Published
A return worthy of the band.
After two disappointing albums, on their Partisan Records debut Interpol take risks and show every intention of surprising us again. After years of writing apart because they lived far from one another, the band have come back together to work on the songs. Andrew Wyatt’s production has brought the New Yorkers new ideas and greater brightness in the songs. The first two advance tracks already gave grounds for optimism.
The composition that gives the album its title is exquisite and elegant, with Banks whispering to us among female voices (led by his wife Juliet Seger) and a beautiful, intriguing atmosphere of strings in the background. See Out Loud is the album’s blast and looks set to become a fixture in the band’s setlists. With Daniel Kessler contributing vocals again after decades away from them and guitars that are razor-sharp, it sounds energetic and futuristic.
Time to slow things down: Iron City, whose background synths make it another homage from the band to their hometown after the now legendary NYC from their debut. Wounded Soldier lets us enjoy Paul Banks a cappella, unhurried and perfectly in tune in his baritone register. On the fifth track, Wings on Fire, the bass once again demands attention, played percussively with skill by Brad Truax. Banks had been forced to take over bass since Carlos Dengler’s departure back in 2010. The album’s first half ends with Ever the Actor, where the guitars build a chaotic and beautiful atmosphere.
So Rides the Reindeer is warm and exquisite, while Darling Thoughts, with its melodic guitars, recalls Stella Was a Diver…. Wake Up is the album’s most rocking and fun track and, after it, Enemy, a piano ballad, lowers our pulse again. Bird and The Serpent is another unforgettable cut: intense, with a bass line that grabs you and sharp, high-pitched guitars that rise and fall like a roller coaster. Sudden is another sad and melancholy piano ballad, perfect for the closing track.
Without reaching the level of their first two albums (the unforgettable Turn On the Bright Lights and the “hit-packed” Antics), this “This mirror weighs a ton” sits firmly in the very-good range, on a par with Our Love to Admire (2007) and a little above El pintor (2014) As we saw during their latest visit to Madrid this summer, adding Brandon Curtis on keyboards (he does not appear on the album) and the aforementioned Brad Truax on bass as full members of the line-up gives this rejuvenated Interpol greater energy and a tremendous presence. Long live the New Yorkers.
83/100