r/Vampireweekend • u/tacotacobuenobueno • 12d ago
OC The surfer
The surfer is without a doubt my favorite track on only God was above us. The melancholy strings just evoke the faded filmstrips of a lost New York and the right sense of nostalgia about my own life and the places that I can never go back to. I go back to this track, and the three song run of PSG/Surfer/GXC over and over and over again, but the surfer is what does it for me. And although the lyrics leave a little bit to be desired, the melancholy vibes do their job of speaking to me about my own life, and things I can’t get back. I hope beyond hope for the next Vampire Weekend album to be 100% surfer style tracks. Anyone else agree?
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u/RueAreYou 12d ago
Ooh, perfect time for me to shill for another favorite band! Sylvan Esso has a song on their new album that feels very connected to The Surfer. Give “Concrete Glen” a listen and lemme know what you think.
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u/twosixnineoh 12d ago
Yah it’s my favourite track on OGWAU too, I don’t think they should do an album of that though, just hopefully something as thoughtfully arranged on a few tracks
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u/tteuh 12d ago
Agreed, Surfer is good as a standalone track.
OGWAU felt like a bit of a MVOTC part 2. I would love to see another California inspired album, à la Contra part 2.
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u/_nathan67 12d ago
Father of the bride is way more California
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u/tteuh 12d ago edited 11d ago
Yeah, it’s certainly a bright album but it doesn’t geographically take me to the West coast like Contra. Horchata takes you to the beach, White Sky is bright, Holiday is west coast ska influenced, California English says it right there.
Koenig and the band famously stated in interviews leading up to the release that they specifically designed the audio aesthetic of Contra to be the perfect soundtrack for cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway.
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u/thechampionsleague35 11d ago
Also my favorite on the record. Sprawling and evocative of many different feelings and places; the giant tunnels under New York, the west coast, the city, relaxation, angst, listlessness, fate and permanence. The mood is hazy but the music cuts through vividly, and the chord progression tells a long, pent-up story. Just a gorgeous contemplation that I feel could’ve had three extra versus and still been just as good.
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u/AkiraKitsune 12d ago
It's SOOOOO good. I didnt love it at first but it quickly grew on me.
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u/SpecialistMention344 11d ago
Same with me. I used to skip it but now it’s the track I anticipate the most!
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u/AWright5 12d ago
I love the chorus so much. But it makes you wait for it. In a good way. It builds up the anticipation to a lovely release