Hmmmm... I'm kind of confused as to why this has such a low user rating. I find this to be an absolutely excellent album, better than their first if pretty much every aspect. Some standout tracks would be "Horchata," "White Sky," "California English," "Run," and "Diplomat's Son." I loved their first LP and am enjoying this one even more.

Listening to this one a lot, so it must be good!

"Contra" had the problem of impossible expectations. Fans want this, they want that.. and if they don't get it it's WW3. Not only does "Contra" do whatever the **** it wants, but it does it fantastically and with the same effortless poise and class at their landmark debut.

Excellent album. they are the most distinctive band around. run,horchata, and diplomat's son are my favourite songs. don't miss their sophomore. you may not find hits compared to their debut but you can easily find your own hits in "contra"

An extremely solid debut that retains their sound while still expanding on it. On repeated listens I learned to love the progressing sound and the ferocity of the songs, even in the more subtle tracks like "Taxi Cab" and "Diplomat's Son." It's a definite grower if you give it more than one opportunity.

While coming off sounding a but like "Vampire Weekend Remixed", the original New England charm manages to keep itself from becoming straight up quirk by the use of some great harmonies and bouncy musical devices.

Excellent sophomore album that gets better after each listen. If you got into the sound on the first album this isn't a huge departure yet a solid album.

Just simply superb pop music. This is just a fun album and it has stripped away some of the pretension of their debut.

I would give it a 20 if i could. Contra is so good, inventive and generous you want to dance, sing, laugh at the same time. probably one of the most important band now opening the decade with one of the best album. Chapeau.

Vampire Weekend's debut album is a tough act to follow, so c'mon, cut these Ivy League boys some slack. Although nothing from "Contra" gobsmacks you with the same immediacy as "I Stand Corrected" and "Oxford Comma", a backlash is unwarranted. If anything, the songs, this time around, are better arranged, which almost makes up for the disappointing tunesmanship. "Giving Up the Gun", with its percussive backing track, gives minimalism a good name, just like Prince did during his glory years(disc one of "Sign of the Times", and "Kiss"(from "Parade")), and more importantly, the one track that would've been at home on the band's superlative debut. There's other highlights, albeit only for fans with realistic expectations. The lead singer sounds like a collegiate Paul Simon on "Taxi Cab", had "Graceland" been recorded at the beginning of the old folkie's career. "Run", and especially "Horchata", while not pure songs(any garage band could cover "A-Punk" and sound great), indie-rock songs that transcend its sometimes limiting aesthetic, the African-flavored percussions and baroque instrumentation adorn the two "Contra" tracks with a lot of textural detail; they're busy songs that give the listener something to unpack. "This ain't no [sophmore slump]/this ain't no fooling around". "Contra" is "no party", "no disco"; the improved musicianship shows a newfound respect for the African sounds they're pillaging.… Expand

I have listened to this album several times and it is an infectious, captivating recording. I literally wore out my copy of VW's debut--not much new ground covered here, but the energy and enthusiasm is palpable. It sounds great on my home stereo and great on my mp3 player, bursting with instrumentation and catchy tunes. I love what the Guardian said: "sounding a bit like Paul Simon's Graceland being covered by 90s geeks They Might Be Giants." That really says it all. Fantastic record.… Expand

Beautiful, clever, and catch. This album has a certain heartfelt feeling that is missing from their first record, which makes up for the fact that Contra is less happy go lucky than their debut. Songs like "Giving Up the Gun," "Diplomats Son," and "White Sky" stand out. With their sophmore album they prove that they are still smarter than their indie peers, but they also show that they are more more endearing.… Expand

Why such low user comments? oh your still stuck on KE$HA and other pop shit right? This album is perfect! wake up to what real music is or have you been in the smog of crappy music for so long you dont know what good music is anymore?

This is a great follow-up for Vampire weekends first CD. Their originality comes through on each song and they are as clever as they have ever been. But, we need more songs next time guys!

This album doesn't have songs that grab you right away like their first album. However, I cannot stop from replaying the album all over again each time it finishes, and after several listens, every song continues to grow on me. It's really great to see that their first album wasn't a fluke. I can't wait for more music from these guys. The stand out songs for me: "White Sky" and "Run."… Expand

"Contra" has been on repeat for me ever since I got it on Tuesday. Yes, the first album was more instantly catchy, but this one is just as addictive and compulsively listenable. I keep singing "He was a diplomat's suh-uh-uh-un / he was eighty-wu-uh-un" over and over again. It's really a great grower if you just keep listening! Good early candidate for Best of 2010.

I must be hearing this band differently than others because I disagree with the consensus that this is good but worse than their debut. In every way, this sounds to my ears like the confident delivery of what was, to this point, merely potential.

This album is a very good one. Perhaps not as good as their first, but songs like "Cousins" and "Diplomat's Son" are as good as "A-Punk" or "Oxford Comma". I take this album for what it is: a very good sophomore effort.

Vampire Weekend is a great band! Their music is always unpredictable, they always have cool beats and dynamic lyrics! Get CONTRA NOW!

While the majority of people I'm sure won't agree with this; I think it's slightly better than their debut. It's a little more colorful and they explore a greater range of sounds. The tremolo pick in 'Cousins' is a complete ripoff of 'Thunderstruck'.

Great album, I'm already looking forward to the next one.

