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EDIT INFOInterpol - Our Love To Admire
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Album Details
- Artist: Interpol
- Album: Our Love To Admire
- Label: Capitol
- Year of Release: 2007
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: lekwon on 2008-10-18
RecommendThey had it all at the point they made Antics. They mastered what made the general public melt, from the hooks to the lyrics. Then they moved into a new record label, to foreign ground. They could have just duplicated the method that has worked for them in their previous album. But what makes Interpol so respectable is the fact that they decide to take a different path every time, regardless of what their circumstances are. As a result, Our Love to Admire derives from an entirely new concept that is innovative yet also eyebrow-raising.
Our Love to Admire is a very clean and well-produced album. On the other hand, a sense of emptiness lingers in the work. Perhaps the shortage of hooks, the lack of apparent direction, and the sleepy rhythm section all contribute to the vacancy. Songs such as “No I In Threesome” and “All Fired Up” are some of the best on the album, but they do not have the features that immediately grab a listener. Certainly the bareness does not detract from those that are obvious, beautiful standouts in melody, such as “Heinrich Maneuver.” Frontman Paul Banks’ lyrics are still the products of the classic Interpol formula, perhaps with a little more sardonic humor. All in all, every song does have something to show off: some are just harder to uncover than others. The true gems of this album are sandwiched between those that are more notable for their drones.
Interpol is a very interesting band. Just when we settle the band into a comfortable category, the four men do not hesitate to step out and try their classic sound with a new edge. Our Love to Admire takes the somber atmosphere of Turn On the Bright Lights and the poppy penchant of Antics, mixes the two together, and adds a new boost of structure and lyrics. The album leaves an impact, though it is not as impressive as when they first greeted the world. It is of little concern, however, for there is charisma behind the beauty and the drones: they will be back with another sound, another chance to fall in love, or even more in love, with them.
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on 2008-01-15 Dharma69 Said:
I've given this album enough listens to heartfully approve. Interpol's sound is one that you could listen to blindfolded yet know exactly who it is...and for some bands that could be a problem. But for this band it's not. They drone, but all droning should sound this fooking good. With 2 albums behind them, their songs have been paced (oddly, one of the new tracks is titled "Pace Is The Trick") with fits and starts that usually catch me off guard. Album #3 is no different...except that it is....
....a bit grander and lush sounding with the heavier concentration on the keyboards and an almost minimalist approach with the bass, if compared to "Turn On The Bright Lights" and "Antics". The opening track "Pioneer To The Falls", with it's military drum patter, spare tap of the tambourine and architechurally structured opening guitar notes owns me. They played it at Coachella and the Independence Jam in San Diego and I fell for it hard but never caught the title. Once I finally knew it, I owned it. It's trademark dramatic with opposing forces of forboding and romance and the absolute non-clarity of the lyrics make it a blank canvas-song for every listener to impose his/or her own mental and emotional art or baggage.
The highlight tracks of OLTA are "Mammoth" (to hear it live is to truly appreciate it; I almost like the instrumental version better), "All Fired Up" (which needs to be re-mixed and taken to the dance floor just because it can be),"No I In Threesome" (who knew he was such a romantic?) and the completely out of left field "Lighthouse" where Kessler abandons the chime of the icy guitar that's his forte and channels the art of the Spanish guitar while Banks' disembodied vocals weave a solitary tale.
Another point of interest: Banks may have taken a few vocal lessons prior to recording because his unique baritone has been tweaked as he seems to have learned to croon just enough to soften edges of his voice. I'm not one of the disappointed who slag this album by comparing it with the previous two, calling it dull or too polished. Blame the polish on the fact that they'r now on a major label instead of a cred-worthy indie one? I "blame" the polish on the fact that Interpol is made up of four distinct musical personalities who are marching through the most ambitious stage in their career and want to have ambitious, particular and precise music to show for it.
Rating: 8/10
