Vampire Weekend has been making waves with their indie-pop sound since forming in 2006 after meeting at Columbia University in New York City. Their first two records, Vampire Weekend, released in 2008; and Contra, released in 2009, both were certified gold, and 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City is primed to do the same.

When musical artists establish themselves within a certain niche, it always causes trouble when they go to release new music. They are left with two choices: stick to their tried and true sound and be criticized for “recycling material,” or change things up and have fans bemoan them for “losing touch with their roots.”

Thankfully, Vampire Weekend has managed to toe that line, bringing a fresh new perspective to their trademarked, happy guitar-pop.

This balance between new and old is showcased in the first song, “Obvious Bicycle.”  While this song is distinctly Vampire Weekend, as ethnic percussion and dissonant backing vocals abound, there is undoubtedly a new tone.

This song take things slow, and lead singer Ezra Koenig wails in a tearful falsetto every time the chorus comes around. The final piano progression suggests a faucet running dry as the song stumbles to a halt, and leaves the listener feeling as though they should be shuffling their feet and staring at the ground.

Listening to the lyrics on Modern Vampires of the City, it is again clear that Vampire Weekend has put the incessant cheerfulness on a leash. The song “Finger Back” begins each and every verse with the fairly gruesome mantra: “Bend the finger back/Snap/Break your hip, break your toe/Break it ‘til your left hand’s straight.” While this seems gross enough on its own, the last bridge is simply the word “blood” repeated some 16 times.

While this sort of gratuitous sadness and gore may be seen as a corny attempt at depth by some other band, make no mistake: Vampire Weekend has succeeded in creating a few melancholy songs that are actually not boring or trite.

Of course, “Obvious Bicycle” and “Finger Back” fall into this category, but make sure to give “Don’t Lie” and the single “Ya Hey” a spin if you are bummed out, or want to be bummed out.

On the other hand, don’t listen to “Ya Hey.” It gets its name from the backing vocal on the chorus, a loop of someone saying, you guessed it, “ya hey” over and over again, but put through so many digital filters that it is pitched up to a mouse-like squeak. It will drive you crazy.

Optimists, fear not. Vampire Weekend has not completely abandoned their happy-go-lucky demeanor. “Diane Young,” a clever play on the words “dying young,” will have you smiling and tapping your feet within seconds. A YOLO anthem, this trippy trap-infused rock anthem is sure to be heard blaring from every car window.