I'll admit when I first heard today's band, I thought "Okay, Columbia grads being ironic calling themselves, 'Vampire Weekend'. What's their schtick?" I didn't want to like them. But I did. I'd hear a new song on the radio and be bopping along and sure enough, it was another Vampire Weekend ditty. I'm not sure where they'll go from here, but I have to say you could plunk down eleven bucks on far worse than their self titled debut, released early 2008.
And hey, I learned what an oxford comma* is...
I love that tune.
Listen a litte more: MY SPACE
Plenty of hype and praise surround this band, but in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, read New York Magazine's projected backlash against the band HERE. If you don't want to click over, I've taken the liberty of lifting part of the review here:
"With the release of their self-titled debut album, critics fall in line behind the blogs and Vampire Weekend is lavished with endless acclaim. Pitchfork gives it an 8.8, comparing the band to the Strokes, and, yes, Paul Simon. Only New York's Hugo Lindgren dissents; months ahead of the curve, he concedes their dancebility but notes that "[if] they’d shown up at CBGB circa 1978, these outré Ivy League preppies probably would’ve been beaten with bicycle chains."Scissors concurs.
And a proposed ending to all things Vampire Weekend:
"Out of disgust, the band's original MySpace friends storm the actual Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, torching Elvis's mansion to the ground. By now, many of them have moved on to new, edgier bands hailing from grittier New York colleges, like Barnard and NYU's Stern School of Business."
So there you have it. I say enjoy them for now and let's give the boys a chance. Have yourselves a great weekend. I have been off the blogwagon as I am back in the city getting settled in to a new position at work. All is going fine but I'm actually working and hence blogging is just not possible. Oh and what I might have blogged had I the chance - Julian moved on up or graduated from Kindergarten today. It was hard to keep a dry eye so I didn't really try. He was one of the color guards who lead the Star Spangled Banner. So that's life on these shores. I hope all is well with you. I'll be by to catch up.
* From askoxford.com:
"What is the 'Oxford comma'?
The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list:
We sell books, videos, and magazines.
It is so called because it was traditionally used by printers, readers, and editors at Oxford University Press. Sometimes it can be necessary for clarity when the items in the list are not single words:
These items are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.
Some people do not realize that the Oxford comma is acceptable, possibly because they were brought up with the supposed rule (which Fowler would call a 'superstition') about putting punctuation marks before and.
15 comments:
Yeah, I don't know about this one and I still don't know what an Oxford comma is. But have a great weekend and mixed results are a good spin service, I think.
Doug, I've updated the post to include the derivation of the Oxford comma. Mixed results make it a bit more interesting so there's that.
Have a great weekend yourself.
Those guys are good. Thanks, that was interesting. I was taught to use a semicolon where they use the Oxford coma. But I often feel about anything goes as long as the reader clearly understands what is being communicated.
Thanks for the update. That helps. Tali will never have to suffer as I have suffered.
Icy, you mean as in "Woof, arf; and bow bow?"
It's definitely a catchy tune, no doubt about that, but may be a bit under-produced for my taste. Do they have a full band (drums, electric guitar, bass etc) version of this tune somewhere?
btw, I don't use an oxford comma unless it's for the multiple words in a list thing. My English teacher was very clear on that ;b
Nevermind all that... what's REALLY important is that I showed up as the featured blog on your Humor Blogs widget. Woo-hoo!
Tom & Icy: glad you enjoyed - I like them too. I think you're right on the clarity thing. Now that I know what an oxford comma is, I recall being taught the preferred way was without but acceptable with.
Doug, we do it for the children - so they should have it easier than us. Luckily for Scissors and I that requires so little :)
Jeff, catchy it is. Now for that version, you can check out their Live on Jools Holland version on You Tube. I prefer this stripped down version myself - must be the punk in me.
I'm with you on the oxford comma.
Wow - can I have your autograph?
Jeff, what's really important to note is how many times I used 'version' in my response to you. So I don't proofread.
Love the band in all its simplicity. I have no opinion on the actual Oxford comma, because I never use it.
As for Julian's big graduation, I only wonder how you kept from bursting into tears when you watched him do the color guard to the Star Spangled Banner: it's just a good thing he wasn't playing trumpet or something that would have completely unnerved you...
I'm using my brand spanking new laptop to comment - it is late here, but who cares. My cold is still horribly present, (us old fogies don't pull out of the tailspins as fast as we used to) but guess what? I'm going to be a grandma for the second time! My youngest child (son and his lovely bride of 6 years) announced that they are preggers for the first time and will be having a baby in Feb of 2009. Lucky, lucky me :)
I knew about the comma.
Congratulations to Julian. Toyplayer played "Pomp and Circumstance" on the violin at his graduation. Half the teachers couldn't stop crying. (Mall Diva missed hers because of a grandparent-arranged trip to Disney World.)
I want to punch them all in the head. Sorry.
Hey LWTLSOHH...don't have time to stop and listen...just wanted to fly by to say hello and wish you a Happy Summer...will be back when I have time to relax and read and enjoy your music.
They remind me of Devo without the funny white hats. I like commas. They’re cute.
Terry, I do too. Yeah, I also don't (or rarely) employ the Oxford comma.
I had to catch myself as it could have easily gone to sobs :) I was tearing quite a bit though.
Well, congrats on a new laptop girl - that's fun! But mostly congrats on the addition to be to family news! May they have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Lucky you, indeed.
Mrs. Weirsdo, you were the first person that came to mind when I searched what an Oxford comma was. I knew about the comma, but not what it's called.
Thank you. Well, I'm having a tough time keeping a dry eye :) He must have been adorable!
Actonbell, come for a spin and leave considering commas.
Yes, and art is rather subjective so it's always interesting to see how a band is received. I too jump on or off a bandwagon based on my own liking.
Diesel, oh don't be sorry. I'm happy when a spin garners such a response!
Swampy, I'll take a drive-by hi any day. When I get back into blogs, I'll be by for a visit.
Nessa, maybe that's who it is! I had this nagging feeling that I'd seen them before - perfect! So you'd be in favor of the Oxford comma then.
So happy to see you again.
lovely sound
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