modern vampires city modern vampires city studio album american indie rock band released releasing album band toured wrote new material sound checks following period quartet pursued different musical projects began work record working deadline mind band brought outside record producer time recorded number studios locations modern vampires city attempt distance band sound heavily associated following debut broadly experimental sound featured record result variety unconventional recording assets including pitch shifting cover art photograph day new_york_city history air pollution killed people modern vampires city debuted number billboard second consecutive number album united_states received widespread acclaim named best record publications finishing second annual critics poll december album sold copies background writing success second album established group past decade great indie rock success stories time band wrapped world tour realized taken break nearly years break band members pursued individual projects performed sets scored film somebody likes recorded solo material produced tracks das racist spent time traveling india friends collaborated major broken girlfriend shortly release subsequently moved shared apartment new_york feeling weird attempted stay los_angeles returned east months time band eventually quartet amassed plenty material sure time making new record met times week write songs later scrap pair took writing retreat martha bore composed new tracks working deadline mind band began work modern vampires city recording production songs city recorded locations including new_york_city los_angeles slow death studios burbank apartment multi producer early drafts tracks obvious bicycle worship produced frontman old house chicago taken official studio work album producer pair mirrored solid state recordings work separate locations maximum ease band credits defining special quality recordings especially use vintage analog tape machines remarking overall sound approach album able record drums tape old machine band wanted unique drum sound recorded room high ceilings engineer use pretty non conventional drum setup pair head ribbon drum kit added texture tape recordings drums heavily treated manipulated plug ins lastly band layered samples select portions drum recordings accent shape finished tone modern vampires city attempt band distance sounds featured debut record came familiar sounding rejected said pitch shifting major component recording album tracks step drums recorded tape deck set lower speed play faster high pitched drummer record drums playing sped recording uptempo live second recording slowed original speed create underwater effect effect featured prominently vocals vocals run tracks young pitch shifted changed manipulate sound recorded vocals bass guitar recorded straight tape fairly ambient approach feet away cabinet vocals recorded combination classic plug giving vocals quality described guitar sounds chose guitar instead les paul direct technique band main mission recording warmth feeling modern digital recordings lacked sound quality older records attempt recordings harsh band engineers spectrum heavily automated edit colder frequencies mix entire band enlisted quartet listened record separate times technology standard commercial professional equipment ensure record sounded nice regardless equipment listener owned check relative warmth levels engineers perform surgery order mixes band felt finished product chapter continuation material explored previous efforts thought albums look like belong said realized things connecting songs albums like invisible hand guiding feel like able create distinct worlds album title taken lyric song blood fan song found phrase modern vampires city humorous haunting title album cover art features image taken new_york_times photographer depicting fog like new_york_city took photo atop november city plagued problem subsequent rise global air pollution band chose photo believing rendered kind future music lyrics modern vampires city departure african influenced indie pop said album recurring tension distinguishes band previous albums songs major key hanging little bit dark think reflective world according album eclectic music production style smaller instrumental palette guitar organ occasional sample combine sound suggests version debut pointed album narrow chamber pop songs obvious bicycle young lion step inspired lyric song step girl sampled cover bread vocal melody chorus interprets melody close band clear sample chorus vocals recorded onboard microphone alexis_petridis viewed songs echo lesser known musical band previous albums mock irish folk influence heard step features baroque pop lyrics composed apartment factory building brooklyn rented cottage martha lyrics explore mature world weary themes growing old american foreign policy album theme privileged youth albums favor characters adult responsibilities reflections passage time faith mortality recurring themes songs worship arms likened albums revisited school days beginning expansion world travel seeing places learning little bit people live end little bit growing starting think seriously life faith people look albums according popmatters city indie rock record voice reveals youth asserts songs reckless abandon expressed lyrics reveals group grasp genuine rebellion indie rock ought release reception modern vampires city received widespread acclaim critics released metacritic assigns normalized rating reviews mainstream publications album received average score based reviews called cohesive convincing effort featuring accessible compositions pitchfork_media said singing suited music songs sounded natural dynamic band previous work alexis_petridis lead critic guardian believed successfully avoided sounds previous albums wrote genuine lyrics dealing mortality arch depictions young wasp lives rolling_stone_magazine said album featured particular spirit evocative urban life robert_christgau appreciated twists coming age themes revealed review found record similar beatles sgt lyric musical element situated songs tracks signifies hint concept enthusiastic review nme magazine felt sacrificed sonic gorgeous album greg_kot writing chicago_tribune said band occasionally attempts songs hey finger slant_magazine said songs dense found immediately potent purely level striking perfect balance makes best album year week modern vampires city released debuted number billboard sold copies united_states second consecutive number record billboard nineteenth independently distributed album chart nielsen soundscan era present album entered albums_chart number week sales copies united_kingdom band consecutive album december certified gold recording_industry_association_of_america sold copies accolades modern vampires city appeared critics year end lists best albums finished second voting annual poll american critics published village_voice grammy awards record won category according ranked record lists greatest albums time track listing lyrics written noted music composed noted personnel credits adapted album liner notes lead vocals piano piano guitars vocal harmonies backing vocals drum synth programming keyboards lead vocals young lion bass drums additional personnel additional drum synth programming obvious bicycle young hudson additional bass arms production engineering additional drums young engineering trumpet hudson hudson hudson adam saxophone young angel backing vocals obvious bicycle worship young lion additional vocal arrangement backing vocals finger charts
Modern Vampires of the City