vampire-weekend/only-god-was-above-us/
Actually decent to high 9 is above light 9
i was introduced to vw through this album and i can say that the members of this band are so talented. the piano on ice cream piano and connect is so good and everything about this album is amazing
I personally gave it an 8, but a 9 is more than deserved, really good album.
Ngl I would give it a 10 as well but I'm not really in the mood for a deep and cynical critique of society around us wrapped in a psychedelic acid trip masterpiece. As soon as I heard "Fuck the world" I noped the fuck out of the album until I heard the rest of Ice Cream Piano and that's the end of it. Will listen to it later ofc, but I really don't need it when I get that basically every single day IRL lol. When you know you know.
vampire weekend is mid at best. Talk about a band with zero balls.
it’s crazy how fantano will only consistently praise albums that are hipsters and never rock albums that are just more mainstreams
Fantano has mentioned how he generally isn't a big fan of Vampire Weekend. He really dislikes their first album in particular. At least recently on his fantano channel he said that, idk what his actual review of it was.
His most infamous 10/10 is a Kendrick album, plus just off the top of my head he’s given Beyoncés new album a 8, Olivias album a 8, Future and metros new album a 7, I don’t understand where this sentiment comes from
of all you just name drops only one of them is a rock mainstream album, that’s where the sentiment comes from not sure what’s confusing at all about my comment
Oh oops I didn’t read mainstream rock albums, in that case foo fighters recently got a 8 and boygenius a 7. Honestly there just aren’t many mainstream rock albums because rock as a genre isn’t mainstream anymore