The highest compliment that I can pay to a band is saying that I have fun listening to their album. This is most definitely the case with Vampire Weekend’s self titled debut.

One of the most eclectic blend of sounds in recent memory has come together to form the first great album of 2008.

Vampire Weekend seems to have emerged from the past with the intent of blurring the boundaries of genre. Hailing from the center of the universe, this New York City foursome have come together and somehow created a uniquely familiar sound in the form of their self titled debut album.

There are strong elements of international style strung across the entire length of the album. One song may have a distinct Caribbean flavor to it, consisting of numerous forms of hollow drums as well as various chimes and cymbals. Later on in the very same song, the vibe may shift towards the salty groove of Afro-pop mixed with the energy of a pre-World War II rumba.

The album kicks off with the first hand observation, “I see a mansard roof through the trees / I see a salty message written in the eaves.” While these words are being crooned, the listener is treated to a drum and synthesizer combo that sets a rolling pace for the entire duration of the album.

The frenetic pace of “Mansard Roof” provides a great juxtaposition with the laid-back, Caribbean cool of “Oxford Comma,” an anti-love ballad that laughs in the face of the false façade that so many relationships erect. Or maybe it’s simply about the way the placement of a comma can change a sentence. Either way, it’s an amazing tune that lingers in your mind long after the album is finished.

The third song, “A-Punk” sounds remarkably similar to The Ramones in their prime. That is, of course, if the faux-family from Queens had made their way to Kingston and began sipping Mai Tais on the beach.

Near the middle of the album lies “Boston,” a song that allows the band to flex their muscles in the form of a near-religious experience. The sounds of battling violins and violas pave the way for an emotional moment of reprieve when all we hear is the voice of lead singer Ezra Koenig lamenting alongside a the hymn of a soft organ.

As all albums should, Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut builds up throughout its entirety before reaching a zenith right near the end. The second to last song, “Walcott,” immediately explodes with perpetual energy that carries on throughout the entire tune. The presence of what sounds like a ukulele provides an amazingly unique sound to accompany the poetic lyrics that flow from Koenig’s mouth.

The album ends on a soft, yet obvious homage to Bob Marley in the form of “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance.” With lyrics like, “The pin-striped men of morning, are coming for to dance / With pure Egyptian cotton, the kids don't stand a chance,” the band ends the album with a tune that is immensely pleasing to the ears, yet ultimately depressing- a staple of Bob Marley if I’ve ever heard one.

The highest compliment that I can pay to a band is saying that I have fun listening to their album. This is most definitely the case with Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut.

It reminds me of when I first heard “Clap Your Hands Say Yeah” a few years back. Listening to an entire album and enjoying every second of it is something that is rarely found these days. Kudos to the boys from New York City, who will be gracing Milwaukee with their presence on April 5 at Turner Hall.

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