Crusher Destroyer [2002] - Mastodon

In my humble opinion, 'Crusher Destroyer' is an brilliant song title. To have it as an album opener is even better. Thankfully the title does justice to the song. Clocking in at a mere 2 minutes, 'Crusher Destroyer' feels longer than that, in a good way of course. That's only because of the insane number of riffs Mastodon have managed to cram into it. A blend of heavy and sludge metal, it's unrelenting and uncompromising, just like all of their songs.They even manage to incorporate a Southern blues solo in the middle. Special mention must go to drummer Brann Dailor for his unique drumming style and sudden changes in time signatures, always threatening to burst out from the background. Vocals are harsh but suit the song well, its hard to think of anything else other than a guttural voice to go with it. A massive opener for a massive album

"Lesson
the honoring instinct of animal
pressure
no blame on the red bull
throw fury at him
aim gorge and win
less contenders on the way today
let them pay
nothing lost
nothing gained
listen
here lies the warning for matador
blackout
blood running the dirt floor
won't bleed by accident
burn your game plan"

Vampire Weekend [2008] - Vampire Weekend

Describing their sound as "Upper West Side Soweto", Ivy-League (Columbia University to be more specific) rockers Vampire Weekend released their self titled debut in early 2008. The album is a playful yet arty mix of indie rock, pop and African music. The songs have an undeniable charm about them, the lyrics are witty and quirky if a little cryptic. On lead vocals and guitar is Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij handles a variety of instruments while also serving as producer and Chris Baio and Chris Thompson fill in on bass and drums respectively.

The most obvious thing that one is likely to notice is just how simple the songs are. Koenig limits his guitar to only the first 3 strings, while the rhythm section is left to fill in the gaps with its tricky drumming and rhythmic bass. But it works and works well as exemplified by the first two songs 'Mansard Roof' and 'Oxford Comma', both excellent songs, dealing with offbeat topics like architecture and grammar. 'A-Punk' is one of the highlights of the album and rightly so. The song is succinct, sweet and catchy. 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' is the most African-sounding song on the entire album, with Conga drums and a guitar line that could easily have been taken from a Afro Pop hit, a sort of New York-meets-Africa experience. 'One (Blake's Got A New Face) ' has one of the most memorable lyrics and you may find yourself singing along even though you may not know what's going on! 'M79' and 'Walcott' with their speedy and infectious keyboards further strengthen the album. The album closer 'The Kids Don't Stand Chance' is absolutely brilliant.It only starts with bass and drums, both sounding as though they might belong to a reggae song, but by the end, you wont even know what genre of music you're listening to or how you even got there. The transition is that smooth and well worked out. The lyrics go well with the already preppy nature of the album, drawing inspiration from European History.

Vampire Weekend's debut is ultimately smart, preppy, innovative and above all a fresh breath of air in an already crowded indie rock scene. They prove that big riffs, heavy and heart pounding beats don't necessarily make the biggest impressions. Sometimes you've got to put your feet up, kick back , relax and let some ivy college kids blow you away with their music.

Song Picks :

• Mansard Roof
• Oxford Comma
• A-Punk
• Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
• Bryn
• The Kids Don't Stand A Chance
  

"You criticize the practice
By murdering their plants
Ignoring all the history
Denying them romance

The pin-striped men of morning
Are coming for to dance
Forty-million dollars
The kids don't stand a chance."