Debating Vampire Weekend's Global-Inspired Pop
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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Vampire Weekend performing at the Music Box at the Fonda on January 12, 2010. (starbright31/flickr)
New York rock band Vampire Weekend is topping the charts with a new album. Fans may celebrate their catchy hooks and global beats, but critics call them Ivy-league elitists ripping off third world music. We debate whether the group has bite in this week's Soundcheck Smackdown. Also: folk-pop singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega joins us to preview her upcoming acoustic album series, released under the title "Suzanne Vega Close-Up," and talk about the first installment, on love songs.
Smackdown: Vampire Weekend
The New York indie rockers Vampire Weekend are topping the Billboard 200 chart by selling more than a 120,000 copies of their second set "Contra." While fans praise their unusual, global sound, critics call them Ivy-league elitists ripping off third world music. Joining us for a Soundcheck Smackdown: Chicago Sun-Times ...
Suzanne Vega
New York has often been a theme and muse for singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. "Luka" was inspired by a child she saw on a street in the Chelsea neighborhood; "Tom’s Diner" was about an Upper West Side restaurant and her last album, "Beauty & Crime," was a collection of tunes of ...
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