Wampire Bazaar

Wampire was a jokey Portland two-piece that evolved from middle-school tomfoolery to twentysomething house-show hijinks. That development has continued: Wampire are a quintet now — a “real band,” if you will — and “Wizard Staff,” the lead single from sophomore full-length Bazaar, sounds a little more like serious business. Co-founder Eric Phipps even described his state of being during the album’s creation as “a Kafka-esque insomniac musical novelist,” which is some real artiste shit. The playful throwback kitsch that the band made its name on remains a primary factor, though. In fact, by virtue of its sax flourishes, “Wizard Staff” might be the most fun you’ve ever had with Wampire. As with 2013?s Curiosity, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait produced, this time directly to tape in Brooklyn studio The Museum.

01 “The Amazing Heart Attack”
02 “Bad Attitude”
03 “Fly On The Wall”
04 “Wizard Staff”
05 “Too Stoned”
06 “Millennials”
07 “Sticking Out”
08 “Life Of Luxury”
09 “People Of Earth”