Vampire Weekend
by Vampire Weekend
  • Record Label: XL
  • Release Date: Jan 29, 2008
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 321 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 288 out of 321
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 321
  3. Negative: 14 out of 321

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. tizriz
    Feb 7, 2008
    4
    Cheesy college pop pooh, nothing too original besides some crafty percussion to enhance what otherwise sounds like something you may hear at a high school talent show. Like a cover version of the police meeting a sufjan Stevens fan and making a disc over the weekend in their garage....I don't get the hype.
  2. HillaryC.
    Mar 3, 2008
    4
    Bill and I love this album... except for the afro influences.
  3. GregC.
    Feb 9, 2008
    4
    The critics have claimed they are their new darlings. The new Strokes they say. What creative Afro-pop they say. Afro-junk played by silly white kids. Painful to listen to really. I've never been in a fight but I want to fight these guys already. Enough with the bright sweaters, collared shirts, and dreamy days at sea.
  4. Ericd.
    May 30, 2008
    4
    *sniff* *sniff*....is that dookie i smell?
  5. GuillaumePop
    Feb 2, 2008
    6
    I don't understand all this critics, it's just a good album, nothing more!
  6. JimmyT.
    Mar 8, 2008
    6
    one fantastic track doesn't make a good album.
  7. Heidi
    Mar 22, 2008
    5
    yea.... the Police, Paul Simon, & The Islands (which was better) Got it. Done.
  8. SoupS.
    Mar 27, 2008
    6
    Not brilliant, but it's enjoyable in its own way. It kinda reminds me of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, in that they're just playing pop music, and doing it fairly well. Also in that they're way overhyped, considering what they're doing.
  9. MaxM.
    Sep 17, 2008
    6
    Just a bit overrated.
  10. RobbieC
    Mar 11, 2008
    6
    It's fresh and funky. Is it amazing? No.
  11. KGFReeze
    Mar 17, 2008
    5
    Overrated, fine songs but nothing super-special. "But they sound kinda like Paul Simon and incorporate afro-beat!" 1) I've heard Talking Heads and they are waaay better and 2) same deal with Paul Simon and it was 20 years ago.
  12. JasonS
    Apr 22, 2008
    5
    I'm really trying to like this album. Anytime the keyboards play, the band has depth and sounds pretty fun. Without the keys, some of their songs sound like they were recorded by a crappy ska band. Especially the lead single. Take the keys out and A-punk sounds like it was recorded by 8th graders.
  13. AshleyM.
    Sep 22, 2008
    5
    There has been a lot of backlash on this album recently and I think that is because its something that people latched onto for its cute factor, I cite Juno and its soundtrack as a precedent. Regardless of this fact Vampire Weekend's first album is a solid effort but lacks originality. This music is fresh in the respect that its different than most neo post-punk flooding the radio There has been a lot of backlash on this album recently and I think that is because its something that people latched onto for its cute factor, I cite Juno and its soundtrack as a precedent. Regardless of this fact Vampire Weekend's first album is a solid effort but lacks originality. This music is fresh in the respect that its different than most neo post-punk flooding the radio market nowadays, but to me it sounds extremely derivative of Paul Simon's Graceland album and later world beat era Talking Heads. There sound is warmed over amalgam of these things.… Expand
  14. KateM
    Oct 6, 2010
    4
    Songs such as One and Mansard Roof are terrible additions to an album that contains the pure awesomeness of M79, A-Punk and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. This album is so over hyped and is merely favoured for being a splash of Indie in the otherwise bland Pop machine that is the mainstream
  15. Mccusky
    Apr 29, 2020
    6
    Some good singles but so much filler, they have a good sound but some songs on this album are a bit fluffy

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best Album of 2008
14
#14 Most Discussed Album of 2008
7
#7 Most Shared Album of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 38
  3. Negative: 0 out of 38
  1. AllMusic
    90
    Fully realized debut albums like Vampire Weekend come along once in a great while, and these songs show that this band is smart, but not too smart for their own good.
    Read full review
  2. Billboard
    80
    Listeners are only too lucky to get a hot breath of summer fun in these cold winter months.
    Read full review
  3. Boston Globe
    80
    At its best, Vampire Weekend takes the exceedingly familiar template of indie rock and invigorates it with a chiming guitar sound that suggests the band has been spending its downtime browsing afropop.org.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »