Interpol "Marauder" (2018)

Marauder
release date: Aug. 24, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Dave Fridmann
label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "If You Really Love Nothing" - 2. "The Rover" (4 / 5) - 3. "Complications" - 5. "Stay in Touch" - 7. "Mountain Child" - 8. "Nysmaw" (4 / 5) (live)

6th studio album by Interpol, who continues to release albums every four years and in the meantime stays very low. Here, they have put it in the hands of established producer Dave Fridmann. The band seems to regain its post-punk revival flair and do what they have proven to do best: play tight melody-based post-punk. Actually, the album sounds as made in the early 2000s and would easily have followed Antics (2004) or the debut from 2002, and with the album cover they don't even try to take big leaps from their own heritage - on the contrary, in fact, and maybe there's even a message in that.
I guess, critics would argue that the band has only moved few inches since their acclaimed debut and that there are no evident traces of the band's later album releases from 2007, 2010 and 2014. The differences may be small, but not microscopical, and what makes this a more mature album is what appears as perfection in details. The songs are simple, yet delightfully progressive in small dozes - it's subtle form and a significant depth that makes this the band's best album since the debut in 2002.
I like it - it's a grower.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, NME, The Guardian, Slant 4 / 5 stars ]

Interpol "El pintor" (2014)

El pintor
release date: Sep. 9, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Interpol
label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "All the Rage Back Home" - 2. "My Desire" (4 / 5) - 4. "Same Town, New Story" - 6. "Everything Is Wrong" - 7. "Breaker 1" - 8. "Ancient Ways" - 9. "Tidal Wave"

5th studio album by Interpol after a 4-year hiatus is once again produced by the band. After the band's usual bassist Carlos Dengler left the band upon releasing the previous album, Interpol has stayed a trio with vocalist and former rhythm guitarist Paul Banks now also playing bass. Musically, the band has evolved more on this, or they have matured. Interpol still hangs on to the post-punk influence but has tightened its soundscape. It's still centered around simplicity with Bank's dark tone and the voice of Daniel Kessler's bright guitar. It doesn't feel like another attempt to find the formula of their sudden success but more as a fresh start. As a positive thing, it doesn't contain obvious fillers, and it's clearly the band's best effort since the first two fine albums. The title is Spanish for "The painter" but also an anagram for Interpol.
[ allmusic.com, Uncut 3,5 / 5, Slant, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Interpol "Interpol" (2010)

Interpol
release date: Sep. 7, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,24]
producer: Interpol
label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Success" - 4. "Lights" - 5. "Barricade" (live session) - 6. "Always Malaise (The Man I Am)" - 7. "Safe Without" - 8. "Try It On" - 10. "The Undoing"

4th studio album by Interpol after a 3-year hiatus following Our Love to Admire and this time produced only by the band. This is not so much post-punk revival as it's alt. rock and indie. The mood is still dark and melancholic but the balance has changed to reflect a more modern sound instead of relying on a sound built on what was characteristic in the 1980s.
Unfortunately, they don't do much for me again, although, I think, it's a small improvement from Our Love to Admire with a generally more interesting release, but it's not anything near their first two albums. What makes it slightly better, is that you hear a progression in their sound, a will to explore new territory with more original songs.
After the recordings of the album, bassist Carlos Dengler left the band, which left Interpol reduced to a trio.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <-- click... -->

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"Barricade"

"I did not take to analysis
So I had to make up my mind and hold it for a while
I would not just leave you without a kiss
But I guess there must come a time, when there's no more tears to cry
Thieves and snakes need homes, need homes
Barricade

It starts to feel like a barricade
To keep us away, to keep us away
It kind of does
It starts to feel like a barricade
To keep us away, keep us away

I could not lean on the politics
'Cause I didn't want to train my eye to hold so short a time
Oh so high, just don't know where the blind could lead the sightless
But I still like to witness
Thieves and snakes need homes, need homes
Barricade

It starts to feel like a barricade
To keep us away, to keep us away
It kind of does
It starts to feel like a barricade
To keep us away, keep us away

Full speed, half blind
Full tilt, decline
We turn to past times
Full speed, half blind

You know us
You know us
And we said....
I'm sorry
Say I'm sorry

Sometimes it feels like a barricade
To keep us away, keep us away
It kind of does
How much fear can you fabricate
To keep us away, keep us away
You know us

Full speed, half blind
Full tilt, decline
We turn to past times
Full speed, half blind

Full speed, half blind
Full tilt, decline
On to old times
Full speed, half blind"

