Stitching songs together with auxiliary sounds (studio chatter, the chirp of birds), “Father of the Bride” plays like a series of thematic movements - a perhaps not entirely coincidental choice given Koenig’s well-established affinity for orchestral compositions. Such a scenario was foretold with the 2016 departure of multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, who deserves equal credit for crafting Vampire Weekend’s initial Afro-pop-meets-prep-rock aesthetic and its subsequent evolutions on 2010’s “Contra” and 2013’s “Modern Vampires of the City.” With Batmanglij’s writing contributions limited solely to one song this time around, the full breadth of Koenig’s musical machinations can be felt in every note. Instead, “Father of the Bride” finds Vampire Weekend’s chief singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer operating with full creative autonomy. This isn’t to say that songs like the sweet folk anthem “Stranger” or the gorgeous, piano-driven closer, “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin,” are not beneficiaries of Koenig’s meticulous approach to songcraft.
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