Despite scary names, Vampire Weekend offers sweet sounds

Don't let the frightfully bad name throw you; Vampire Weekend is actually an endearing indie-pop outfit from Brooklyn, N.Y., with merry melodies so delicious, a lobotomy might be needed to get its tunes out of your head.

Bassist Chris Baio said the band's full repertoire will be on display on its forthcoming album, due in January.

"When the album comes out, it will be our statement," Baio said. "It's what we spent 18 months on and in the end, it will be a full picture, where the EP was just a snapshot."

He said the level of orchestration and string arrangements is the biggest progression for the new record. Band members brought friends into the studio to record violin, cello and viola parts to emphasize the texture of their music, which Baio said was overlooked on the existing EP release.

TOURING
The next leg of the group's tour will keep the quartet busy through mid-December, which will give the members just enough time to grow anxious for January's album release. Baio said he senses a greater degree of anticipation from fans and critics, but is trying to measure his own excitement.

"If you have big expectations, you set yourself up for failure," he said. "We'll just take it one show at a time to support an album that we really believe in." "Charles Martin

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