Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig has described “Modern Vampires of the City” as “very much the last of a trilogy.” If a reinvention is under way for the Brooklyn quartet, then its third offering is a fitting finale to a ride that began with the band’s critically acclaimed 2008 self-titled debut. The new set is the group’s most accomplished work to date and features a couple of firsts for the act, including a truly dark song in “Hudson” and a spoken-word interlude. Koenig offers his usual intricate lyrics and willingness to contort his vocals into whatever howl, yelp or squall is necessary to sell a hook. Keyboardist/producer Rostam Batmanglij, meanwhile, has the uncanny ability to fill the voids with globetrotting sounds and samples. There’s no reaching for the elusive crossover hit, no beating listeners over the head with overdone choruses-just fine-tuned, expertly crafted music.
