I’ll be 36 by the end of the year, and as far as I’m concerned that’s pretty young, especially in this world where 60 is the new 40. It follows that 36 is the new 16.
Still, once in awhile I get reminders that I’m no longer a spring chicken. Like when I realize it’s been a quarter century since the Dolphins were in the Super Bowl, even though I vividly remember watching that embarrassing defeat. Or when I find out that hot girl in a new TV show was born in 1990.
The emergence of Vampire Weekend has had this affect on me as well.
This is a great new band out of New York City whose debut album has been a big critical and commercial hit. Their eclectic sound weaves African rhythms, classical strings and alt-punk into an infectious blend that’s one of the very best albums I’ve heard in years.
The reason they date me is they cite Paul Simon’s classic Graceland as a major influence and it occurs to me that for a high school kid today that’s the equivalent of an artist citing a work from the mid-1960s when I was in high school. Graceland, an album that I wore down to the grooves (yes, we had vinyl back in the day), is itself five or six years older than today’s high school kids. I’m a freakin’ fossil!
I guess the good news is that I’m as excited by this album as any 17-year old, so at least I’m young at heart. I wonder, will I be listening to 20-something alternative rockers when I’m in a rocker? I sure hope so.
Meet Me In Montauk 
As your older sister but still a relatively young 21 year old according to the “new math,” I can tell you that the toddlers running around us are none too happy with the notion that we might embrace their music. When one of my students wrote a review of this album for the school newspaper last year, there were several others who were furious at him for letting their secret out. I wonder if the fact that we enjoy this music will cause it to lose some of its popularity. I like this song, this album, and this band, but I find that it’s no Graceland. And that, I’m certain, dates me more than anything.
Well, you can’t expect many things to be at the level of Graceland, which is one of my top ten albums of all time (I guess… I haven’t actually set out to create that list just yet).
As a 43 year old (according to your math) I still like music that has a beat and enjoy walking and listening to songs on my Ipod by Elivis, Paul Simon and others. It acually helps me walk at a faster pace! And I remember holding an infant in my arms who was born in 1972 while watching the Dolphins go 17-0! I like this song, but as you said you have to go some to get to the level of Graceland, also one of my favorites.
Carrying forward on my rediscovery theme….just think how you could now be discovering Paul Simon if you weren’t old enough to love him on the first go round. 🙂 I think this group is interesting, but agree it ain’t no Simon or Graceland. There! The old fuddy duddy has spoken. Now, how do I send this damn message? Oh, there’s the but….