A few months ago, on all those blogs that seem to break and burn so many fledgling bands, the image of a young woman started appearing in banner ads. She was blonde, with long, shiny hair and wearing a tasteful polo shirt. But it was unclear whether the photo was taken 20 years ago or two weeks ago; whether she was in high school or graduate school; and whether she was happy, confused or stoned. In some ways, she was the preppy Mona Lisa, although some Internet detectives later found out that her name was Kirsten.

Listen to Vampire Weekend's 'Contra' album

Clicking on the picture directed users to the Web site of the band Vampire Weekend, and suddenly, everything made sense, especially when it was revealed that the picture was the front cover of the band's album, "Contra," released Jan. 12 by XL Recordings.


Above: Vampire Weekend performs "Cousins" on "The Late Show with David Letterman," Jan. 5, 2010.

But it also made sense because, much like the picture, Vampire Weekend's image and sound were identified as preppy, but almost seemed ageless, too; fans said the band was creating something new and modern, while critics claim it was simply ripping off mid-'80s Peter Gabriel albums. When the band started to attract attention, first on blogs and then in the mainstream, with MTV News hosts showing up at its basement shows, plenty of people suggested it was just another flash in the pan, one more band that would be buzzed about and then forgotten.

But Vampire Weekend managed to beat the odds, partly with luck, partly with talent and partly with careful planning. The most critical aspect of the plan was to make sure music from its debut album was available almost immediately to capitalize on people's interest-those close to the group knew that silence equaled death. This time around, the band is still using the Web to promote its new album, but it has the name recognition and live chops to back up the hype.

Go To The Next Page