40:42

What happens to a song when it gets stuck in your head? It noodles around your brain, affecting every synapse, getting its way into your thoughts. Do you just repeat the melody or a specific section over and over, or do you start to, knowingly or otherwise, change the song itself into something new? Rather than a simple remix EP or single, Vampire Weekend’s 40:42 is a celebration of mutation; two 20 minute and 21 second long reinterpretations of their Father of The Bride track “2021,” itself a reinterpretation of Haruomi Hosono’s gently forever-beeping “Talking.” Side One is given to saxophonist and mad-genius Sam Gendel, who shifts from a mournful overture to breakbeat to Top 40 pop and finally to full-band jazz. Side Two from jam band Goose starts as a faithful cover and then morphs into something deeper, filled with spacey piano and guitar fluttering and constant jittery drumming. Both sides are glorious fun and much better than the seemingly tossed-off digital release would have you believe.