Only God Was Above Us Explained

Only God Was Above Us
Type:studio
Artist:Vampire Weekend
Cover:Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us.png
Alt:The inside of an abandoned subway car. A person is seen sitting and holding a newspaper with the headline, "ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US". Farther down, an out-of-focus person is seen standing on the side of the car with their back towards the camera.
Caption:Standard cover for physical releases; alternate cover available at independent retailers
Recorded:2021–2023
Length:47:00
Label:Columbia
Producer:
Prev Title:Father of the Bride
Prev Year:2019

Only God Was Above Us is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on April 5, 2024, through Columbia Records. It marks the third collaboration between the band and their longtime producer Ariel Rechtshaid. It is also the first album recorded by the band as a trio of vocalist-guitarist Ezra Koenig, bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson after the 2016 departure of keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij; 2019's Father of the Bride, the first post-Batmanglij Vampire Weekend album, was created and promoted by Koenig as a solo project with Baio and Tomson only involved for the album's tours.[1]

Background

Ezra Koenig began to write the lyrics for Only God Was Above Us between 2019 and 2020, while primary recording sessions took place over the following years[2] in Manhattan, Los Angeles, London and Tokyo.[3] The album was co-produced by Koenig and the band's longtime collaborator Ariel Rechtshaid,[4] with additional production by the band's drummer, Chris Tomson, and former band member Rostam Batmanglij.[5] It was mixed by Dave Fridmann and mastered by Emily Lazar.[6]

The project draws artistic inspiration from a 20th-century New York City aesthetic.[7] The album's title is derived from the headline of a May 1, 1988 New York Daily News article, as shown in the album's artwork photographed by Steven Siegel.[8] This article recounts the incident involving Aloha Airlines Flight 243, in which a structural failure caused the aircraft's roof to be torn off mid-flight. The phrase "Only God was above us" was quoted from one of the passengers.[9]

In a press release, Only God Was Above Us was described as "direct yet complex", showcasing the band at its grittiest, most beautiful, and melodic.[10] The first two singles from the album, "Capricorn" and "Gen-X Cops", were released on February 16, 2024, alongside two music videos.

Only God Was Above Us was released on April 5, 2024. To celebrate the release of the album, the band began the album's tour at the Moody Amphitheater in Austin, Texas on April 8, Koenig's fortieth birthday, during a total solar eclipse.

Critical reception

Only God Was Above Us received acclaim from critics. On Metacritic, the album has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100, based on 23 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Pitchfork gave the album a score of 8.6 out of 10, as well as the site's "Best New Music" designation. The site's Matthew Straus wrote in his review, "Only God Was Above Us is [also] the most honest album Vampire Weekend have made, an encapsulation of what the band does best, melodic and abstruse in Koenig's own masterful way."[11]

Commercial performance

The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 27, their first album to miss the top 20. It also lasted a solitary week on the chart.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Vampire Weekend

Additional musicians

Production

Artwork

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[12] 72
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[13] 30
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[14] 37
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[15] 8

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'When I was younger I was arrogant': Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig on fatherhood and growing up. Shaad. D'Souza. The Guardian. March 23, 2024. March 24, 2024.
  2. Web site: Vampire Weekend announce details of new album Only God Was Above Us – with two new tracks on the way. Skinner. Tomy. NME. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024.
  3. Web site: Vampire Weekend Announce New Album Only God Was Above Us. Strauss. Matthew. Pitchfork. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240208161130/https://pitchfork.com/news/vampire-weekend-announce-new-album-only-god-was-above-us/. live.
  4. Web site: Check out Vampire Weekend's bold new singles 'Capricorn' and 'Gen-X Cops'. Dunworth. Liberty. NME. February 16, 2024. February 18, 2024.
  5. Web site: February 16, 2024 . Vampire Weekend Share New Songs "Capricorn" & "Gen-X Cops": Listen . February 16, 2024 . Stereogum . en.
  6. Web site: Vampire Weekend announce new album Only God Was Above Us & Austin total eclipse show. Pearis. Bill. BrooklynVegan. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240208225836/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/vampire-weekend-announce-new-album-only-god-was-above-us-austin-total-eclipse-show/. live.
  7. Web site: Vampire Weekend Announce New Album Only God Was Above Us, Two Tracks Out Next Week. Rettig. James. Stereogum. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240208225830/https://www.stereogum.com/2250894/vampire-weekend-only-god-was-above-us-details-tracklist/news/. live.
  8. Vampire Weekend Tease Only God Was Above Us Album With Noisy Montage. Grow. Kory. Rolling Stone. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240208225834/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/vampire-weekend-only-god-was-above-us-1234964580/. live.
  9. Web site: Vampire Weekend announce first album in five years, Only God Was Above Us . February 8, 2024 . The Line of Best Fit . en-US.
  10. Web site: Vampire Weekend Announce New Album Only God Was Above Us. Fu. Eddie. Consequence. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. February 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240208225837/https://consequence.net/2024/02/vampire-weekend-only-god-was-above-us/. live.
  11. News: Only God Was Above Us. Strauss. Matthew. April 4, 2024. Pitchfork. April 5, 2024.
  12. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 15 April 2024. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1780. 6. April 15, 2024.
  13. Web site: Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: April 15, 2024. Oricon. ja. April 10, 2024.
  14. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of April 10, 2024. Billboard Japan. ja. April 10, 2024.
  15. Vampire Weekend Chart History: Top Rock & Alternative Albums. Billboard. April 16, 2024.