Vampire Weekend

How many of you dissed Vampire Weekend without ever hearing them? Come on, raise your hands! You know you did. And rightfully so. Among purists, there is still something highly inorganic about achieving instant success via Internet buzz. Even worse, these New Yorkers also have Ivy League educations (posers!). But the good thing is that, unlike, say, the Strokes, they don't try to cover up their privilege with rock 'n' roll costumes. Vampire Weekend are pure, saccharine indie pop. They are clean-cut, clever, book-learnin', Afro-inflected pop; there isn't a damn bit of rock 'n' roll in these boys. Internet buzz aside, Vampire Weekend would have ignited some rock-vs.-pop controversy anyway. They are divisive like Belle & Sebastian, the kind of band Stooges fans love to call "pussies." They are indie pop for girls who wear sweaters and boys who tuck in their shirts, which is another way of saying they are completely harmless. Like shopping at Urban Outfitters. With Yacht. BRIAN J. BARR
Wed., March 26, 8 p.m., 2008