Contra is the second album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released in January 2010 on XL Recordings.

The album title is partially a homage to the Contra video game.

Release

The release of Contra was announced on September 15, 2009, and was released in the UK on January 11, 2010. It was released in the U.S. on the next day. However, the album was already available on January 8 on iTunes. "Horchata" was released as a free download on October 5, 2009 on the band's website. The first single was "Cousins", accompanied by a 7" single, and a music video. The album was available for streaming on the band's MySpace starting on January 3, 2010. It is also currently available for streaming from their , as of January 5, 2010.

It is the band's first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200, and the 12th independently distributed album in history to reach the number one spot on the Billboard 200 since Nielsen Soundscan began recording data in 1991. The album sold 124,000 copies in its first week according to RUSE magazine.

Music and lyrics

The lyrics of "I Think UR a Contra" include the phrase "Complete Control", the title of a Clash single (notably, an influential 1980 triple album by The Clash was entitled Sandinista! after the socialist militancy opposed by the Contras during the Nicaraguan civil war). The title "Diplomat's Son" is a reference to a story singer Ezra Koenig wrote about boarding school, though the content lyrically talks about a homosexual relationship told by Rostam Batmanglij.Eels, J. (2010). "The Semi-Charmed Life of Vampire Weekend", Rolling Stone. iTunes bonus track "Giant" contains references to the Notorious B.I.G. song "Juicy". "Diplomat's Son" samples the tracks "Hussel" by M.I.A. and "Pressure Drop" by Toots and the Maytals. "White Sky" is reminiscent of Paul Simon's "Crazy Love, Vol. II" and "Proof".

Artwork

The girl's identity on the front cover of Contra is unknown, although in an interview, lead singer Ezra Koenig revealed "she's now living in Malibu". Koenig has confirmed that the picture was taken in 1983 (by photographer Tod Brody) and was chosen as a juxtaposition to the debut album's cover which, while taken in 2006, looks as if it "inhabits the same world". Koenig also referred to the girl as "Kirsten" in a post on Twitter. Koenig likens the image to the Rorschach test as multiple meanings can be extrapolated from just a few signifiers, saying, "Some people get very mad when they see a white blonde girl in a Polo shirt."

Reception

Personnel

Vampire Weekend

*Ezra Koenig - lead vocals; guitar on "Holiday", "California English", "Run", and "Cousins"; keyboard on "Horchata"; piano on "I Think Ur a Contra"

*Rostam Batmanglij - piano; background vocals; vocal harmonies; keyboards; harpsichord; VSS-30; drum; synth; sampler programming; lead vocals on bridge of "Diplomat's Son"; guitar on "White Sky", "Holiday", "California English", "Taxi Cab", "Cousins", "Giving Up the Gun", "Diplomat's Son" and "I Think Ur a Contra"; shakers; hand drum; snares on "Diplomat's Son"

*Christopher Tomson - drums

*Chris Baio - bass; background vocals on "White Sky" and "California English"; additional synth on "California English"

Additional Musicians

*Mauro Refosco - marimbas, rebolo, zabumba, shekere, shakers, auxiliary percussion on "Horchata"

*Marcus Farrar - shekere, auxiliary percussion on "Horchata"

*Libby Gery - background vocals on "Giving Up the Gun"

*Anne Donlon - background vocals on "Horchata" and "Giving Up the Gun"

*Nat Baldwin - double bass on "Horchata", "Taxi Cab" and "Giving Up the Gun"

*Jonathan Chu - violin, viola on "Horchata", "California English", "Taxi Cab" and "Diplomat's Son"

*Hamilton Berry - cello on "Horchata", "California English", "Taxi Cab", "Giving Up the Gun", "Diplomat's Son" and "I Think Ur a Contra"

*Seth Rosenfeld - cello on "Giving Up the Gun"

*Jesse Novak - additional instrumentation on "Giving Up the Gun"

*Jeff Curtin - hand drums on "Giving Up the Gun" and "I Think Ur a Contra", shakers on "I Think Ur a Contra"

*Shane Stoneback - shaker on "I Think Ur a Contra"

Production

*Rostam Batmanglij - producer, mixer, audio engineer

*Justin Gerrish - mixer, except on "White Sky"; audio engineer

*Shane Stoneback - mixing assistant, audio engineer

*Fernando Lodeiro - engineering assistant

*Tito Fuentes - audio engineer on "Cousins"

Chart Performance

References

Artist/Band Information

Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The band released their eponymous debut album in January 29 2008 and it produced its singles, "Mansard Roof", "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa". The band's most recent album, Contra, was released on January 11 2010.

History

Early days and debut album

The members of the band met while attending Columbia University; they then self-produced their first album after graduation while concurrently working full-time jobs. Vampire Weekend's name is derived from lead singer Ezra Koenig's amateur film of the same name. (http://vimeo.com/28464) He spent time with friends in Waltham, MA. Koenig and drummer Chris Tomson first collaborated as members of the comedy-rap band "L'Homme Run".Greenwald, Andy. "". Spin. February 25, 2008. Retrieved on June 28, 2009. They are managed by Ian Montone, who also manages The White Stripes. They were signed to XL Recordings, of which the band said in an interview: "Before any labels had contacted us, we actually mentioned XL as the kind of label we'd ideally like to end up on. Just going on their roster alone, they obviously have good taste and support their artists well."Coscarelli, Joseph. "". The Deli. Retrieved on June 28, 2009.

