DOWNLOAD: “Horchata” – Vampire Weekend

Today brings us news that Vampire Weekend‘s highly anticipated second album entitled Contra, will be released in the US on January 12th, 2010 via XL Recordings. You can stream “Horchata” (the first single) below, or download it directly by clicking here.

In other VW news, apparently Ghostface Killah is a fan of the band:

Q: You’ve just remixed the Noisettes’ “Never Forget You.” Who else would you like to collaborate with?

GHOSTFACE: I love Pink. She don’t give a [damn] about [anything].

Q: Vampire Weekend is a group you said you liked. How’d you first hear about them?

MR. CARUSO: My son, he’s 15, left his iPod in the car, and that was on it.

GHOSTFACE: You know how kids be, they on [stuff] before you be on [stuff]. But he knew what he was talking about. The beat was like something I never heard before. It was interesting. It sounded like they could’ve had have some Jamaican in it. I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don’t know it, it’s weak. [NYTimes.com]

Track list for Contra and all currently announced Vampire Weekend tour dates after the jump.

Vampire Weekend 2009 Tour Dates
10/06 Montreal, QC Le National
10/08 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
10/15 London, UK King’s College
10/22 Paris, FR Nouveau Casino
11/02 Long Beach, CA The Art Theater
11/05 Pioneertown, CA Pappy and Harriet’s
11/07 Lafayette, CA Town Hall Theatre
11/08 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst
11/09 Visalia, CA The Cellar Door
11/10 San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brew
11/12 Bakersfield, CA Chencho’s
11/14 Lomita, CA VFW Hall
11/17 Tokyo, JAP Tokyo Unit
11/21 Sydney, AUS Oxford Art Factory

Contra Track List:
01 “Horchata”
02 “White Sky”
03 “Holiday”
04 “California English”
05 “Taxi Cab”
06 “Run”
07 “Cousins”
08 “Giving Up the Gun”
09 “Diplomat’s Son”
10 “I Think Ur A Contra”