VatIt’s hard to find much information on Vacationer. They’ve intentionally remained mysterious, releasing only music, and not much background. What I was able to find out is that they’re signed to Downtown Records, currently supporting their debut record, Gone, and I’m pretty sure they’re from Philly.
I was also able to catch them at Terminal 5 in New York last Wednesday opening up for The Naked and Famous. Live, they give off the same breezy, poppy, summery vibe that their songs would suggest. Their catchiness is undeniable. Their lead singer (whatever this mystery man’s name is) is charming and confident on stage. He leads them in a similar preppy aesthetic to say, Vampire Weekend. Their music also reminds me a lot of those neat looking Columbia boys. They cover similar territory in their melodies and the lead singer’s voice is reminiscent of Ezra Koenig’s, without biting his style too hard.
One thing that sets Vacationer apart from their contemporaries is their subtle but effective usage of samples and beats. There are a couple really good examples of this style in their music, including “Trip” and “Everyone Knows,” but the song that stands out to me most is their track called “Good As New.” On it, they take an orchestral sample and mix it with a hip-hop influenced drum beat. All that is placed underneath a classic feel good melody. “Good as New” was the second song in their set at Terminal 5, and it really got the crowd going. Another highlight off of Gone is its title track. “Gone” is a steady pop-rock song that really sticks in your head, rooted in some great guitar and synth lines.
By the end of their set at T5, beach balls were bouncing around the crowd, everyone was dancing, and all of the sold out audience were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Their stage setup included samplers, keyboards, guitars, bass, and even a xylophone which they used frequently. The lead singer repeatedly told the crowd, “let’s party.” If a party was their goal, I’d say they definitely achieved it.
Vacationer is music to enjoy with some sun, a beer, and lots of girls in bikinis. Or just in your room on a computer, I guess. Whether or not you’re actually on some sort of relaxing getaway, Vacationer will do their best to make you feel that way. Look, you can even tell them where you want to go on their website and they’ll take you there! So, take a moment, and drift off to some Vacationer. Some choice tracks below.
