Sunday, May 5, 2013

Building Bridges over Vampiric Waters

I know I've been bad. I haven't been blogging for so long I feel the blogger guilt rise up inside me like an awkward accumulation of heavy fishing sinkers. I know. It's terrible. But I would like to rebuild the bridge that I unintentionally burned, drained the lake it crossed over and built a mega mall of shame upon. Let's be friends once more. So much has happened (and is happening) that I just need to share it.

I'll start with some music news.

You all know that my absolute favourite band is Vampire Weekend. I am going to New York (all going according to plan) in 2015 and my soundtrack of the Uptown preppy quartet will be my inspiration. Well, they have new album coming out this month and I for one couldn't be more excited. I very nearly ran up a pole in my car when I heard the new album release news on my car radio. I could burst. Literally burst.


It's called Modern Vampires of the City and the three songs they've released as a taster of what is to come make my heart leap with joy already.

Their first pre-release was "Diane Young" - a much more grungy sound than you're used to hearing from them, but it works incredibly well with their African drums and Casio melodies. Amazing.


The next song they released was 'Step'. The song itself reminds me so much of 'Taxi Cab' from their second album 'Contra' in the sense that it is slower and is softer than some of their other songs. The piano/harpsichord and chimes with 1/4 beat bass makes for easy listening and the lyrics, as always, always suggest so much yet explain so little. Very Vampire Weekend.



The most recent release was 'Ya Hey', a fun and spirited take on their usual sound. The video is again reminiscent of their collegiate, neo-greco, preparatory selves. And the "Ya Hey" labelled champagne bottles (in the likeness of Verve Cliquot) add to the luxe and decadence of the. I would sincerely like to ask them about the meaning of this song, as the personage they are referencing isn't 'loved' by Babylon (often symbolic of false religion and paganism) or Zion (symbolic of Jerusalem and the Christian interpretation of God's Kingdom), or even America (symbolic of Western Capitalism and World Power).

So I'd like to know who the "you" is that they refer to. Very interesting indeed.


The album is released May 4 and will be a highlight of my year.  So, get yourslef together and pre-order one from JB Hi-Fi (If you're in Australia) or from you local music store, or on iTunes. Can't wait. At all. 

Another one of my favourite bands is Jinja Safari, the self-funded and independent band from Sydney, Australia. Their unique surf rock and jungle vibes have been off the scene for a while as they've been coming up with the much anticipated album they're due to launch May 17. I'm going to endeavour to see them at the Toff in Town in Melbourne as it's only $20 for a ticket and I'd pay more anyway, so in that sense it's a bargain. 

So, click here to check out some of their new songs from their new album and get tribal dancing in your lounge room. 

Okay, enough now. I'll be back soon. 


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