Sometimes a band will trick me into giving them one more chance. COUNTING CROWS and LIVE are famous for suckering me into getting their records only to be disappointed after I listen to them three or four times. Which is why INTERPOL makes me sad. I am afraid they are another of those sucker bands. I really thought when their first record came out we were witnessing the beginning of a great band. I gave them the benefit of the doubt on the second record because they were trying to come to terms with their "it" band status. 2007's "Our Love To Admire" was so scatter shot that it is now almost unlistenable. But here I am trying to absorb the latest self-titled release an trying to remain positive.When I heard "Lights", the free track to tease the record, I was hopeful. It appeared to have some of the early energy of the bands first record. It's got the right amount of obtuseness to the lyrics and the guitar line is hypnotizing. And therein lies the problem. Just like that I was suckered in to getting the record. The rest of the record sounds exactly the same. Now before you jump on my case and say "well you liked that song so shouldn't you then like the whole record?" let me counter. No, variance to an album is a good thing. Songs with different structures keep the listener invested after one listen. "Barricade", "Success", and "Summer Well" have the same mid tempo, off kilter guitar thing going as "Lights". They are in many ways interchangeable. "Try It On" at least changes the drum patterns and has a weird burlesque piano vibe for a bit before the traditional song chorus kicks in. But the whole thing seems like just a rehash of the last two records.
Now I may revisit this album in a month or so to see if my thoughts have changed. Sometimes that happens, but something tells me it will just be another record that resides in my itunes without a playlist attached to it...
(mp3) Interpol -- Lights (LINK REMOVED BY REQUEST)
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