Interpol - Our Love To Admire

I was really rooting for Interpol with the release of "Our Love To Admire." Their first album sounded so fresh and new compared to all of the other Joy Division wannabes, that I had to believe that "Antics" was just a minor slip-up. The critics were so cruel to them after that release, and although I agree that it wasn't great, I didn't think it was that bad! I actually quite enjoyed several tracks on it. However, with this third release, they find themselves with yet another fatty lambasting by the critics. Again, I don't think it's that bad but I can't see myself listening to it all that often. It starts off great with "Pioneer To The Falls" which is an epic song that starts off with a casual drone before slowly building and building to a hip sounding guitar ringfest. The other highlight is "Wrecking Ball," which may have very juvenile lyrics (as does most of the album actually,) but it's delivered with a sincerity that makes the song endearing. Unfortunately, over the course of the album, the band just sounds bored. There doesn't seem to be any passion in their delivery and I really miss that. I would like to see the band revisit the first album, re-light that fire that they so obviously had there, and then find some way to harness that into something new. I still believe they can do it, I really do!

Interpol is another band playing this year's V-Fest on Toronto Island. They will be playing as part of the Saturday lineup and I hear that their live show would really put me in my place! Sadly, I won't get to find out. Drat.

Downloads:
Heinrich Maneuver mp3

Interpol's myspace
Purchase "Our Love To Admire" at Amazon.ca