The way the music industry works is if something hits then producers repeat that sound until even little kids grow tired and refuse to listen to it. But every now and then a new sound comes along that is so original and sonically pleasing that it doesn’t divide an audience and can be listened to by kids and their parents. If you’ve heard of Vampire Weekend then you know what I’m talking about. These four Columbia University graduates released their debut self titled album in 2008 and have followed it up with Contra which came out in January. They dress like preppy kids, but it is their sound that has really caught on. Described by the group as “Upper West Side Soweto”, Vampire Weekend is like nothing you’ve heard in the past ten years. Employing different tempos and foreign beats they manage to swing from mellow laid back vibes to hyper guitar licks to a percussion that sounds like the drummer has downed 10 Red Bulls in a row. It’s this fast paced tempo that gets my kids up and dancing. Throw in the fact that lead singer Ezra Koenig has such a distinct voice that he is able to alter perfectly depending on the song and trust me, your kids will be jumping all over the furniture listening to this group.
Check out their new single “Cousins” to get the little tykes dancing around:
