User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 321 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 288 out of 321
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Mixed: 19 out of 321
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Negative: 14 out of 321
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DavidO.Mar 10, 2008Fantastic. But then again, I'm a sucker for funky, slightly different pop, and that's exactly what this is.
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MM.Mar 1, 2008One of the early front runners. Superb musicianship and songwriting. Just an outstanding debut.
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ChadS.Jan 30, 2008
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[Anonymous]Mar 5, 2008Very catch album that I don't get tired of listening to!
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CrystalS.May 19, 2008I don't think this album is overrated like some of the reviewers. I think its one of the best of the year and deserves the praise it has gotten. I can listen to the whole album through without skipping a song and each song sounds different than the next. M79 is one of the most original songs I have heard in years, and a-punk is the kind of catchy song you can listen to on repeat for days.
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JonathanS.Feb 8, 2009
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JustinM.Feb 1, 2008Can an album be more likeable? It's so PLEASING in so many ways. Great new sound, with throwbacks to early Police albums and believe it or not, Paul Simon's Graceland. Great energy and airy open beats and tones. Love it.
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IlyaRFeb 2, 2008
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RuiT.Feb 6, 2008Three words to this album: Top! Top! Top! Indie-pop-rock-funk-african-classical music! Life is Sun! Life is Fun! Life is Vampire Weekend...when we are Young!
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MicahC.Feb 7, 2008You can go ahead and shut down the voting for album of the year. Hopefully '09 will provide us something so inspired so early. The Strokes are back.
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NatalieM.Mar 22, 2008Koodos to these kids!! My 73 year old mother turned me on to these young kids from NY after she saw them on SNL. My mother loves ALL types of music. We are thrilled that these young kids are so versatile. Their CD is very lively and reminds us a bit of Paul Simon & TheTalking Heads, too. We so hope they can continue putting out such unique music. We'll be watching them!!
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HannahE.Apr 2, 2008Definitely my favorite band of the moment. Fresh, Fun, very catchy songs and lyrics...but not too catchy. I love every song. Quite inventive and original.
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WillO.Jan 31, 2008
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EricC.Feb 2, 2008
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JenniferKFeb 6, 2008A refreshing reason to be excited about music again! Their sound uses an incredible array of sound without ever over-appropriating, and their lyrics actually make you think. My favorite band in a long, long time.
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C.KimMar 12, 2008Wow. All I can say is I'm telling all my friends about Vampire Weekend. I've never taking a liking to a band just after listening to their first track.
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GilbertSmithMar 16, 2008i Love it. It's the best thing since Hannah Montana season !!!!!
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MarcoS.Jun 11, 2008F*ck yeah! one of the best of 2008. Every melody defines them.
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RyanM.Nov 18, 2008It's been months and months since I first heard this album. Still, to this day, I always find myself coming back for a listen. I greatly enjoy music and the lyrics. I personally think this is a very talented band with an impressive debut album.
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AllanC.Jan 29, 2008This album is special to me personally because I had bought the CD-R and I have been listening to the same tracks for about a year now and I can attest that the music is still great from when I heard it awhile ago. It is poppy/catchy music but with enough substance and differences that make Vampire Weekend stand out. Very deserving of the hype.
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JDW.Jan 29, 2008So Amazing. Every song has its own life on the record. It fits as a story of college life. It deserves all the hype its gotten!!
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MulisK.Feb 14, 2008Very melodic, very funny, very nice.
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RandyPFeb 18, 2008Super fun album, but I fear the inevitable backlash from the hipster cognoscente has already begun.
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PeterS.Mar 13, 2008I put up about 5 days of resistance.
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GigiM.Apr 24, 2008One of the best of 2008. As soon as it's over, I play it again.
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CaseyP.Jun 27, 2008
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Mar 18, 2011Fantastic. Engaging and creative band, with similar characteristics to the Hives. I agree with Chads, Is Vampire Weekend this generation's Talking Heads, undoubtedly :)
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Jul 22, 2011It's rare to find an album as perfect as this. Vampire Weekend has such a unique sound and flavor if you will that it makes it impossible not to love. A very impressive start to a very impressive new band.
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Feb 8, 2014Genre: Alternative
The debut album from Vampire Weekend quickly established them as one of my favourite bands. A great mix of upbeat and slower tempo tunes that are all stamped with their own unique quality. -
Oct 7, 2013A perfect album trough and through. The self-titled album is one of the most refreshing pieces in modern music. Arcade Fire has almost seemingly invented a style of music than can be defined as the "Vampire Weekend Style." A perfect album, no song is a let down, it's pure fun that makes one envision themselves in Cape Cod.
