Vampire Weekend has released one of the last decade’s finest debut albums. It had 11 songs of witty wordplay, Paul Simon-African influences and irresistible hooks.

The band, composed of Columbia University graduates, has been critically acclaimed and deserves every bit of the praise. The band was making music that is every bit as smart as it is fun, in a climate that is overpopulated with artists who are trying too hard.

The band’s appeal spreads across the indie crowd just as much as it does the mainstream, proved when its second album, “Contra,” went straight to No. 1 within a week of its Jan. 12 release.

Much of the credit should go to the band’s keyboardist, Rostam Batmangli.

Batmangli produced the album and found a way to make Vampire Weekend sound even better. He fine-tuned its sound through his production skills, making everything sound fuller. On songs like opener “Horchata,” the production values keep the song alive. You can’t ignore the use of the electronic backing track in “White Sky,” but once the song takes off you realize that Vampire Weekend’s core sound has not strayed too far.

The band sounds tighter than ever on songs like “Holiday” and “Run,” songs that were influenced by time the band spent in California. The songs reflect the California aesthetic, creating a bright sunny vibe that comes off naturally. This is quite a feat for a band that is known for being an East Coast band that sings about Cape Cod.

Some people may not be too fond of certain changes in Vampire Weekend’s sound, like when they use auto-tune on lead singer Ezra Koenig’s vocals in “California English.” To some, a change like this may seem unnecessary, but with Vampire Weekend this is far from the truth. After multiple listens you can’t imagine the song without auto-tune.

“Contra” is balanced from top to bottom with a wide variety of songs.

The album’s first single, “Cousins,” is an energetic rocker with a ground-splitting bass line that is sure to destroy live sets at festivals this summer. Skip two tracks ahead you’ll hear Grammy-nominated, alternative hip-hop artist M.I.A. It isn’t a guest feature, but rather a sample, cleverly placed by the band in the album’s true standout, “Diplomat’s Son.” It is unlike anything the band has done before, combining African calypso rhythm to its original sound to create a hip-hop vibe.

“Taxi Cab” is a ballad of sorts showing the band’s vulnerable side. Its placement in the middle of “Contra” is a smart move that allows the listener to absorb all of the new changes and kick back to something more familiar.

The album ends with the delicate “I Think Ur A Contra.” If there is any song to backdrop a sunset, it’s this one. It is a simple song that put me a loss of words. Vampire Weekend proved that your simplest moments are your most crucial. In the end songs like “Diplomat’s Son” and “I Think Ur A Contra” will have more to offer listeners as they age like fine wine in the listener’s mind.

Vampire Weekend proved that it is not a one-trick pony by any means. It shut up all of its critics and provided 2010 with an early favorite for Album of the Year. “Contra” didn’t one-up the band’s debut album, but it didn’t need to. It solidified Vampire Weekend as one of the liveliest, freshest bands to come around in a long time.