Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend

New York’s Vampire Weekend have the kind of buzz a marketing executive dreams about. Only a year and a half after their three-song demo hit the blogosphere, they’ve lined up television appearances, sold-out shows, and now, a charting album. But this meteoric rise begs the questions: Do they live up to the hype?

Short answer: no. Vampire Weekend is immediately likeable, but nothing on their official debut will bowl you over. They write literate, concise rock songs with touches of world and chamber music. But the album doesn’t get too bogged down with being authentic. Whether using a clean, sparse Afro-guitar riff (Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa) or a rubbery ska baseline (A-Punk), Vampire Weekend keep their songs catchy and lively enough to sound fresh over 35 minutes. After a few listens, the album starts to feel a little soulless and stale. But as short-term fare, Vampire Weekend is all the rage. Gideon Kalischer