Coming off a totally different conveyor belt to that of the Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs was never going to be easy. Showing the darker side of NYC, even harder. Whilst neatly sidestepping the converse and suit jacket chic and heading straight for the suits, Interpol have always been somewhat unfashionable musically in comparison to many of their Big Apple contemporaries. They could easily have by passed the radar, but after the hopelessness of ‘Turn on the Bright lights’, new album ‘Antics’ has elements of hope, even if it is tainted.
It sees a similar thread of resignation, much like ‘Turn on the Bright Lights’ but is decidedly more accomplished. ‘Slow Hands’ is to ‘Antics’ what ‘Obstacle 1’ was to ‘Turn on the Bright Lights’ in being a new fan/cult favourite. Amidst the brooding and Paul Banks monotonic majesty Interpol’s understated charm shines through. The majority of the songs are still centred on love lost and scorned, but amongst the sadness there are moments where a new sense of pragmatic reflection surfaces. ‘Love can you love me?’ compared with ‘Touch your thighs I’m the lonely one’ from ‘Narc’ reflect both angles of the Interpol spectrum. It’s the combination of Banks forceful self degradation, ‘Take you on a cruise’, and self realisation ‘Evil’ that run the gauntlet of self pity, but it’s so much more.
Granted this form of optimism has limited feel good factor, but at least it’s the antithesis to the Polyphonic Spree’s cacophony. Summed up in ‘Evil’: ’Your pleasure’s set upon slow release’. Resignation has never been so charismatic. Or well dressed.