This is the most entertaining album I have heard in a couple years! It's really surprising as the Vampire Weekend's previous releases weren't among my faves. It's such a wonderful album, I am addicted listening to it from beginning to the end non-stop. This album will be classic in the years to come. A real and hugely entertaining masterpiece!

Positive and catchy songs. Pleasure to listen.

I agree that VW's follow-up isn't as immediate as their debut. But give it several listens, letting the songs sink in. The songs sound bigger, more confident. The most impressive aspect is that VW have shown that they can evolve their sound and still deliver another batch of excellent songwriting.

They're taking chances. They're expanding their palette. They still make great pop songs. Why are people hating this? I don't like preppy fashion either, but why should they pretend to be someone else? Get some taste.

Although the music may not seem as fresh as their first album upon first listen, when further inspected, Contra is more finely crafted and interesting than their first record and an incredibly fun listen.

Amazing. I am a huge fan of their first album, and Contra expands on their style then while still keeping the same spirit. I would highly recommend lead singer Ezra Koenig's tongue-tying autotuned vocals in "California English", the upbeat "Holiday", and the M.I.A. sampling "Diplomat's Son". All great stuff on the album.

After listening to the record 5 or so times, I can tell that this is going to be a keeper. It's rare that I can listen to an album 5 times within a few days, and like it more with each listen. I find Vampire Weekend to have such a natural, organic sound to their music that it both excites me and calms me at the same time. And at the end of the day, stirring emotion is what music';s all about, isn't it?… Expand

A great album that improves from the already awesome debut album, with the only misstep being "Diplomat's Son."

This album is not as good as their first. However, it is very, very good. Holiday, California English, and Giving Up the Gun are personal favorites. Their sound is incredible. If you liked Wolfgang Amadeus by Phoenix, you'll like this.

It's definitely a grower, but it's thoroughly amazing by the third or fourth lesson.

Not as great as their debut album, but still a pretty amazing one. They don't stray far from their signature sound that won all of us over two years ago. A great way to start off the music of 2010!

Great Album with inventive beats and short guitar rhythms. They have very catchy lyrics and they use the synth a lot more in this music. The 1st album is better though. People who gave this album a bad review seem like they have not listened to the whole thing.

My favorite album of the year. Richer than their first and a great mixing of playful originality with accessibility. Haters, go back to listening to Motley Crue, then, or Battles, then, whatever your thing is. This is my kind of thing.

One of the few albums I can listen to without changing track. It's far better than their first LP. "near-perfection"? What kinda music are you listening to?, coz it must be terrible.

This might be an album that has to grow on you a bit but after a few listens I got hooked. I think this second album is even better and a little deeper musically than their previous album. Lots of great tunes here and my personal favorites are Holiday, White Sky, and Cousins. The only track i felt was weak which is why i rated 9 is i don't care too much for the song California English. It was a bit goofy but none the less a solid album!… Expand

Not nearly as good as their self titled debut album, but still fantastic non the less. The only tracks that didn't catch my fancy very much were California English and Run, otherwise, the album is pitch perfect. VW returns with their fun, upbeat, and unique sound.

this album was excellent. the singing and songwriting were good. the album showcases their musical ability. and they are fantastic. white sky and taxi cab are great songs. diplomat's son as also a winner

I don't see why this album is so harshly judged by so many. It seems superiour to original in basically every possible way of comparing the two. The reason why the original album was so strong was that every there were no weaker song and all were instantly likeable from the first listen. This album seems the same, with the possible exception of California English which wasn't instantly likeable, but I am now a fan of. How Contra differs is that it has much more depth than the debut, with the final three songs being so much greater than the sum of their parts. I really see it being very close to infallible, as there really isn't anything notable I can find to criticise...


While I find it impossible to ever pick a definitive "favourite album", Contra would be one of the three albums that get down to the "you can't make me choose between them" stage.… Expand

I think that this album contains any magic effect on me, when i listen songs like diplomat's son (a relly fantastic song). Cousins, Horchata, Holiday and Giving up the gun offers diversity into his own style and interpretation of music. A beautiful continuation o his debut album.

This album was not at all a sophomore slump, but a great second album of Vampire Weekend. This album from the beginning of Horchata, which perfectly invites and draws in the listeners to hear more to the last track, "I think ur a contra" which perfectly ends the album. The highlights of this album are "Horchata" "White Sky" "Holiday" "Taxi Cab" "Giving up the Gun" "Diplomat's Son" and "I think ur a Contra"… Expand

Here's the thing: I didn't really like their first album all that much. "Oxford Comma" was nice and all, but the rest of the album was just a bit twee and insubstantial for my tastes. What makes Contra such a great record is that it packs much more of an instrumental punch than it's predecessor, while deftly maintaining everything that people love (and hate) about Vampire Weekend. It's smarter, too: whereas the self-titled seemed naive and precious - and thus a wide-open target for it's legions of critics - Contra, on the other hand, seems proudly defiant. Tracks such as "Horchata" and "Holiday" encapsulate everything haters love to spout about, but this only contributes to the fact that these songs are, in fact, catchy as hell and extremely well done, as is the rest of the album.

Over all, an enormous improvement over their so-so debut, and one that is capable of both nuance and the blissed-out excitement that put them on the map in the first place.… Expand

Just as good as the first. To me, it feels like they got the good things in their eponymous debut album and mixed it with electronic aspects, creating something even more unique.