November 11, 2009 11:46

Vampire Weekend reveal new album 'Contra' title inspiration

'It's about retro gaming and Nicaraguan politics', says Ezra Koenig

Photo Gallery: Vampire Weekend
Photo: Pieter M Van Hattem

Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig has said that the title of band's new album 'Contra' has a duel meaning.

Koenig admitted that he is fascinated by the ambiguous meaning of the title, noting that younger generations associate it with the computer game of the same name, while others think of the Nicaraguan rebel groups of the 1980s.

"I did have a moment where I stopped and thought 'Wow, everybody my age, when you say "Contra", thinks of the video game, and everybody my parents' age thinks of the counter-revolutionaries in Nicaragua"," he told MTV News.

He added that, being a child of the '80s, he couldn't help but be influenced by the 1987 Konami game. "Look, I was born in 1984, so I'm not going to name an album 'Contra' and not think about that video game!" he said.

Koenig also said that one of the album's central themes alluded to the band's rise to fame, and people's perceptions of them.

"When you're in a situation where you all of a sudden get people writing about you and saying things about you, of course you're going to have a lot of people who try to identify you by a series of bullshit signifiers," he stated.

He added: "They'll try to say because you wear this kind of shirt you come from this kind of family, or because you have a song with this word in it you must be of this political persuasion."

The New Yorkers are set to release 'Contra' on January 11.