Review Summary: A good solid album that manages to focus more on keyboards and synthesizers than previous Interpol albums.
Not knowing much about Interpol, I picked this album up at the store this morning on my usual Tuesday trip to the record store. I had never actually owned an Interpol album, but this album was so highly-touted and advertised everywhere that I threw it in my cart. When I got in my car, I put
Our Love to Admire in CD player first, and suddenly, I was struck my some of the most ingenious, catchy, and very dark-influenced post-punk rock I've heard since I was really heavily into The Cure. Really, I've got no clue what it is, but this album seems to have a dark vibe to it; and it's pretty catchy. It feels like an great 80s punk album with a newer, new-age millenium twist to it.
Interpol's
Our Love to Admire is one of my favorite albums of 2007 by far because its original and very accessible. The vocalist seems to have such a unique voice that is eerily reminescent of a much younger Michael Stipe of R.E.M. And after listening to their first two albums, I was astounded to find out that this album sounds much like their other two albums; but its still a really good album that's very original. This album seems to be much more influenced on keyboards and synthesizers though; as their first two albums seemed to be much more guitar-influenced.
The more and more I listen to this album, the more I notice how Interpol doesn't really have a difference between faster and slower songs; as they seem to have their own, different tempo than everyone else. But where this album's true bests are in the feel, and atmosphere it creates. The album has a heavy darker vibe, and a bit of a spacy, dreamy atmosphere which not many bands can accomplishment. Songs like
Pioneer to the Falls which sounds eerily close to an R.E.M. hit with the vocals from Paul Banks sounding very close to Michael Stipe in certain sections and guitar work which sounds very close to an R.E.M. epic. The song is very catchy and sounds very 'epic'. But there's more on this album; as
No I in Threesome sounds a lot like their first two albums, but with more of a keyboard/synthesizer influence, as there's plenty of keyboards in it.
Some of the songs are almost all keyboard-driven like
The Lighthouse, a slower, yet solemn epic which manages to end this album in style with the distorted, echoing vocals. That's where this album differs as well; as Paul Banks' vocals are very distorted and echo in many of the songs on the album. There's so many different influences, styles, and techniques that come into play on
Our Love to Admire that it gets overwhelming.
But that doesn't draw much away from the album because it honestly is so unique and a breath of fresh air in an era that is dominated by bands that all sound alike. The darker, almost sexual, edgy feel is very abundant in
Our Love to Admire and just adds another sound and element to Interpol's music. Don't bother passing this album up; its a great one that is a very good, unique, yet nostalgic trip through 80s punk.
DOWNLOAD:
Pioneer to the Falls
Heinrich Maneuver
Wrecking Ball
