“An ancient business/a modern piece of glasswork.” This lyric from the new song “White Sky” by indie rock band Vampire Weekend is the best way to describe their album, “Contra” released Jan. 12, 2010. The band uses a wide variety of influences (among them calypso and Afrobeat music) coupled with a self-conscious modern aesthetic that makes their songs both catchy and enigmatic.

Listening to the album for the first time, I was confused by the strange themes (“Cousins”?) and bizarre lyrics, but the music still lulled me into a happy alternate reality. I appreciate it when a band can do both.

Formed in 2006, Vampire Weekend sounds like an eclectic mixture between Owl City and Passion Pit.

The way the words bounce up and down with the beat of the music made them ring in my head differently each time I popped the CD.

Some of the lyrics brought me back to my childhood: the days when life was carefree and easy, like those found in the first song, where the band plays with nonsensical lyrics. At one point, they manage to rhyme the titular “horchata” with “I’d look psychotic in a balaclava.”

Other lyrics resonated with me because they embodied the confusing and peculiar nature of adulthood and the struggles that every person faces throughout their life. “Run,” which opens with “We mostly work to live / Until we live to work,” is a prime example.

I had to listen to each song numerous times while also reading the lyrics to truly feel the meaning of the words underneath singer Ezra Koenig’s mumble.

It is easy to get lost in the upbeat melody and the impressive instrumentals, which is one downfall of the album, but it is also very important to listen to the message each song presents.

All in all, “Contra” is a fun album to listen to in a blissful state but can also fit a more contemplative mood as well if you are ready for the challenge of actually dissecting the songs.

The album is only 35 minutes long, but the instrumental as well as lyrical confusion and enjoyment that the band creates make “Contra” timeless.