Vampire Weekend’s fifth album, “Only God Was Above Us,” might just be the preppy indie-rock group’s magnum opus.
Fifteen years have passed since Vampire Weekend entered the music scene, and anyone who has seen “Gossip Girl” or heard the band’s famous “A-Punk” is at least somewhat familiar with the group’s unique, catchy sound.
“Only God Was Above Us” builds on the band’s well-known experimental style, combining self-aware lyricism with a cacophonous soundscape. The ten-track album refines Vampire Weekend’s signature baroque pop style, an amalgamation of classical music instrumentals and rock lyrics.
Self-aware, indeed, one of the album’s pre-released singles, “Classical,” expands on the eccentric euphoria of purposeful dissonance that Vampire Weekend knows so well. Swelling saxophones and orchestral arrangements pair with socially conscious lyrics crooned by frontman Ezra Koeing.
“Capricorn,” another single on the album, is dominated by deliberately distorted guitars. But the beautifully ponderous, intentionally bleak lyrics about aging are “Capricorn”’s true allure.
“The world looked different when God was on your side,” Koeing sings. “Who builds the future? Do they care why?”
As “Capricorn” fades out, the fourth track, “Connect” brings back a familiar tune. The drums repeat a distinctive beat found in “Mansard Roof,” the first single released from the group’s self-titled record back in 2007.
Koeing sings about feeling disconnected from his own memories, but the electronic, jazzy sound dominates the track and brings forth a nostalgic familiarity with one of the band’s first songs.
It’s easy to forget to pay attention to Vampire Weekend’s lyrics as you get lost in the instrumental exploration, but the poetry of Koeing’s writing remains strong throughout the album while each track takes on its own unique melody.
