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Father of the Bride
by
Father of the Bride Image
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 245 Ratings

  • Summary: After a six-year break and the departure of Rostam Batmanglij, the New York indie-rock band is finally back with a fourth studio album, produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and frontman Ezra Koenig. Guests include Dave Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Steve Lacy (The Internet), Danielle Haim, and Jenny Lewis.
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Top Track

Flower Moon
[Ezra Koenig & Steve Lacy] Flower moon, curse the night If the sun don't make things right Then it's gonna take a year Gonna take a year Flower moon,... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Pretty Much Amazing
    May 8, 2019
    91
    It’s as good an album by a Rostam-less Vampire Weekend in 2019 as we could have possibly gotten, and the sound is a return to Vampire Weekend and Contra except arguably better with the ‘upgraded’ production and thoughtful textures. The change from indie to mainstream in the tiniest of microcosms: a Vampire Weekend album.
  2. Variety
    May 3, 2019
    85
    An album that could soundtrack an afternoon picnic or be used as fodder for a doctorate thesis on songwriting. It’s a beautifully realized cipher in an age of unsatisfying answers.
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Apr 26, 2019
    80
    Depending on your mood, there’ll be songs you’d happily lop off for a more streamlined listen, but by and large, all of these songs make the patchwork much more vibrant.
  4. The New York Times
    May 1, 2019
    80
    The tracks are playfully, restlessly inventive.
  5. Under The Radar
    May 14, 2019
    80
    Sure, Father of the Bride is messy and overlong—it lacks the sharp brevity of Vampire Weekend's first trilogy of albums. But it is also a smart, witty, comforting listen.
  6. Slant Magazine
    May 6, 2019
    70
    At 18 tracks and 58 minutes, Father of the Bride is by far the longest release by a band whose brevity was once one of their best characteristics. This results in a not-insignificant amount of bloat, including at least one or two songs—like the lounge jazz disaster “My Mistake”--that should have been left in the outtakes pile.
  7. Under The Radar
    Dec 3, 2019
    50
    Too many tracks are loosely arranged with sparse instrumentation and a sunshiny, but laid back, lounge-y jazz vibe. Most rely on a start/stop, soft/loud aesthetic that wears thin quickly and makes it seem as if these are demos as opposed to fleshed out songs. [Sep-Nov 2019, p.134]
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See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 46
  3. Negative: 12 out of 46
  1. wowee
    May 3, 2019
    10
    Finally the most anticipated album in the decade,
  2. Sistermadly
    May 18, 2019
    10
    This album is wow, my album of the year and it's only may. Highlights include the smithsy This life, the stunning Jerusalem New York BerlinThis album is wow, my album of the year and it's only may. Highlights include the smithsy This life, the stunning Jerusalem New York Berlin and the danielle haim duet Hold you now...wow incredible… Expand
  4. RaynerCS
    Jun 16, 2021
    9
    Pra mim esse é álbum mais "acessível" deles, foi o primeiro álbum deles que ouvi e a principio não gostei mas cada vez que ouvi eu pegava algoPra mim esse é álbum mais "acessível" deles, foi o primeiro álbum deles que ouvi e a principio não gostei mas cada vez que ouvi eu pegava algo novo que fez ele cresceu muito em mim.… Expand
  5. trey_willi
    May 8, 2019
    8
    Thoroughly enjoyed this album as a piece. A few are skippers but album as a whole has so much richness to get lost in.
  6. Hyanovisk
    May 19, 2019
    7
    Father of the Bride is less accessible than MVTC. Even so, guys continue to evolve in their sonority without leaving behind all their charmFather of the Bride is less accessible than MVTC. Even so, guys continue to evolve in their sonority without leaving behind all their charm that has been present since the debut.… Collapse
  7. fredphoesh
    May 12, 2019
    5
    Very bland and safe. It starts off pretty well, but dips in quality and becomes ho hum boring. I much preferred it when VW were an indie bandVery bland and safe. It starts off pretty well, but dips in quality and becomes ho hum boring. I much preferred it when VW were an indie band making creative music. This lacks imagination, sounds like 1982 Michael Franks... twee and sweet.… Expand
  8. fromthegrave
    Nov 15, 2022
    0
    So disappointing. Their old work had a unique sound and was groundbreaking, but now their music sounds like an idiotic mash of pop and noises.So disappointing. Their old work had a unique sound and was groundbreaking, but now their music sounds like an idiotic mash of pop and noises. There aren't any exciting songs except for maybe How Long? But his voice sounds strange, and the beats are monotonous. There are annoying jazzy noises in this song, which brings down the only good music on the album. Don't get me wrong, Contra and Vampire Weekend are super good. This is just disappointing.… Expand

See all 46 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Most Discussed Album of 2019
47
#47 Most Shared Album of 2019

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