Review 1 of 10

1JPOTTER writes:

4of 5 Stars

I HAVE TO SAY, INTERPOL HAS TRULY GAINED MY RESPECT WITH THIS RECORD. PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THEIR MAJOR LABEL DEBUT, I WAS SURE THAT THIS ALBUM WOULD BE A POP-TRENDY SHITBAG. THEIR FIRST TWO ALBUMS ARE NEAR PERFECT IN MY OPINION. IN COMPARISON TO THEIR PRIOR WORK, THIS DISC GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN.NOT AS BASE DRIVEN. THEY COULD'VE MADE ANOTHER ANTICS AND SOLD A MILLION DISCS FOR THEIR NEW LABEL...... BUT THEY EXPERIMENTED, A TRULY RISKY VENTURE FOR SUCH A RELEASE. IF YOU LIKE IT YOU DO, IF YOU DON'T THEN WELL, YOU DON'T. TRUE INTERPOL FANS CAN APPRECIATE THIS RECORD. AND THATS THE POINT RIGHT?........

Sep 17, 2007 17:30:37

Review 2 of 10

flaviosa writes:

Not Rated

more concerned about the writing here: "animal nitrate"??? what on earth is that supposed to mean? what does the drumming here have to do with either poppers or animals? and what, exactly, on this album sounds like 'Fables of the Reconstruction'? confused all around.

Aug 13, 2007 11:28:39

Review 3 of 10

rileyVmiller writes:

1of 5 Stars

I didn't enjoy this album. It sounds like b-side quality song ideas, and the lyrics are trite, making me wonder why the hell they're even there at all.

"Show me the dirt pile and I will pray/that the soul can take/three stowaways." Lines like that make me feel and understand nothing, and just piss me off the same way glitch noise pisses me off. Beck has this style of lyrics covered and does it 8 thousand million times better.

Also, if you're gonna write a pop song, write a hook for god's sake. There are NO payoffs in these songs, they're just unnecessary drones.

The rhythm section sounds like they're asleep. I don't blame them.

Paul Banks is jerking Micheal Stipe.

The only thing about this album that I like is the production. Clean, perfectly mixed, well mastered. Kudos to the engineers.

Otherwise I don't like this album. At all.

Aug 10, 2007 11:00:07

Review 4 of 10

rocknrollunicorn writes:

4of 5 Stars

Within a few months, I will probably think it's a five star, but albums take time with me.

At the moment, I don't think it's quite as good as Antics or TOTBL, but it's still pretty damn good. Pioneer of the Falls, Wrecking Ball and Rest My Chemistry (despite RS's feelings) are the highlights for me. I just love Interpol's sound, and if you don't, you probably won't like this album, and if you do, you probably will. Though it should be mentioned that the rhythm section does not impress me to the extent it did on Antics.

Mostly I'm posting this because the Rolling Stone review is the second I've read that, I swear, totally misinterprets No I in a Threesome (well, I mean, I think). Pitchfork was the first, though they were waaaaaaaaay off. These critics should be forced to attend a poetry or english lit class, just one at least, before they're allowed to interpret this stuff.

I find it really hard to believe that anyone would hear a song proposing a threesome because "alone we may fight" and think it's a love song (or, god forbid, a serious summary of intentions, a la Pitchfork).

I guess it's just too hard for you guys to believe that dour old Paul Banks might have a sense of humor.

Aug 7, 2007 13:56:09

Review 5 of 10

berockall writes:

3of 5 Stars

At some point Radiohead's OK Computer set a new trend to be folllowed for the english band. 3rd's Interpol work, unintentionally, tastes like that to me too.
Their new album seems musically to be one step further than the first two, however, the structure and lyrics are far away to become what an Interpol fan expects from they.
Always thought my favorite band is Radiohead, having known the newyorkers years later, I couldn't imagine myself trying to stablish some similarities between these two bands. Of course I'm not doing it but at the end of OLTA I got this feeling that something's going on with Banks and company. And for those who like Interpol this album must really mean that their future is non-predictable.

Aug 3, 2007 14:11:12

Review 6 of 10

Shawne writes:

4of 5 Stars

Interpol seem to be one of those divisive bands that make some people love to hate them, which affords many others the opportunity to faithfully defend the band and their music. Do any of these arguments even matter? Should anyone care whether or not Interpol sound like Joy Division, The Chameleons or any other post-punk highlight from the 80s? Did Rob Sheffield only make the REM comparison for the sake of avoiding mention of, yet again, Joy Division or The Chameleons?

