Be Excellent To Each Other

I've just bought Vampire Weekend's debut album, and I think it's pretty swell. True, it's college art-funk with Paul Simon Graceland pretentions and heavily indebted to Talking Heads, and thus technically hideously uncool - but it is also completely awesome.

They also have a terrible name, but don't let that put you off. Their song 'Oxford Comma' is stupidly catchy and their songs are short, memorable and sweet. Sort of Magnetic Fieldsey in fact. I'm completely unable to stop playing their album.

"Who gives a fuck about an oxford comma?
I've seen those english dramas too
They're cruel
So if there's any other way
To spell the word
It's fine with me, with me..."


"Look at them there. Aren't they great? Vampire Weekend. A great bunch of lads."

http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend

I heartily recommend visiting the above to sample their music. They may not be the bestest greatest new thing, but they do make me smile and bop around.

I use Oxford commas, but not in here because of the Punctuation Police that roam the hallways, but in my everyday correspondence I do because, to me, they scan better.

Nothing to do with this band I have never heard of, but there you go.

I will defend to the death anyone's right to use an Oxford comma. Singing about it is just daft, though.

Yep, Vampire Weekend are excellent. I've had this on my regular rotation for the last month or so.

I agree, and me too.

I'm off to see the Blood Red shoes tomorrow.

The guy on the left should shave, his beard comes way to far down his neck.

They're not bad. I saw them on Jools, and a random video on one of the MTVs. Singing songs about mansard roofs.

Great album, they do seem like a guilty pleasure in how cheesy and uncool some of the songs seem but they are great pop songs. Im having to pay double price on ebay for tickets to see them now, stupidly didnt think they wouldnt sell out, thats just reminded me I should buy some tickets for black kids aswell which people should also check out for more pop fun.

I listened to it a few times and thought it was okay.

I might give it another listen to see if anything pops out other than someone really annoyingly singing that Blake's got a new face (or something) every three seconds.

I have since revisited this album a few times, and can proclaim that I now love it.

At first I thought they just had one or two catchy songs, but actually most of the album is pretty darn marvellous.

Current favourites are "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", "Boston" and "Walcott".

Definitely worth a listen, music fans!

About time you realised, oaf.

I'm also liking Kids in Glass Houses right now.

Vampire Weekend are starting to grow on me, after being indifferent to them initially. And calling a song "Oxford Comma" is just plain lovely, whatever they sound like.

Walcott is excellent. The only song on the album I don't like is Blake's got a new face or whatever it's called.

It's called "One", and as stated above, I completely agree with your stance on that song. It's bobbins (and annoyingly whiny).

'noon. Has anybody been keeping an eye on the BBC's Glasto coverage? Have VW been on? If so, which show? I'd like to catch them on the iPlayer. Also, what about The Young Knives? I've been out all weekend and I've completely missed Friday/Saturday

I know that 'Oxford Comma' was on some BBC channel last night at about half past midnight. They seemed to do a pretty good job of it, too.