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Jul 10, 2013This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
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Mar 5, 2015Truly a fantastic album! The songs are all perfect and sound amazing. Those who say that all songs sound the same really didn't listen, because each track has it's own unique feel/emotion that went along with it. Truly a phenomenal track that actually got me into what is now my favourite band.
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May 24, 2015
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Oct 23, 2016Vampire Weekend first album back in 08 feels like something fresh, new and not trying to be copycat for another band, since their debut i've been hearing them but only now i came to understand that their work is pure gold.
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AlexBFeb 2, 2008A fun, poppy indie release with many idiosyncratic flourishes, in the same vein as Spoon. Very good!
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GregH.Mar 6, 2008Very enjoyable album. Like most releases that come with lots of indie hype, I was quite skeptical about this album but it's actually quite good. Solid songs, good execution...just a fun record. Every time it's over, I just want to start again from the beginning.
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RyanS.Feb 3, 2008
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PaulCMar 3, 2008I enjoyed it quite a bit. Sure it's pretty derivative, but it's also pretty fun.
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JasonB.Apr 1, 2008Either I'm getting stupid or I SHOULD rate an entire album that I've never heard before based on a 2 song live performance.
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twMay 13, 2008Full of catchy hooks and good-time riffs and rat-a-tat drums.
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ChristopherH.May 2, 2008Feel good album, good beat and one to slap on for sure pure heavenly delight
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DavidR.Jun 21, 2008The backlash against this band is amusing. He does sound an awful lot like Paul Simon circa Graceland, esp. on Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. Great songs though, undeniably so. Fun, unoffensive music to throw on a party or when simply relaxing on a saturday. Weightless sure, but hard to dislike.
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MikeC.Jun 22, 2008There has been a lot of anti-hype backlash around this album. That basically means that people aren't giving it a chance because they keep hearing about how great it is. Well it is great, so instead of giving it low scores just sit back and listen to one of the best releases of the year.
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RyanSFeb 4, 2009Love this album so much. Original and exciting music in my opinion. I listened to the whole album in one go at first and instantly felt connected to them.
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MarcosE.Jan 28, 2008Rally good stuff. they know how to make really cute really catchy pop songs but they bring something new to the table. That afrobeat is gonna be huge!!
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RoachCoachJan 31, 2008Great if only because they don't clutter their melodic sounds with layers of annoying sounds of whizzing cars and screaming people played backwards.
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KurtC.Jan 30, 2008
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LaunceR.Feb 16, 2008I think this odd and catchy mix of Jonathon Richmond, the Lefte Bank and maybe Peter Gabriel or some other world-beaty type thingy... Highly recommended, natch.
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MatL.Feb 6, 2008The songs here aren't especially deep or profound, but they sure are catchy. There's a lot to be said for the quality of musicianship here. The percussion is fantastic, it manages to hold the whole album together and maintain the whole afropop thing they have going. Definitely worth a listen, which will in turn warrant many more.
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BrianS.Apr 23, 2008Fantastic debut, one of my favorite groups to come out recently, extremely innovative and talented.
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DavidH.Aug 14, 2008Full of originality, fresh sounds and melodies that you can hum all day long. Pure euphoria.
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JimHNov 21, 2008It remains to be ssen whether cokemachineglow is too obsessively hipper-than-thou and deserves the long-term favour it seems to have with metacritic's rating system.
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DiegoC.Dec 17, 2008Can't stop listening to this album. Vampire Weekend is the best album of 2008. Period.
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MarkK.Jan 29, 2008Impressive debut from a great band with plenty of potential. Great tunes with a breezy pop feeling.
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ErikH.Mar 23, 2008Great album, catchy... "Walcott" is the sing-a-long of the Spring.
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TJ.Apr 19, 2008A vibrant, fresh listen the whole way. Yes, the band is of a certain time and place, but it's a pretty fun one and they made a fantastic album with a sound that isn't entirely new but not even close to being played out either.
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TomPAug 21, 2008A very good debut ablum....but I don't know, everyone says they must have been listening to afropop, but it also seems likely that they were listening to Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen. (Listen to "What's in it for Me", "Thinking of a Dream" and definetly "138th Street" which has a nearly identical riff to Campus.) I'd have to say this is the superior album though.
