VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Contra
XL
Rating: 
Two years ago, the Afropop-dabbling prepsters in Vampire Weekend exploded from their Columbia University dorm into what passes for superfame these days: magazine covers, Saturday Night Live appearances, Internet acclaim, and then, naturally, Internet backlash. Contra proves the hype is deserved: It’s exhilarating, diverse, often beautiful, and always stunningly musical—and a (very) early contender for Album of the Year. Forget Paul Simon comparisons: From the melodic falsetto on “White Sky” to the surf-guitar freak-out on “Cousins,” the only band Vampire Weekend sounds like in 2010 is itself. And that’s a very good thing.
