Vampire Weekend (album)

Vampire Weekend
Studio album by Vampire Weekend
Released	January 29, 2008
Recorded	2007
Genre	Indie rock baroque pop afrobeat
Length	34:13
Label	XL
Producer	Rostam Batmanglij
Vampire Weekend chronology
Vampire Weekend (2008) Contra (2010)
Singles from Vampire Weekend
"Mansard Roof" Released: October 23, 2007 "A-Punk" Released: February 28, 2008 "Oxford Comma" Released: May 26, 2008 "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" Released: August 18, 2008 "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" Released: November 18, 2008

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	B–[3]
Blender	[4]
The Guardian	[5]
MSN Music	A–[6]
NME	8/10[7]
Pitchfork Media	8.8/10[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Slant Magazine	[10]
Spin	[11]

Vampire Weekend is the debut studio album by the American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released in January 2008 on XL Recordings. The album was produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, with mixing assistance from Jeff Curtin and Shane Stoneback.

In the United States, the album sold over 27,001 copies in the first week of its release, debuting at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and as of 20 January 2010, has sold nearly half a million copies.^[12][13] In the album's 11th week in the UK chart, it peaked at number 15.^[14] The album also reached number 37 in Australia.^[15]

The album's cover photo is a Polaroid picture from one of their early shows in Columbia University.

The first single, "Mansard Roof", was released on October 28, 2007. The second single, "A-Punk", was released in early 2008. The album was ranked as the 5th-best album of 2008 by Time,^[16] the 56th-best album of the decade by Rolling Stone^[17] and 51st on Pitchfork's list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s.^[18] In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 430 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".^[19] The album was also ranked 24 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 greatest debut albums of all time, citing them for having inspired a wave of indie bands with world music influences, despite largely criticising the album on its release.^[20]

Paul Simon has spoken out in favour of the album, responding to the derision of some for perceived similarities to Simon's 1986 album Graceland.^[21][22]

Recording history

The album was recorded in a variety of environments including; a basement where there was "a good set up for recording drums"; a barn; the apartments of two band members and Tree Fort studio in Brooklyn. The locations bore an effect on the sound that was produced, demonstrated by a session recorded early in 2007 at a barn, which resulted in "really echoey drums".^[23]

In October 2007, the lead singer Ezra Koenig, said that the band had "some of the tracks [...] for a long time", so they were aware of how the album would sound but that it was "just a matter of tightening it up and remixing it a little". Koenig also said that the band was "really excited" and "psyched" about two songs in particular, which were recorded around September 2007, called "I Stand Corrected" and "M79".^[23]

Sales

• The album had sold 498,000 copies in the US in early 2010. It has since been certified Gold in the United States (sales over 500,000).
• The album has been certified Platinum in the UK (sales over 300,000).

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ezra Koenig except where noted, all music composed by Vampire Weekend except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mansard Roof"	2:07
2.	"Oxford Comma"	3:15
3.	"A-Punk"	2:17
4.	"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"	3:34
5.	"M79" (additional lyrics by Rostam Batmanglij)	4:15
6.	"Campus" (music and lyrics by Rostam Batmanglij, additional lyrics by Ezra Koenig)	2:56
7.	"Bryn"	2:13
8.	"One (Blake's Got a New Face)" (contains elements of "Obeah Wedding" Slinger Francisco)	3:13
9.	"I Stand Corrected"	2:39
10.	"Walcott"	3:41
11.	"The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"	4:03
Total length:		34:13

Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
12.	"Ladies of Cambridge [a.k.a. Boston]"	2:40
13.	"Arrows"	3:04
Total length:		39:57

Personnel

• Ezra Koenig – lead vocals, guitar, piano, hand drum
• Rostam Batmanglij – organ, chamberlin, piano, harpsichord, guitar, vocal harmonies, drum and synth programming, shaker, producer, string arrangements, engineering, mixing
• Chris Baio – bass
• Christopher Tomson – drums, guitar
• Hamilton Berry – cello
• Jonathan Chu – violin, viola
• Jeff Curtin – hand drums, shaker, engineering, mixing
• Wesley Miles – vocals
• Jessica Pavone – violin, viola
• Joey Roth – hand drums
• Shane Stoneback - engineering, mixing

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2008-2010) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 37 Australian Hitseeker Albums (ARIA)[25] 1 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 37 Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 34 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[27] 44 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[28] 62 Dutch Alternative Albums (Mega Alternative Top 30)[29] 3 French Albums (SNEP)[30] 81 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[31] 85 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 94 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[33] 44 UK Albums (OCC)[34] 15 US Billboard 200[35] 17 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[36] 2 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[37] 4 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[38] 4

Year-end charts Chart (2008) Position UK Albums (OCC)[39] 81 US Billboard 200[40] 123 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[41] 9

References

1. "Reviews for Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend". Metacritic. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
2. Phares, Heather. "Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". AllMusic. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
3. Gordon, Scott (January 28, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
4. Sisario, Ben. "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Blender. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
5. Petridis, Alexis (January 24, 2008). "Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend". The Guardian (London). Retrieved June 5, 2012.
6. Christgau, Robert (March 2008). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
7. Richards, Sam (February 1, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". NME. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
8. Abebe, Nitsuh (January 28, 2012). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
9. Hoard, Christian (February 7, 2008). "Vampire Weekend : Vampire Weekend". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 2, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
10. McBee, Wilson (January 25, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
11. Hermes, Will (February 2008). "International Bright Young Things". Spin 24 (2): 91. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
12. Norris, John (2008-02-06). "Vampire Weekend Take Their Preppy, Indie Afropop To The Billboard Top 20". MTV. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
13. "Vampire Weekend Lands First No. 1 Album". Billboard. 20 January 2010.
14. "BBC Radio 1 Chart Show: The UK Top 40 Albums". BBC. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
15. "Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - Music Charts". acharts.us. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
16. Tyrangiel, Josh (2008-11-03). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - Top 10 Albums". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
17. "100 Best Albums of the Decade". Rolling Stone. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
18. "Pitchfork Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100-51". Pitchfork Media. 2009-09-30.
19. Wenner, Jann S., ed. (2012). Rolling Stone - Special Collectors Issue - The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. USA: Wenner Media Specials. ISBN 978-7098934196
20. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/vampire-weekend-19691231
21. http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/03/paul-simon-defends-vampire-weekend/
22. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2011/03/qa-paul-simon
23. "Vampire Weekend reveal debut album details". NME. 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
24. "Australiancharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
25. "ARIA Report" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
26. "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
27. "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
28. "Dutchcharts.nl – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
29. "Alternative Top 30" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
30. "Lescharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
31. "Officialcharts.de – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
32. "吸血鬼大集合" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
33. "Swedishcharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
34. "Vampire Weekend | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved April 16, 2014.
35. "Vampire Weekend – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Vampire Weekend. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
36. "Vampire Weekend – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for Vampire Weekend. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
37. "Vampire Weekend – Chart history" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Vampire Weekend. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
38. "Vampire Weekend – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Vampire Weekend. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
39. "End of Year Charts: 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
40. "Billboard 200 Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
41. "Independent Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.

External links

• Vampire Weekend on the XL Recordings website
• Vampire Weekend Mp3 Downloads