Interpol Does Interpol

Call me fashionably late or unfashionably poor, but yesterday was the day I picked up Interpol's self titled 4th LP. Better late than never, right?

In a musical world where indie bubblegum fads come and go, majority of bands spend their entire careers trying emulate the success of that first record. When the fever sets in it makes those sophomore releases all the more hyped and all the more likely to underwhelm. It's usually a hit and miss situation, take fellow New Yorkers MGMT's 2010 'Congratulations', for example. This offering came three years after their 2007 explosive record 'Oracular Spectacular', and failed to match the critical success of its predecessor. It's something that happens again and again. All examples aside, Interpol have managed to survive and complete their fourth successful studio release.

It's no secret that the four lads unleashed a musical beast upon the world when their debut album 'Turn On The Bright Lights' emerged from the New York scene in 2002. Many whiny pricks go on to say that Interpol could never make a record that good again, and they're right in saying that 'Turn On The Bright Lights' could never be cloned. This record is probably one of the best things to have happened to me, and you will usually find it in any one's top 10 of the last decade. It's very rarely that a record like this comes along, and I think the most important step of appreciating new work, is letting go of the idea that this record will happen again. If it did, it would not be as special.

If you ask me, Interpol's follow-up releases 'Antics' and 'Our Love To Admire' are both in their own rights very valid records. In fact, even though 'Our Love to Admire' didn't quite match the critical response of the other releases, the themes are still there. The sound that is unmistakeably Interpol, despite those rookie comparisons to the U.K's Editors and the annoying Joy Division facsimile.

True to form, 2010's 'Interpol' delivers just what you'd expect. Daniel Kessler's guitar is as brutal as ever, and like a recipe for success is matched flawlessly by the thick, powerful bass lines of the since departed Carlos D. How to make the potion perfect? Add the dark, smokey vocals of Paul Banks and the effortlessly potent percussion of Sam Fogarino. The band suggested this release be a return to the original sounds of 'Turn On The Bright Lights' with a more orchestral twist, and they were right.

The record commences with the ideally paced, 'Success' which serves as a just that, a successful opener. Sonically, this is an immediate familiar sound, creating an atmosphere expected and delightfully welcomed, but not without a flicker of something new.

These guys know a thing or two about building tension and contrast, and as the album succeeds into 'Memory Serves', the guitars are sudden and strong, before dropping back into a slow key steady number. The repetition of Bankses vocals purring "Only at your place", gives the song a romantic misery. I think my favourite moment is when the track falls to the close of keys, and Banks delivers the final lines, "Baby you don't have to say that you'd love to/ only that you want to/ some day…"

As the tracks ascend, we're faced with another favourite of mine 'Summer Well'. Banks tells us of a failed romance and the desire of going back, ("I miss you but it looks like you summered well."). 'Summer Well' is driven by vocals which serves to make this one of the catchier tracks on the record.

When 'Lights' surfaced as a teaser track back in April, I didn't know a lot of people in my music community that liked it, some slating it to be "boring" or even just a "fail". I didn't feel the same way. As soon as I heard the bass line, it felt like my first drink in years -- I had been craving this sound since 2007 and this was more than music to my ears, but something sonic in my veins. "That's why I hold I hold you near" was all reminiscent of why Interpol have been and still are one of my favourite bands.

'Barricades', unfortunately isn't one of my favourite tracks. Though it was the second track released to radio, I don't know.. I just didn't like it right away and it's more annoying than valid in my eyes. It makes me wish for the days of 'Evil' when the vocals were lower. I just find this track annoying, there i said it again.

'Interpol' isn't a top heavy offering, that's for sure, in fact I think I like the second half almost better. 'Always Malaise (The Man I Am)' is probably the most beautiful track on the record. It's one of the more fragile Interpol songs with brittle keys and crooning lyrics that beg for understanding. 'Try it On' is a sound departure from the regular method of choice, though some don't quite understand the repetitive keys, I think it's a nice change but does tend to serve as bit of a filler track.

'Interpol' comes to a cinematic end with 'All of the Ways' and 'The Undoing'. I couldn't suggest a better apocalyptic climax than to contrast the night and day of these two songs. 'All of the Ways' is this church orchestrated epic and the record winds down with the lines "I was on my way/chasing my damage" which haunt 'The Undoing'. The painful shrieks of Banks crying "Please" add to the romance and anguish of all things Interpol.

All and all, this is a very solid album. I mean, that's all I can say. I'm not living in the past, I wasn't hoping for this repackaged '..Bright Lights', and that's important going into listening to 'Interpol'. As an avid Interpol fan, I accept this release into the discography as a very convincing and credible addition.