At first it seems surprising that Interpol’s good but not earth shattering 2002 album, Turn On The Bright Lights would inspire such rapid fandom. What would motivate fans to be so forgiving as to step around the numerous lyrical cowflops? That would be excellent taste and a genius for distilling the best parts of shimmering, psychedelic post-punk bands like Joy Division, Comsat Angels, The Sound, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Chameleons into a new, sexy package. In retrospect their ascendancy to minor alternative stardom is easy to understand. Look at The Doors. Did Jim Morrison actually have anything to say within his lunatic alcohol and peyote-fueled ravings about being the lizard king? Lack of clarity in bad lyrics are often misinterpreted as being mysterious and deep. It didn’t matter to most, it’s just rock ‘n’ roll, lighten up! Indeed, Interpol’s songs are light on meaning, but ingenious at implying emotion and depth with their glossy black finish.
Antics maintains the blueprint with minor tweakings. The arrangements are lighter on dark, atmospheric synths and heavier on tight interplay between bass, guitar and percussion. Homages to The Smiths and Echo & the Bunnymen are stripped away, revealing a focused sound that is distinctly Interpol’s. Every song features many tasty guitar lines, melodies and supple bass. For a band that probably isn’t very prolific (I doubt they picked the best ten songs out of thirty), it’s unusual to end the album with particularly strong songs such as “C’mere,” “Length of Love” and “A Time To Be So Small.” The only other complaint is Interpol’s sound is now too singular, lacking in variety. A little more experimentation in the future and more thought into the lyrics, and Interpol could conceivably be a truly great band.
