On Jan. 24, Vampire Weekend released two singles from their forthcoming album ominously referred to by the acronym “FOTB” by members of the band. The two singles, “Harmony Hall” and “2021,” were released after the band’s six year hiatus.
After the drop, the internet had plenty to say about the band as they re-entered the music scene. Yes, they are exceptionally white. Yes, they are incredibly pretentious (though one could argue this prep-persona is a satire and commentary).Their band hasn’t changed much over the years and these aspects have attracted criticism for both the band and fans alike. Most of it, I’ll admit, is deserved. However, nothing will ever raise my pulse quicker than Ezra Koenig’s breathy voice over those classic VW guitar rifts or the catchy drum beats provided by drummer Chris Thompson.
I am unashamed to say that Vampire Weekend was my middle school obsession. Their first three albums were the sound tracks of some of my most formative years, and I was constantly waiting with bated breath for news about performances, appearances and, of course, new albums. They were the subject of most of my Tumblr page. A portrait of Ezra Koenig’s with a flower crown in his hair was the background of my first ever phone.
Maybe I’m alone here, but I know everyone has bands and artists like this. These groups were the targets of your unruly hormones, and they were your north stars as you attempted to figure out your definitive place in the world. You cried to their albums and maybe even got upset when someone acted like they loved them more than you did. And maybe they were bands that, after some self-reflection, your then-sophomore year self then tossed to the side in pursuit of the higher things in life like The Strokes and that Bandcamp album that the senior with the floppy hair just released.
This ridiculous hierarchy that many of us construct needs to be subverted. Why do we think a song or artist is bad because we listened to them at a younger age? Why can’t the associated memories be enough to sustain it in our hearts and on our playlists? Well, I’m here to tell you that 2019 is the year of the middle school jam. The one that you know every word to. The one you once thought would be your first dance at your wedding. The one that made you cry and think of that senior with the floppy hair. Seriously! Indulge! Scream those lyrics! Do the dances you choreographed by yourself in your basement on a Saturday afternoon! I’m with you and will be doing the same until the release of the full Vampire Weekend album in April.
Laney Zuver, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at LZuver21@wooster.edu.