Tag Archives: Vampire Weekend

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Song of the Day #477: ‘ Oxford Comma’ – Vampire Weekend

vampweekOnly two debut albums have cracked my top ten CD lists the past four years — Lily Allen’s Allright Still and Vampire Weekend’s self-titled release (and both wound up in the top five). I’ve discovered a lot of good music over that span but those are the only two top-ranking artists who were new to the rest of the world and not just me.

My music purchases tend to be by artists I became a fan of long ago… take a look over to the right and you’ll see I’ve bought albums this year by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan (twice), Elvis Costello and U2 as well as the latest by Neko Case (relatively new to me but she’s been recording for 7 years). I also purchased a Lyle Lovett album that I’ve yet to review or rank. The only relative exception is Lily Allen (again), who released her second album this year.

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Song of the Day #181: ‘M79’ – Vampire Weekend

vampurw2Ten Best Songs of 2008 – #1

For awhile I had the Dylan song at #1. It seemed appropriate given his stature and the epic nature of the tune. But it also felt a little obvious, a little safe. So from a 46-year veteran I turned to a group of kids barely out of college who happened to put out the album that delighted me the most in 2008.

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Song of the Day #51: ‘Bryn’ – Vampire Weekend

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.

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The music of 2008

With a couple high-profile releases (Counting Crows and R.E.M.) on the way over the next two weeks, I thought this would be a good time to catch up with the CDs I’ve purchased so far in 2008. I plan to review all of my music purchases this year.

I don’t feel as qualified to “review” albums as I do films, due to my lack of musical ability, I suppose, and the fact that I’ve never studied it in any formal way. However, it’s a safe bet that I’ve spent more hours of my life listening to music than watching movies, and I definitely know what I like.

Here, then, are my first reviews of 2008. I’ll compile them in one post because this is a catch-up effort. From now on I’ll blog one at a time as I do the movies.

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