By shelz.

Interpol’s impending self-titled release is a study in misery. Even blues masters tend to find a silver lining somewhere or at least concede defeat to the sadness.  It is that acceptance that keeps the genre from being presented as absolute sonic depression.  Interpol, on the other hand, finds itself wedged somewhere between the third and fourth stages of grief, flailing aimlessly in the fog of heartbreak.

Ironically,Interpol is stringently cohesive; the few hopeful moments presented are there only to contrast how dark the rest of the album truly is.  There is a momentary tease of light and then you are dumped back into the abyss.  The band does its best to capture the emotion of a man at the breaking point and in this regard they win.  The musicianship is great as usual, but the base of any great album is the song construction and this is where Interpol comes up short.

The group pays close attention to detail. The vibrating distortion of the guitars on “Memory Serves,” the melancholy strings from “Always Malaise (The Man I Am),” even the Kraftwerk inspired digital bleeps that bookend “All of the Ways” all add depth and texture to the songs.  The elements are layered on thick, making the songs more odd than enjoyable. The multi levels of sound bog the songs down and since the structure is weak, the worst of the songs collapse into directionless sputtering.

The problem with the lack of simple song craftsmanship is made most obvious by “Lights.”  It is Interpol at its most brilliant; five plus minutes of slow, deliberate build that culminates with a wall of sound substantial enough to make Phil Spector proud. “Barricade” is another gem.  It’s a sprightly piece of music with a dance worthy quotient high enough for “American Bandstand” despite the anxiety ridden lyrics.

On the flip side is “Safe Without.” The intro is deceiving as it promises an enjoyable experience, but the track barely develops from the initial drum pattern and riff.  The brief progress that does occur, a scale hopping bass and some eerie digital strings do little to save the tune from its monotony.  “Try It On” features a piano loop that should have been left on the cutting room floor and “The Undoing” is yet another song that suggests a pay off at the beginning that never happens (and for some unknown reason Paul Banks does a section of the lyrics in a foreign language.)  Instead it brings Interpol to an unremarkable close.

Interpol proves that cohesive isn’t always equal to good; intricate doesn’t always mean the parts work well together and dark overtones don’t always produce a thoughtful project.  There are highpoints and they are good enough to stand in the dreariness that is the rest of the release, even though that’s the majority of the album.

out of 5

Interpol-“Lights”

Interpol – Lights
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