Interpol

Interpol (Matador)

By Amanda Stovall
Published: September 7th, 2010 | 7:00am

The fourth self-titled LP by Interpol is feverishly anticipated and their first in three years. After listening to it on loop, I can’t shake the impression the band must’ve spent that time napping and went in to write and record while still yawning and stretching. While it preserves the characteristically dark, melodic tones of earlier work, it doesn’t achieve the beauty or catharsis that makes Interpol such a likeable band. “Always Malaise (The Man I Am)” is actually a good description of Interpol, as a generalized melancholy floats over every track and the band makes no attempt to shake it off with songs that build to simply fade out, as on “Lights.”

The disc opens with ambivalent guitar riffs that seem to be boring themselves on “Success,” and the lyrics almost seem like an open apology to listeners: “It was a good try / I’m a good guy.” It’s a good effort, and Interpol are good guys, but they could all benefit from some coffee. “Memory Serves” drags its rhythmic feet and comes across as the distant cousin of a Marilyn Manson-attempt to write a slow song. “Summer Well” opens with a peppy keyboard riff and gets downright danceable with the lines “I want to stay magical,” which is a suitable wish as some of that Interpol magic is audibly absent from the album. The final two cuts, “All of the Ways” and “The Undoing,” masterfully achieve a haunting effect that starts with electronic tones overlaid on the strengthening sound of dark orchestration, ending with echoed refrains of a chorus locked underneath metallic keyboards and drums.

Unfortunately, such an exit doesn’t hide the fact that there are no standout tracks on the album. As a whole, Interpol has done what Interpol does best: hypnotic, grungy rock that sounds like it was written in dark rooms, but it may take a few pots of that needed coffee before they come up with a song that has the overpowering effect that wins them fans willing to wait three years for new material.

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Interpol official Web site

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Matador Records