Interpol
 Antics

By Anthony DeCarlo

Lucky listeners avoid MTV and so-called rock radio.  They frequent the numerous rock venues in NYC’s Meat-Packing District and Lower East Side. To those in the know, these and other hot spots have recently offered a number of quality albums by newer rock and pop bands. 

While Linkin Park/Jay-Z mash-ups and Breaking Benjamin masterworks crowd the airwaves and record-store displays, the general public has gone unaware of this new, “indie” trend of quality releases.  Among the bands fighting the good fight is NYC’s Interpol, who despite their efforts (and occasional magazine covers) are still flying under the radar.

Although their first release, 2002’s Turn on the Bright Lights, garnered Interpol quick comparisons to bands like Joy Division, their sophomore effort, Antics, sees a more mature Interpol recreating and refining their sound.  However, the band takes special care not to wholly expunge the prevalent 80’s gloom-pop influence that serves them so well.

Antics overflows with all the dark, melancholy, yet somehow hopeful synth-pop flavored rock one could hope for.  The album delivers catchy hooks, ethereal keyboards, choppy guitars, and enough interesting chord structures and splits to make even the kids at Berklee happy, despite the inconsistent track arrangement.

Not the most exciting way to kick everything off, the slow, churchy feel of “Next Exit” nonetheless provides an effective segue into one of the more upbeat and catchy songs on the album, “Evil”.  Three tracks later, you arrive at the album’s standout number, “Slow Hands”, whose lush arrangement, clever stops, and equally driving and memorable chorus create the best “break into Interpol” song they’ve recorded to date.  At 41:39, the album neither overstays its welcome nor leaves too much to be desired.  If the material found on Antics indicates Interpol’s future direction, another quality release can surely be expected.