ALBUM REVIEW: Vampire Weekend – “Father of the Bride”

Suggested tracks: “Harmony Hall,” “This Life,” “How Long?,” “Married in a Gold Rush”

It’s honorable of Vampire Weekend to make such a tremendous comeback – honestly, to even make a comeback at all – after so long spent on the sidelines. Six years is a long time to spend in anticipation, but the three-piece are back with eighteen tracks and have made it clear that they’ll be touring with this album for quite a while. An ode to love and life, to the times in said life when the sun has disappeared and it feels that the clouds will never part – but it is even more than that a dedication to when the clouds finally evaporate and the sun shines for what feels like the first time in years.

An upbeat, refreshing album full of everything you think of when you think of Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride is as open, honest and nonchalant as their previous three albums. So what is it that sets this album apart from the rest? I’ll be honest – nothing, at first glance. But I think that’s because, as a whole, Vampire Weekend are one of the most iconic bands of the twenty-first century. It’s always difficult to accept new music from a band you adore, and even more so when the band’s first three albums shaped its genre and defined your own taste in music. Father of the Bride is a genuinely gorgeous, well-rounded album, with hints toward societal and emotional criticism throughout. This is also the first time since the band’s conception that another artist has been featured on one of their tracks.

Despite its open-armed, soothing first track, “Hold You Now,” featuring Haim sister Danielle, I wouldn’t recommend this album as an introduction to Vampire Weekend’s discography or their theology. This is an intermediate – or maybe even advanced – level album. It requires a deep understanding of the moral and lyrical integrity of their previous work, with all of its callbacks and inside jokes.

As the first of six singles, “Harmony Hall” essentially set the bar for what Vampire Weekend were going to deliver with the album. It’s quite clearly a song for Koenig’s partner, Rashida Jones, and one about the love he feels in his heart. Koenig sings, “Within the halls of power lies / A nervous heart that beats / Like a young pretender’s.”

The third track on the album, “This Life” is as vulnerable as they come. A portrait of life and love that we don’t normally see – celebrating the making of mistakes, and the forgiving of them, rather than condemning what is often the reality for many people and many couples. Many love songs in today’s age are either celebrations of a very curated version of what it means to be in love or damnations of love gone sour. “This Life” is neither, making it a stand-out on the album. “Baby Blue” is very reminiscent of the kind of music that Hollywood likes to portray as seventies, twangy and slow and soulful. “How Long?” and “Married in a Gold Rush” are just very catchy, enjoyable songs that I anticipate will quickly become fan favorites.

You can find Vampire Weekend on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on their website. Father of the Bride is available to stream, to download, and to purchase in a physical form. Catch them at one of their many shows throughout the rest of the year!