It seems fairly obvious that many put Interpol's first disc, Turn on the Bright Lights, on that pedestal reserved for "impressive debut albums" and rightfully so. It also seems fairly obvious that Interpol' second disc, Antics, has been relegated to being used as the prop that keeps TOTBL's pedestal on an even keel. Perhaps by making the second album seem worse than it really is, critics and early adopters of the band have been able to maintain the belief that TOTBL is actually better than it really is.

Truth is, Interpol should at least get some applause for not pulling the same trick for each album they've released to date. No, Antics does not sound like TOTBL. Neither does Our Love To Admire sound totally like its precursors. However, OLTA seems to strike a more reasonable balanced between the atmospheric dread of their first and the pop-leanings of their second [albums].

There is a sense of empty space throughout OLTA, which can make the album somewhat inaccessible to those unwilling (or, unable) to spend some quality time. Forget Joy Division and The Chameleons - Interpol now seems to be channeling a regulated version of Brian Eno circa Before and After Science. The title of track six (Pace Is The Trick) sums it up pretty fittingly. It's not that the songs lack their own character, but rather that the listener is not privy to making snap judgments based on their expectations from the past.

Taken on their merit, every song has something to offer the listener, even if that something is a subtle nuance or variation that affects how the song gets interpreted. Several tracks (No I In Threesome, The Scale, All Fired Up, Wrecking Ball) begin with no apparent sense of direction but dig in their hooks only after you are completely immersed in the mire. If there's one thing that separates OLTA from their previous efforts is that the emotional wall between Paul Banks and the listener is slighly less stable. The album opener (Pioneer To The Falls) and closer (The Lighthouse) offer genuinely affecting sentiments and are clear reminders of what made Interpol such an interesting band in the first place.

Arguably, the album might have more impact with a better track order. Some tracks (The Scale, Rest My Chemistry) are relative standouts that could have worked better had they switched spots. Also, Pace Is The Trick seems like a placeholder, despite having some of Banks' more interesting, seemingly politicized, lyrical content. The one track that doesn't work is Who Do you Think, which comes across as somewhat underdeveloped thematically and musically.

However, even presented as is, OLTA is a pretty clear indication that Interpol have at least another album or two before they, or their fans, decide to call it quits.

Jul 31, 2007 10:12:59

Review 7 of 10

chrisnovis writes:

5of 5 Stars

Fantastic 3rd album and although the change in record label is slightly noticeable, the original Interpol sound is not lost. A classic Interpol song kicks off the album with 'Pioneer To The Falls' with echoes of track 1 of the debut 'Turn On The Bright Lights'. Other songs such as 'Mammoth', 'The Scale' and 'All Fired Up' show the fantastic melodies that the band are capable of while 'The Heinrich Maneuver' gives a more mainstream 'single quality' sound. If this band sticks to the recipe used to create their success so far, they will soon conquer the genre they created.

My hope is that mainstream success will not cause the band to loose or change it's unique melodies, 'twangy' guitar sound, Banks' voice, delightfully random lyrics or even their slightly Spanish looks.

Jul 30, 2007 15:59:39

Review 8 of 10

EZP writes:

5of 5 Stars

Retarded. Again, RS, again. I always wonder, when reviewing an album, how in depth do they go? Do they listen to it several times in full? Do they listen to the first min. of each song cause they have 10 other albums to listen to? Whatever it is, I just find it impossible to believe what they write. They're always so snobby and spiteful. Anways, I never got into Interpol myself. I tried listening to the previous albums, didn't like 'em. So, when I saw on Rhapsody the new single "The Heinrich Maneuver" was out, I figured "What the hell, give it a listen". Heard it and it didn't stick. A week or so later, the album was on Rhapsody. I hit it up, and boom, awesome. Straight up. Fuck all that other shit up there in the RS review. The first 8 tracks are solid as a rock, forget the "growers" comment by SHEFFIELD and especially the "losers" statement about "Rest My Chemistry". This album reminds me of OK Computer by Radiohead. This album DOES NOT remind me of R.E.M. (although Banks voice does occasionally sound like Stipe's). These guys use guitar tone to make one string songs rip. But what catches me the most is the fact that the majority of these songs have such gorgeous melodies. Don't let RS fool you, this album needs to be heard by as many people as possible. It shall not be overlooked!!!

Jul 25, 2007 10:57:18