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Interpol "Our Love to Admire" (2007)

Our Love to Admire
release date: Jul. 10, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Interpol, Rich Costey
label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Pioneer to the Falls" - 2. "No I in Threesome" - 4. "The Heinrich Maneuver" (4 / 5) - 6. "Pace Is the Trick" - 7. "All Fired Up" - 9. "Who Do You Think"

3rd studio album by Interpol with a new producer and three years in the making. The style is mostly unchanged, though, I find that it's generally a bit slower. The first single "The Heinrich Maneuver" promised another fine album with a strong post-punk outing, but it is turns out as almost the only great track of what appears a somewhat anonymous release.
I found the album a bit of a disappointment. Nonetheless, it received many positive reviews, but I think of it as a lesser album. Expectations were perhaps too high, but I think that too many tracks simply sound much alike. It's not mediocre but neither truly unforgettable and not really recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Interpol "Antics" (2004)

Antics
release date: Sep. 27, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Peter Katis, Interpol
label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Next Exit" - 2. "Evil" (4 / 5) - 3. "Narc" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Take You on a Cruise" (4 / 5) - 5. "Slow Hands" (5 / 5) - 8. "C'mere"

2nd studio album by Interpol with producer Peter Katis who also worked with the band on the debut. Now, how could they but not fail? This was one of the most expected follow-up releases, and it's damn good, and in fact very close to succeed big time like the debut. The music is not that different, and that's the first real flaw: that it sounds so much alike the debut. I think, the production has improved a bit. It's not something you'll hear right away, but I find that the sound is more ambient (not the style ambient), adding a further layer to the sound. It contains some great and truly fine tracks but... and that's the second flaw: it also contains three obvious fillers ("Not Even Jail", "Length of Love", "A Time to Be so Small"), which subtracts something from the overall experience and underlines that they could not make another great album so soon.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Interpol "Turn on the Bright Lights" (2002)

Turn on the Bright Lights [debut]
release date: Aug. 20, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Peter Katis, Gareth Jones
label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. [untitled] (4 / 5) - 2. "Obstacle 1" (5 / 5) - 3. "NYC" (4 / 5) (live 2003) (live at Glastonbury 2005) - 5. "Say Hello to the Angels" (4 / 5) - 6. "Hands Away" - 8. "Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down" - 9. "Roland" - 11. "Leif Erikson" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Interpol. This album launched and soon dominated the post-punk revival wave that took place in the new millennium. I had double feelings about the album but eventually accepted it as a classic. The thing is, they would not have been able to make this music without Joy Division and Kitchens of Distinction (some would add a few others as well), however, that's how music is made. An artist listens to something that inspires and then goes on to create his/her own work despite what one might find of reminiscences. The critical reception of the album was generally positive, although, some tend to bring up the sources of inspiration and by that points to a lesser original creation. This is great music and the point is, this is not simply copying or new versions of 10 or 20 year-old music, but one may find the sources of inspiration in several tracks, and so what?! When I first listened to "Say Hello to the Angels" (after the first 40 secs), I couldn't help but thinking of The Smiths and their song "This Charming Man" but really, it's different song, and Interpol's track is another ball game. The music director Floria Sigismondi worked with the band on several music videos, e.g. "Obstacle 1" is a nice example. I really enjoy the voice of Paul Banks and the guitar play of Daniel Kessler, who has a great blend of fine guitarists' sound.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

2002 Favourite releases: 1. The Streets Original Pirate Material - 2. Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights - 3. Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around

Interpol

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Interpol: is an American band formed in New York, 1998. Members: Paul Banks [aka Julian Plenti] (vocals, guitar), Daniel Kessler (aka Daniel Alexander Kessler [birth name], guitar), Carlos Dengler [aka Carlos Andres Dengler [birth name], aka Carlos D., (bass, 1998-2010), Sam Fogarino [aka Sam Fog] (drums, 2000-present). Former members: Greg Drudy (drums, 1998-2000). Live members: Brandon Curtis (keyboards, vocals, 2010-), Brad Truax (bass, vocals, 2011-). Interpol initiated their career playing post-punk revival and has moved to a style that is harder to categorise but may be labelled alternative indie pop / rock. The band has occasionally lived through rather quiet periods but kept releasing new material over the years. The vocalist, Paul Banks, released his solo album debut as Julian Plenti Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper with a more art pop styled sound, and has released his second solo album under own name, Paul Banks (2012) - a combination of post-punk revival and art pop, thus embracing the styles embraced by Interpol and his first solo release.

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