It really must be difficult to come up with a different opening every week, so tonight, with the usual police line-up of the kids, Ryan lists what they did before they became E-list celebrities. Lee was a paint store clerk; Aaron, a high school student; Crystal, apparently a non-working mother; Mike, although earlier identified as a personal trainer, is now called a father, possibly because the lard bucket was more successful at that; Casey, a construction worker; and Siobhan, a glassblower, which I didn’t know you could make a living from. Unless, of course, you were a prostitute with a lot of clients named Glass.

This week’s theme is Shania Twain songs. According to Wikipedia, she hasn’t produced an original CD since 2002. I understand some of these decrepit types being dragged out of mothballs to mentor, like Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart and Wayne Newton, because they have Vegas acts and staying power, if mostly due to the cosmetic surgeons, but this chick seems an odd choice.

Vampire Weekend
Contra
XL Recordings. 10 Tracks.
Rating: 4½ stars (out of 5)

Of all the bands in indie-pop’s recent freshman class, Vampire Weekend seemed destined to be voted most likely to suffer a sophomore slump. As energetic, amusing and catchy as the 2008 debut by this Big Apple foursome was, it was also perilously gimmicky.