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Mar 31, 2012Vampire Weekend is a unique indie band. Their self-titled debut album has everything you'd hope for in an indie debut. Catchy songs, witty lyrics, and simple crafts that ultimately make this album one of the best albums of my generation. All In All, Vampire Weekend is a great record that never gets old. A-
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Nov 9, 2012The most original album released in years, Vampire Weekend has given us a taste of something great here.
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Mar 8, 2013Hmmm... I guess people dont understand this is a review for the album not a review for 2 live songs. But anyways, this album is fun and entertaining. Call it unoriginal but guess what?? NOTHING is original anymore. Come on get real people...
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Jan 15, 2015In its tiny 35 minutes, Vampire Weekend develops in such an easy and charismatic way that it's definitely one of the most impressive, uplifting, assuring and convincing debuts of last times.
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Jan 29, 2018Such a great album! Vampire Weekend blends in so many genres that you don't know what to do with yourself!
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Apr 29, 2018They've done nothing but improve since this album came out, which is amazing considering how good this debut is
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Dec 3, 2020
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JeremyG.Jan 29, 2008Listening to the album for the second time now...was impressed the first time through, but not entirely blown away. Very unique sound. These guys are going to make some true masterpiece at some point down the round...this isn't it, but it's solid.
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ThomaskFeb 1, 2008I'm not one to buy into the "hype machine" but this is a pretty strong album. This is irreverent music that avoids being overly precious or pretentious. Great poppy tunes. Lyrics are so-so, but the instrumentation makes up for any shortcomings in lyrics.
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MattA.Feb 13, 2008It's solid but these people declaring them the new Strokes and that this is album of the year already are ridiculous. Hot Chip and Cadence Weapon's releases this year are far superior.
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JackB.Feb 28, 2008Neat african beats mixed w/ some throwback punk lines.
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AndrewMar 22, 2008
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AdamBApr 16, 2008Get past the hype and actually listen to this album. It's one of the more tuneful and joyous albums I heard in quite a while. The Afro-po influence may seem a bit gimmicky at first but having really good songs along with mostly clever lyrics to match gets you beyond gimmick and into "just a good band" territory.
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JyotirmayaD.Apr 6, 2008Finally a band that doesn't strive to be The Strokes. These songs are very upbeat and refreshing. A very good album.
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ZeroS.Jan 29, 2008Paul Simon's Graceland meets Pavement meets Vitesse. Its fun, immediately catchy, and in 6 months you are gonna hate it, without being able to give a good reason why.
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Apr 25, 2012A truly interesting album. Vampire Weekend introduces unfamiliar instruments and world sounds to an American audience, but still manages to the stay within the idiom of western rock. A worthwhile listen from beginning to end.
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Jun 4, 2013
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Aug 20, 2015Vampire Weekend's debut album is aesthetically appealing but lyrically esoteric. Ezra Coeing has a great voice for portraying how strange the subject matter is.
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Mar 6, 2018Uno de mis disco favoritos. Sencillo, divertido con unas excelentes influencias africanas (especialmente del grandioso album Graceland de Paul Simon) hacen de el un disco corto, que te deja con algo de ganas de mas.
Lo mejor: Oxford Comma, A Punk, Bryn, Walcott, Kids don't stand a chance. -
Jun 16, 2021Dos três álbuns esse q menos me pegou, mas de longe ele é ruim. As letras são cheias de metáforas sobre a vida de nas universidades do USA e acho q isso me distanciou
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KenH.Feb 7, 2008Its fun but 90% forgettable afro-pop. There's some drumwork that is downright boring and it detracts from several of the tracks. The Talking Heads, early English Beat and Madness did this _much_ better. Really, listen to Madness' first CD and tell me differently.
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EvilEdFeb 6, 2009Lets not get carried away here. There are some good songs on this album but there not THAT good.
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TheUn-snobFeb 12, 2008
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JohnDFeb 18, 2008I doubt I'll still be listening to this album by the end of the year, and it's hard to get emotionally invested in, but it's still worth a look.
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SteveO.Apr 11, 2008A-Punk is good but when the band tries to explore African tribe stuff, it sucks. Stick to the basics please.
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MichaelS.Apr 21, 2008Entertaining, but finally lightweight.
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DavidPFeb 13, 2008Good clean fun, but overhyped and overrated. Also too much filler for such a short release.
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Jan 30, 2012Vampire Weekends solid self-titled debut mixes clever lyrics, interesting pop melodies, and just average instrumentals.
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Apr 21, 2020
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Nov 25, 2013
Awards & Rankings
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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.
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Listeners are only too lucky to get a hot breath of summer fun in these cold winter months.
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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.