Better Late than Never on Vampire Weekend's "Father of the Bride"

I come to you all today to eat some crow and apologize to RD.

Since the start of this site and our podcast, I have made fun of the music he listens to. Well, I have made fun of the hipster alt rock that he listens to. RD has introduced me to a ton of hip hop artists I still listen to, he was the first of my brothers to tell me to listen to Talking Heads, he was the first one of us who was hip to Beck, RD has good taste, mostly in music. But as we have both gotten older he seems to listen to more alt rock than me. He has always liked it, but as I have aged I am not as big a fan. I don't listen to Weezer anymore. I find bands like Green Day and Dr Dog kind of boring. I saw St. Vincent live, and while she shreds guitar, her music is not for me. Haim is a good band, but I will not go out of my way to check out their new music. These days I am more into 70's rock, 80's synth and, mainly, most hip hop. One band that I have always challenged him on, and always called him out on, I believe I even told him they are "dad rock", is Vampire Weekend.

What was my issue with Vampire Weekend? I don't like the name, the popular songs are way too radio friendly, and I did not care for their song that was in "Step Brothers". Go back and listen to old podcasts where we talk about music. Anytime he brings them up, I give him a very hard time. But, in listening to the wonderful "You Talking Talking Heads to my Talking Head" podcast, I decided I wanted to actually, fully, give them a try. A few things led to this decision. Scott Aukermann and Adam Scott always talk glowingly of Vampire Weekend, and I have to admit, if it weren't for them I wouldn't have checked out REM, and I may have still bypassed Talking Heads. And in their second most recent episode, they had Ezra Koenig on, I believe he is the lead singer and rhythm guitar player, and I found him quite enjoyable and very pleasant. He was funny, he kept up with the jokes, but what was best about his appearance on the podcast was his insight as a professional musician. He was going very inside music, and I really enjoyed listening to him talk about his love for Talking Heads, and his knowledge for, not only the band, but how to make a hit record.

So after that episode, and a chat with RD, I decided I was going to give Vampire Weekend another chance, but with the caveat that I was only going to listen to their newest record, "Father of the Bride". I kind of made it my starting point. I decided this was going to be where I dove in. I have done the same with a lot of bands I now like. The first Talking Heads album I listened to was "Stop Making Sense". My first listen to Lizzo, "Cuz I Love You". Public Enemy was "Fear of a Black Planet". Some bands I want to hear what I deem, and have heard, is the "good stuff", then I will check out the rest of their catalog if I am interested. So, for the past two days, I have listened to "Father of the Bride" two times fully.

At first I liked it, but I wasn't totally convinced. That being said, I was doing things and my mind may have been elsewhere. But this morning I had chores to do around the house, and when I do chores, I can really focus on what I am listening to. This was the true test for me. And I liked the record. I do want to say, it starts out slow, there are a few decent songs peppered in at the top. But when that album hits the second half, the back part of the record, it is really, really good. I found myself dancing to some of the songs. I was repeating tunes that I had just heard because I wanted to hear the song again. I am going running later today, and I have already decided that I will be listening to this record for a third time. I don't know the names of the songs yet, and when I looked at some titles yesterday it almost turned me off. But when I just listen to them play and sing, I can get behind it. After I finished my housework I went downstairs, where my wife now works due to the pandemic, and stated, "I have to admit it, I like Vampire Weekend". She said, "oooh! Is this a hot take?!". I don't know if it is a true hot take, but for me, it is.

I am sorry RD, and to all of you Vampire Weekend fans out there that have had to listen to me trash them for 5 plus years now. They're a good band, I am curious enough to go back and listen to their older stuff, and when/if we ever have live shows again, I wouldn't mind seeing them at all. I am now a fan.

Check out RD’s review of “Father of the Bride”

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

SeedSing Listens to Vampire Weekend's "Father of the Bride"

Let me say at the very beginning that I am a huge fan of Vampire Weekend.

Let me have it. Hipster, pretentious, whiny white boy rock lover, I have heard it all. Recently one of my favorite writers flat out crushed the band and all of their fans. The comments in the article are even more cutting.

The hipster act of criticizing other hipsters is in full force with Vampire Weekend. I lived through it with Beck, Radiohead, and Arcade Fire. I am ready to live through it when my family, friends, and readers, want to tweak me about my love for a band called Vampire Weekend and their 21st century version of whiny white boy rock. I will not apologize. I loved their first three albums, I am sure their fourth one will be just as good.

Here is the thing, I predictably really like “Father of the Bride”. As long as the band keeps putting out songs like “Oxford Comma”, “M79”, “Giving Up the Gun”, and everything on “Modern Vampires of the City” I was going to like “Father of the Bride”. Not only do I like it, I love it. I may be so bold and say that this is Vampire Weekend’s masterpiece.

The album starts of with a strange little song called “Hold You Now”. It is odd, but it has grown on me, and yes it does have a sample of children’s choir singing from the movie “The Thin Red Line”. The next song, “Harmony Hall” has been out for a while now and I believe this is the song that will define Vampire Weekend. It is their “Thunder Road”. From there on the record gets better. The B side of the vinyl, yes I bought “Father of the Bride” on vinyl, is flawless. The unfortunately named “Unbearable White” is a jazzy tune that I love, and I hate jazz. The final song on the B side, “Married in a Gold Rush” is in my opinion the best song on a killer record. It is awesome.

The second record/disc is more experimental, yet still incredible. Songs like “My Mistake” and “2021” feel like the tunes of a different band with a Vampire Weekend flavor. The record ends with the melancholy “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin” a fitting cool down to a great run of music.

I, like many Vampire Weekend fans, was a little concerned that founding member Rostam Batmanglij had left before “Father of the Bride was recorded. Rostam released his solo record “Half-Light” in late 2017 and he was not not going to record any new music with his old band for the time being. He is still listed as a writer and producer on a few songs, so his influence is not completely gone.

I do want to highlight Danielle Haim from the band HAIM. She is featured on a couple of great tracks on “Father of the Bride”. Her duets with front man Ezra Koenig are incredible. She is the number one reason that the opening track is worth listening to, and Haim and Koenig on the aforementioned “Married in a Gold Rush” plus the D side track “We Belong Together” propels the record from good to great.

I was pretty sure I was going to like “Father of the Bride” before I heard the first note. I was also pretty sure the hipster on hipster hate was going to follow the release of the album. I was ready for all of it. Yet being biased towards one of my favorite bands, I was not expecting to like “Father of the Bride” as much as I have. Months ago I downloaded “Harmony Hall”, and I figured that would be the key track. I love that song, and the all of the rest that surround it on the latest from Vampire Weekend.

Final word is that if you love Vampire Weekend, you will love “Father of the Bride”. If you are new to Vampire Weekend, this record will make you a convert. Unless you support hipster on hipster fighting.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. 

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.