#4 – Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
Yesterday I wrote about artists who kick off their careers with five or six amazing albums and earn a place in my personal pantheon.
Vampire Weekend haven’t been around long enough to meet that criteria just yet, but based on the three albums they’ve released so far, they are well on their way.
This is Miranda Lambert’s second appearance on this list, counting her record with Pistol Annies. Will it be her last?
Every musical career evolves in a different way. All artists have ebbs and flows, some that come early, others that come late. Some start quietly, releasing forgettable albums through which they find their footing before making their mark a few records down the line. Others roar out of the gate with a striking debut only to fizzle a bit on a second or third album.
A lot of people take the stance that they like Bob Dylan’s music but they just can’t stand his voice.
I can appreciate that argument, as I feel exactly that way about both Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. I often say that I would love an album of their best songs as sung by somebody (pretty much anybody) else.
I’ve been living a lie.
On April 19, 2012, I posted a song from Fiona Apple’s When the Pawn…. It was during a countdown of my favorite albums of the 90s, and Apple’s sophomore effort was #2 on my list.
That was Song of the Day #1,376.
The following day, I posted my #1 album of the 90s. It was Ben Folds Five’s self-titled debut.
That was Song of the Day #1,378.
The second Tift Merritt album on this list is her finest record yet, 2010’s See You On the Moon.
I love this album so much I almost ran out of songs to feature on the blog. Of Merritt’s five studio albums, this is the one that best captures her Joni Mitchell-meets-Emmylou Harris sound and spirit.
