You know the drill, some hip young band releases an album you can’t help but fall in love with, then they announce plans to release a new album, and you begin to dread the all too often disappointment of the sophomore slump. Well luckily with Contra, the latest release from prep school darlings Vampire Weekend, that disappointment never comes. “Contra” is exactly what I look for in a second album, the same sound that made me love a band in the first place, but with growth and development. This is a toned down Vampire Weekend, more subtle, but no less alluring. After having “Horchata” and “Cousins” living in my brain for a while, I was eager to explore the new tracks. “Run” was the first song that made me press repeat, initially it’s so subdued, halfway in I was hooked, and by the 3 minute mark I was ready to do it all over again. The second track-stopper (I can’t decided if this is a terrible pun, or a fabulous one), was “Diplomat’s Son”. This one is more typical for these guys, and as the longest track on the album, offers a chance for true sonic exploration. The jumping melodies of the vocals, combined with ever evolving instruments, and a hypnotic, almost compulsive beat had me taking a second look. At a mere ten tracks, this album slips between your fingers before you can get a real hold on it, but that’s what the repeat button is for. This is a lovely way to kick off the new year, a new album, a new sound, moving past infatuation to love. (You can get it for $4, right here, right now. Don’t be a fool.)