Skip to content
Premieres

Hear Vampire Weekend’s Morbid Marching Song ‘Hudson’

Vampire Weekend 'Hudson' Modern Vampires City Stream

When they aren’t busy cavorting around with Steve Buscemi, the men of Vampire Weekend seem to take pleasure in punching holes in their forthcoming third album Modern Vampires of the City. The latest leak is “Hudson,” a song that sounds like none of the others we’ve heard to date. To recap, we first heard “Unbelievers” on Jimmy Kimmel Live, then studio versions of “Diane Young” and “Step,” followed by session versions of “Obvious Bicycle” and “Everlasting Arms,” and a lyrics video for “Ya Hey.” Unlike its predecessors, “Hudson” is dark throughout, colored by bassy synth notes, ghostly string sounds, tense organ tones, and glitching drumline sputters. Ezra Koenig’s lyrics and delivery are equally shaded and enigmatic as he sings of mortality as related to humankind’s need to claim and name bits of the globe (more or less).