MVOTC: M___ V____ Of T___ C_____ ?
When I met the band in Singapore, I asked them if they can tell me what MVOTC stands for. They refused, but Ezra was kind enough to tell me what O stands for—-“of”. Hopefully Ezra wasn’t lying (lol) and I’m looking forward to more clues~~
Ezra talking about LP3 (via inSing.com)
I: What are some of the lyrical themes you're going for?
Ezra Koenig: I don't want to give too much away before our fans get a chance to listen to it. Hearing fan interpretations of songs and seeing which lyrics they gravitate towards is one of my favourite parts of the band/fan relationship. I think this album is our most romantic (in all meanings of the word).
I: You mentioned in an interview that it’s going to be “darker”? But the song ‘Unbelievers’ seems pretty upbeat…
Ezra Koenig: "Darker" is a tricky word. We always like things with multiple layers. It wouldn't be a Vampire Weekend album without moments of joy but this album is maybe just a little deeper.
I: Was there much thought about how the third album would differ from ‘Contra’? What are the influences behind it?
Ezra Koenig: Yes, we want every album to be a distinct world unto itself. We're not very good at repeating ourselves anyway. This album feels more American to me. Definitely not "Americana" but more American.
I: Can you think of a song that went into a direction that you wouldn't have anticipated?
Ezra Koenig: There's a song called ‘Diane Young’ that went on a real journey. We always had the heart of the song but a few last-minute decisions made a big impact.
I: What’s your work process like?
Chris Baio: It depends on the song, there are never any rules. Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij are the songwriters in the group so sometimes a track will start with them writing on a piano or in front of a computer. At different points, drummer Chris Tomson and I will make suggestions and bring some arrangement ideas in. On our new record, we worked with an outside producer for the first time, the mighty Ariel Rechtshaid.
I: What can fans expect of your next album?
Chris Baio: Our next record is darker than anything we've done previously, but also has some real pop moments. Listening back, it also feels like our warmest record to me.
