Interpol - Our Love ToAdmire

Tue 24th Jul, 2007 in Music Reviews

It was inevitable that album number three from the dapper kings of New York would divide opinion like never before. Phenomenal debut Turn On The Bright Lights heralded the arrival of a new indie super-power whilst follow-up Antics, for better or worse, reinforced the Interpol empire with pretty much more of the same. Yet if you believe the eulogising of some critics, then Our Love To Admire marks the tumbling of those once solid walls.

That’s simply not the case; hardly plausible unless you vaguely join-the-dots between the knowledge that this is the band’s first release on a major, Capitol, and all the negative connotations that act may hold. Depending on where you stand, the much-anticipated Our Love To Admire could well represent a dreaded/welcomed coming of maturity, a substantial growth/MTV-sation of sound, or, again, more of the same. In truth, there’s probably a bit of each.

Opening with the grand - œPioneer to the Falls’, subtle changes are immediately evident even though the track resembles some of the moodier moments of TOTBL. Paul Banks’ trademark monotone vocals show cracks of human vulnerability, yet lyrically he remains wilfully obtuse. Daniel Kessler’s brooding guitar tones add mystery, and along with some forlorn keyboard lines and brass, elevates the song to the hierarchy of the Interpol canon. OLTA never again reaches the same heights, but it’s hardly a career-threatening plummet that follows.

If nothing else, now-doubting fans should take heart from - œPioneer…’ and the closing two tracks - œWrecking Ball’ and - œLighthouse’. While first single - œThe Heinrich Maneuvre’ and - œWho Do You Think?’ are more immediate, perhaps classic Interpol radio hits, the closers show a willingness to experiment with minimalist soundscapes. The symphonic - œWrecking Ball’ hauntingly multi-layers Banks’ anguished vocals in preparation for the truly poignant - œLighthouse’, which is predominantly just Banks and a lonesome guitar.

Unlike previous albums, OLTA contains a large portion of filler, with - œAll Fired Up’ and - œPace Is The Trick’ all but sabotaging the middle-section of the album with dull aggression and faux mystery. One thing that can be said is that Interpol, here, have transcended the – œ80s post-punk tag so often attached to their morose wanderings. Unfortunately, the main casualty of this move is the traditionally strong rhythm section of Carlos Dengler and Sam Fogarino, which is mostly overlooked in favour of atmospherics. Lyrically Banks is often found wanting, overreaching for dramatic effect (“you look so young like a daisy in my lazy eye” in - œRest My Chemistry’).

In fact much of what is disappointing with this collection can be summed up in Banks’ own words: “you don’t hold a candle” in - œPace Is The Trick’, and “spare me the suspense” in - œMammoth’. Interpol are, in part, victims of their past success rate, and overall Our Love To Admire does reveal a band finding their feet with a larger audience. But, I, for one, am not writing them off.