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Album Review: Interpol - Interpol

by Bethany Barberg

September 07, 2010

Interpol - Interpol
Interpol - Interpol
Image courtesy of Matador Records

With over 13 years of post-punk revivalism under their belt, New York natives Interpol have released their self-titled fourth album. Since forming in 1997, Interpol have been compared to their rock predecessors The Cure, Echo and the Bunny Men, The Chameleons and Joy Division. Paul Bank's distinctively deep voice and richly dark melodies add to the grandeur and weighty soundscape that Interpol is known for.

Interpol entered the indie music world with a somber yet powerful bang, as their 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights propelled the band into the top spot on Pitchfork's Top 50 releases of 2002. 2004's Antics and 2007's Our Love to Admire found the band in a brighter and lighter-sounding place.

On Our Love to Admire, keyboards were utilized in Interpol's sound for the first time, and the band also explored increased orchestration. This set the groundwork for their most recent release. Interpol is full of prominently placed keyboard parts, eerie orchestration, weighty basslines and percussive beats that pump the whole album through.

Highlights:

"Summer Well" (Track 3): This tune's crisp piano-and-snare intro soon unlocks a dance-worthy chorus. The darker underside comes through, however, in the song's somber lyrics of love lost: "I miss you but it looks like you summer well." This also gives the track a cold weather feeling, as Interpol's weighty sound wraps around you like a fall sweater.

"Lights" (Track 4): Start with reverberating guitar, add simple piano and vocals, cue the drums and you have a buildup that has a sense of urgency, and the only kind of release is turning everything up to 11. Finish it off with the poignant repeating of "that's why I hold you near." End with a smooth fade, and you have the epic structure that is Interpol.