Vampire Weekend, “Cousins” Hear the first several iterations of “hey hey” in the beginning of “Cousins,” the new track from Vampire Weekend's forthcoming Contra, and you may be reminded of something very familiar: the band’s last album. No, the song isn’t tremendously original, and no, it doesn’t sound like Contra will expand their preppy East Coast sensibilities too much. But besides that, “Cousins” is a pretty decent song. Brimming with the energy of “A-Punk,” this quick ditty seems to lessen singer Ezra Koenig’s signature pretensions at least a little bit. After all, he is singing about his cousins as opposed to Cape Cod or Louis Vuitton, the themes that dominated the band’s debut. The song’s high point, though, is the last few seconds, when drummer Chris Tomson slams on the cymbals and snare, accompanied by a slew of Christmas bells. This spark of originality is surprisingly effective, even if it can’t save what is essentially Vampire Weekend Volume 2. — Daniel Felsenthal
Jennifer Lopez, “Louboutins” With her new single, Jennifer Lopez makes it very clear: she ain’t Jenny From the Block no more. She croons “I’m throwin’ on my Louboutins” for the entirety of the song’s chorus, a droll tribute to expensive footwear that falls laughably flat. While J.Lo’s voice itself is impressive, at once sharp and undulant, it is done a disservice by these vapid lyrics. Don’t even get us started on the hook. The song’s only saving grace is its beat, rife with bounce and swagger. Hip hop power producers The-Dream and Tricky Stewart create a fast-paced, bass-heavy ride, fit for a trip down the catwalk. With menacing synths and tinges of horn, the beat feels appropriate for J.Lo’s persona, but hardly for the lyrics. This song is best listened to as an instrumental, if at all. What could have been an anthem for women walking out on their negligent men is in fact a dazzling display of Lopez’s showiness. While she’s “taking back [her] love,” we’re wishing we could take back the four minutes this song stole from us. — Lauren Lipsay
