Do not begrudge us our influences. – Unknown
2006 was peak blog rock. The year Vampire Weekend formed, offered much in the way of opportunity to make a record for anyone with the desire to actually do it. Nothing stood in the way. If you were four intelligent college students sharing a love of punk rock, African rhythm, and deep cultural references, a record is exactly what you’d make.
As fresh-faced as the kids making it, the self-titled debut release simultaneously felt worldly, inclusive, and permanent. Solid songcraft with sleeve worn influences yielded 11 quick, tight, and intoxicating songs that managed to point to a bright new future while still honoring the ghosts of the music that inspired them.