Suck on It

This will sound like a compliment, but Vampire Weekend is the musical equivalent of Wes Anderson. In fact, a friend who first told us about this prep-ska getup is infamous for having actually said the words, "You can't arrest me! I'm an Ivy League student!" while drunk behind the wheel of a fucked-up Saab. The important question seems to be, "Does this band's charm and self-awareness make up for its smug brattiness?" which goes triple for our friend and Mr. Anderson. VW's talent for catchy, calypso-inflected sing-alongs is abundant, no question there. With songs like "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" performed by four Columbia boys in oxfordcloth, it's pretty hard to say whether the act is innocently fun and cute or just another instance of rich kids using poor people's art to get richer. Let's stay optimistic and say it’s the former.
Wed., Dec. 5, 8 p.m., 2007