Last month The Lowell asked four writers to pick their favorite albums, pair up, swap, and review.

Mara Woods-Robinson, Reporter: From the first note of Vampire Weekend's self-titled debut album, I was in love. I had never heard anything like their music before. Vampire Weekend is an incredible, unrivaled mix of indie rock, world music, honest-to-God pop licks, and Ivy-League-sophisticated lyrics. Lead singer Ezra Koenig's pure, beautiful and sincere voice makes me swoon — and his charmingly good looks don't hurt, either. Every one of Vampire Weekend's 11 tracks became an instant classic to my ears on the first listen, and the album has constantly been on replay ever since.

MICHELLE'S REVIEW

Though its title may invoke images of immortal, sparkly, fanged creatures, don’t let the recent craze for vampires distract you from American indie rock band Vampire Weekend’s self-titled 2008 debut album.

Fans of indie music will enjoy Vampire Weekend’s unique sound, which comes from a harmonious blend of organ music, quirky lyrics and its signature Afro-pop-inspired beats.  The Columbia University-educated band members give their music a preppy catchiness but leave out any Ivy League-pretentiousness, making an album that is upbeat and whimsical without being obnoxious.

Creativity distinguishes the songs on Vampire Weekend. Lyrical content ranges from pondering the merits of a much-debated punctuation symbol (“Oxford Comma”) to reminiscing on college romances (“Campus”). Strong percussion provides the foundation for the opening track “Mansard Roof,” as it does in most of the album’s following ten tracks.  And “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” contains the most Afro-pop melodic influences, using addictive congo drums accented by an electric guitar and organ to make for a cheerful, feel-good track.

With its tantalizingly catchy beats, listeners will have a hard time resisting the urge to bob their heads to the rhythms of Vampire Weekend’s innovative tunes.