Released: 2019

Genres: Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Psychedelic Pop, Chamber Pop, Folk Pop

The Musiquarium’s Father of the Bride Review Score: 8.5 out of 10

A solo Ezra Koenig album in all but name (none of the other band members appear, other than Rostam Batmanglij on one track), Father of the Bride is a sprawling, diverse, adventurous, and eclectic collection of songs and sketches. Some people found the kitchen sink approach tiring or unfocused, but others like myself found it charming and unpredictable.

Harmony Hall is gorgeous with its acoustic guitar hammer-ons and pull-offs, which then leads to an uplifting chorus. Unbearably White and Sympathy both feature some of Vampire Weekend’s tastiest guitar work yet. The Steve Lacy-featuring Sunflower almost sounds like something Frank Zappa would have recorded, had he not been so afraid of pop conventions. Married in a Gold Rush incorporates country music elements, and features Danielle Haim, who also appears on Hold You Now and We Belong Together.

The only complaint towards Father of the Bride is the albums loses a bit of steam towards the end with the last few tracks (the bonus tracks are also a drag). All things considered, this is a very consistent album for being 18 songs long and it’s very diverse in style, making for one of Vampire Weekend’s most eclectic releases, even if it’s just the Ezra Koenig show.

Trivia: Father of the Bride won Best Alternative Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Vampire Weekend on Discogs.

Back to the 2019 Album Guide or the Vampire Weekend Reviews page.

Written by Brett Nippard