Abe Vigoda

Skeleton (Post Present Medium)

Vampire Weekend coined the genre “Upper West Side Soweto,” an Ivy League version of the tropical mess concocted by L.A.’s Abe Vigoda. Emerging from the same skuzzy art-punk scene that birthed No Age, Mika Miko, and Health and taking its name from the Godfather and Barney Miller actor, the college-aged quartet takes a decidedly lo-fi approach to Nigerian high life on its second full-length. The opening one-two of “Dead City/Waste Wilderness” and “Bear Face” treads knee-deep through the sparkling Afro-pop of Paul Simon’s Graceland, adding puddles of reverb to bright guitars and burying vocals deep within Man Man-esque percussive rhythms. This convulsive rush bleeds into finer moments “Lantern Lights” and “World Heart,” but the lack of strong hooks and an incredibly muddy mix makes Skeleton shake as if one long variation on a theme. Playful, energetic, call it “Underground Californian Calypso.” (Abe Vigoda goes fish at Emo’s Tuesday, July 1.)

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This article appears in June 27 • 2008.

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