Please ride the hype train with me AKA Vampire Weekend

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The production stuck out to me, as well, which isn't something that usually happens. There's just some really interesting stuff going on track to track that you're not going to hear in your average album. Not every idea is gold, but it's varied and that's what makes it fun.
 
It's a pretty good album with a wider sonic palette than usual and a clutch of really great songs (Harmony Hall, This Life, Unbearably White). Like a lot of albums nearing an hour, it could use some trimming and the back half gets bogged down in weaker material.

I also think Ezra has streamlined his lyrics from the career peak of MVOTC. There's a clear attempt to cross over into the pop realm, with lines like "I think I take myself too serious…it's not that serious" serving as explicit commentary on their previous work. I'd be curious to know how Rostam would have responded to that direction for a full album. The production we have here is very good though, probably the best part of the album.

In general, I thought they were improving with each album and while this one is a small step back, it's hard for me not to hear the improvements they've made from their earlier work.
 
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On relisten, I'd cut about 4 tracks, easily, but otherwise I like it a lot and I'm so happy to have new music by them.
 
Anyone else getting a Fleetwood Mac vibe on any of these? I guess I’m thinking about the duets, particularly We Belong Together, or maybe Spring Snow. Other songs have that organic but odd instrumentation that you hear on Tusk.
 
"We Belong Together" honestly reminded me of an old White Stripes track on first listen. Like a quirky song that Jack would have put as an album closer or something. And I mean that as a compliment. It's great. The three songs that feature Danielle Haim as a vocalist are three of my favorites. But I swear she is singing on some of the other tracks, too. She's still listed as only "featured" on three of them, though.

EDIT: Yup, just looked it up and she sings "lead vocal" on the three big duets obviously but is also a backing vocalist on SIX other tracks. She's on literally nine of the eighteen tracks. Wow.
 
Also, "Harmony Hall" has reallllllllly grown on me in the context of the album. That shit is catchy as fuck, y'all.
 
It's funny cobbler mentioned songs overshadowing albums the other day, because I'm having that problem with Harmony Hall, just a bit.
 
Anyone else getting a Fleetwood Mac vibe on any of these? I guess I’m thinking about the duets, particularly We Belong Together, or maybe Spring Snow. Other songs have that organic but odd instrumentation that you hear on Tusk.

I can definitely hear some of that, yeah. Wouldn't surprise me a bit to learn they were an influence on this album.

I also like the White Album comparisons I've seen elsewhere online, mainly in terms of the variety throughout. I can see some of that, too.

Also, "Harmony Hall" has reallllllllly grown on me in the context of the album. That shit is catchy as fuck, y'all.

Same. Such a gorgeous song. That one and "This Life" have been alternating running through my head these last few days-speaking of which, enjoy this really nice performance of "This Life", complete with all members of Haim joining in (seriously, I should check out more of their work):

 
Ezra and his Time Crisis podcast co-host Jake Longstreth were guests this week on a special episode of R U Talkin' R.E.M. Re: Me.

Shuttlecock and R.E.M. were both discussed, and Ezra said at one point someone told him that VW was the R.E.M. to Arcade Fire's U2, which he said he didn't necessarily agree with but was interested in trying to dissect. Jake said that Arcade Fire and U2 lacked humor and levity, which it seemed like the others corrected him with, I think Ezra or Adam mentioned Pop.

The more interesting thing that Ezra said is that both him and R.E.M./Stipe started off in a weirder, more abstract mode and moved towards a more personal writing style, whereas the other two bands were dealing with grief right at the beginning of their careers and had to find the humor later on, and I think that is a good observation. U2 was obviously better at it than Arcade Fire, though.
 
Good album.


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