The band gained attention via a variety of blogs, such as Stereogum. The band claims to be influenced by both African popular music and Western classical music,Lindsay, Cam., Exclaim!, February 2008. describing their genre of music as "Upper West Side Soweto", with such songs as "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" referencing Congolese soukous music.Sanneh, Kelefa. "". The New York Times. June 18, 2007. Retrieved on June 28, 2009.

In 2007, Vampire Weekend's song "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was ranked 67th on Rolling Stones list of the 100 Best Songs of the year. In November 2007, they toured the United Kingdom with The Shins.

They were declared "The Year's Best New Band" by Spin magazine in the March 2008 issue, and were the first band to be shot for the cover of the magazine before releasing their debut album. Four songs from the bands first album also made the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008.

The band's debut album Vampire Weekend was released January 29, 2008. It was a success in the US and UK, peaking at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200. Four singles were released from the album; while "A-Punk" peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and number 55 on the UK Singles Chart, "Oxford Comma" peaked at number 38 in the UK. "A-Punk" was ranked the 4th best song in 2008 on Rolling Stones list of Best songs in 2008. "A- Punk" was also used to open the Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly feature Step Brothers. The song is also featured in the hit UK television show, The Inbetweeners. It is also featured in the video game LEGO Rock Band, being able to be sent out for use in Rock Band 1, Rock Band 2, and Rock Band 3. In 2008, Vampire Weekend was dubbed the "whitest band" by Christian Lander, the creator of the site Stuff White People Like, in an interview with Salon.com. During the summer of 2008, Vampire Weekend performed at the Central Park SummerStage in Manhattan and a fundraiser for Music for Democracy in October, where they shared the stage with David Crosby and Graham Nash. In December 2008, Vampire Weekend's debut album was #2 in Under The Radar magazine's "top 50 albums of 2008" issue. In the January 2009 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, their self-titled album was dubbed the 10th best album of 2008. Their song "Ottoman" was used during the credits of the 2008 film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Two tracks from their debut record also appeared in the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man.

The band's debut album also came 42nd on NME's 'Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade' list.

Contra (2010–present)

The band's second album, Contra, was released on January 11, 2010 in the UK and the following day in the US. On October 5, 2009, "Horchata" was released as a free download on the band's website.http The album's first single, "Cousins," was released on November 17, 2009. Initial copies of the CD and LP sold at independent records stores in the US include a 3-track bonus CD containing two "melts", which featured bits of album tracks and a remix. Contra was the band's first album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200.

On January 9, 2010 the band did an acoustic show for MTV Unplugged.

February 2010, the band toured Europe and UK with Canadian electro duo, Fan Death as their support. The video for their next single "Giving Up the Gun" was also released on the February 18th, 2010 which included cameos from Joe Jonas, Lil Jon, RZA and Jake Gyllenhaal.

On March 6, 2010 the band appeared as the musical guest of Saturday Night Live with comedian Zach Galifianakis as host. It is the second time the band has appeared as a musical guest on the show, the first being during the show's 33rd season in 2008 in an episode which actress Amy Adams hosted. So far they have played shows across the USA such as Coachella, Bonnaroo and All Points West, as well as the Groovin' The Moo festival in Australia.

On June 3, 2010 the band was interviewed by Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report. Colbert argued that the "Oxford Comma" was indeed important despite the band and Ezra's disagreement. The band played their song Holiday from Contra.

On June 5, 2010 the band played in Philadelphia, PA as part of the 3rd annual Roots Picnic, hosted by the band The Roots.

A new song, "Jonathan Low," will be released on June 8, 2010, appearing on the soundtrack to the third installment of the Twilight Saga films, Eclipse.

Members

*Ezra Koenig – lead vocals, guitar

*Rostam Batmanglij – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

*Chris Tomson – drums, percussion

*Chris Baio – bass guitar, backing vocals

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

*Vampire Weekend EP (2007)

*The Kids Don't Stand A Chance EP (2008)

*The MySpace Transmissions Digital EP (2008)

Singles

Compilation tracks

Vampire Weekend contributed a cover of "Exit Music (For a Film)" for Stereogum presents .. OKX: A Tribute to OK Computer (2007), a free tribute album celebrating 10 years of Radiohead's album OK Computer. They have also covered "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac and "Ruby Soho" by Rancid.

The band also contributed the song "Ottoman" to the soundtrack to the 2008 film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Two tracks from their debut record also appeared in the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man. A new song, "Jonathan Low," will be released on June 8, 2010, appearing on the soundtrack to the third installment of the Twilight Saga films, Eclipse.

Vocalist Ezra Koenig has also featured on "Carby" by Discovery and "Warm Heart of Africa" by The Very Best, as well as appearing on Fucked Up's all-star cover of "Do They Know Its Christmas?"in 2009.

Music videos

References

Interviews

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