Vampire Weekend - This Life

I know very little about Vampire Weekend.

The name has been spoken before my presence many times. I know they are a popular band of some kind. They won some awards of some sort, I think. I know I have heard them before, but whatever their songs are, I cannot remember them, and I cannot name them. That has now changed.

I do not shy away from recommendations. People tell me to watch a movie, I typically go and watch it. People tell me to read a book, I write it down in my notebook, and eventually I get around to reading it. Youtube auto-plays a song I have never heard before, I let it ride. What have I got to lose?

My thoughts narrated: “Vampire Weekend ‘This Life,’ okay, let’s do it Youtube.”

That is how it happened. Not very exciting I suppose.

This year Vampire Weekend released their fourth studio album “Father of the Bride.” I believe I have heard the entire thing on Youtube multiple times now. Interestingly I have heard only a scant few songs of theirs outside of this album, but I am sure I will get to them eventually.

It should be easy to deduce that I am very fond of this album of random discovery. Some comment, that I believe I read once, in the comment section of the lyric video, said, “big summer is the sound of this album.” Well said. Songs like “This Life” is popping with upbeat summertime joy. Very sunshine feelgood, almost Hawaiian style. Not quite prototype music, but a sort of sound we hear rarely, and is always welcomed, and always fun.

For many months I bopped my head back and forth to the lyric video for “This Life” at work. This is the video with the microscopic life forms. On May twentieth Vampire Weekend release the official music video. I like it a lot. I would have been content with the microscopic life forms video. The mellow song that warmed my disposition and cooled my head, was joy enough and I would not think to ask for more; but a little more is what we got. 

The Official Music Video:

The official music video opens with a man with a very long beard introducing himself as Wade, where he tells us two things; he lives in the desert, and he is a people person. From here the video follows the exploits of Wade as he works as a hired driver taking people around Palm Springs in his mom’s car. This all leads to a final scene where everyone he drove for, meets together at a dinner along with Vampire Weekend front man Ezra Michael Koenig. Koenig occupies the end seat of the long table playing guitar and singing while everyone else including Wade eat and converse.

I have been Koenig in this music video moment in real life. No one is paying any attention, but I decided to play the guitar and sing all by myself while everyone else went about their business at a house party. Not a good a person to be really, but I have been there, and I appreciated Koenig portraying this sort of human being moment in this video.

The music video ends with Wade saying this. “I’m kind of a loner, but I’m also sort of a people person. I won’t lie.” Then he tears up, and it is very heart warming.

I do not know who Wade is the real world, or why Vampire Weekend decided to make him the focus of their music video for “This Life.” I do not even know if Wade is a real person, he could a fictional character created portrayed by an actor for the music video. Either way, I like him, I think he is a charming fellow.

In the catalogue of songs, I listen to there is a lot of sad music. I enjoy the bitter sweetness of a broken love song, but counterweight to that, I really appreciate a tune for the good times, and that is very much what we have gotten out of Vampire Weekend’s newest album and the song “This Life.”

For a while now I have heard murmurs about this band Vampire Weekend and how good they are supposed to be, and at least I have started listening and thus far, I am really enjoying what I am hearing.

- King of Braves