My two cents on the new Interpol record. Is it good? Yes. Is it great? Probably no. Is it going to gather new fans? No. Will it satisfy old fans? Yes. Is it breaking many new sounds? Definitely not. Do I like it? Yes. But it's not as good as "Turn on the Bright Lights", although it is comparable to "Antics" (which I did like). This marks Interpol's switch from Matador to Capitol and they have managed to create a strong, dramatic piece of music that paints from the band's original canvas, with a couple of slight variations. "Our Love to Admire" features those well loved trademarks. Deep and throbbing guitar, tight drumming and Paul Banks' unmistakable baritone of a voice.

There is a definite Interpol sound and the first two tracks capture it beautifully. "Pioneer To The Falls" (one of the best songs) opens with that chiming guitar and soon the vocals come in, all brooding and dark. However there is always that emotional kick in a good Interpol song and when Mr Banks intones "You Fly Straight Into My Heart" you feel your heart flutter just that little bit. A song about having your heart broken, it is augmented by the appearance of horns. "No I In Threesome" features that same robust, thumping guitar sound with a beautiful melody floating gently above. From there on there is the usual pattern which is a plus and a minus. It is good when it works (Mammoth and Heinrich Maneuver both thump and hurtle along) but a little samey when it doesn't (Scale, Pace Is The Trick, Rest My Chemistry, All Fired Up plod and drag quite a bit). However the closing two tracks elevate this album from good to very good. "Wrecking Ball" is a strong statement about a powerful and unshakable love, augmented by delicate guitar and resonant vocals, whilst "Lighthouse" is a thrilling and exciting departure for the band. The shimmering guitar and sparse arrangement is coupled with soft and gentle vocals, gentle enough to soothe any raging heart. So "Our Love To Admire" is a qualified success. Basically more of the same, but not as consistently good as previous efforts. However the high points will have you spinning this platter again, not just immediately, but over an extended period of time.
MP3: Pioneer To The Falls