jaxvill's Full Review: Antics [Slipcase] by Interpol
After the black-hearted triumph of their debut Turn On The Bright Lights, most pundits assumed Interpol would be unable to keep up the pace on their second album. Bright Lights was in sync with the confused and cheated feelings of modern youth and the album sold somewhere in the region of 1 million copies. The songs on their debut were angular post punk poems of bad girls and butchers. Their second album, Antics, sees Interpol in a slightly more romantic and playful mood. The sharp guitar work and obscure lyrical references remain, honed to a brutal point. But the epic musical sweep that only swept down into the black on the first album sweeps up into distinctly more ethereal places on the second. Where Turn On The Bright Lights (heretofore referred to as TOTBL) was a masterpiece painted in black and dark dark dark red, Antics sees light and colour take a central place.
It would be remiss of me to completely ignore the popular argument that Interpol dress too well to be a great band. This is clearly bunkum. The truth is that unlike some of their fellow new rockers (specifically I'm thinking of Jet), Interpol marry a modern but accomplished sense of songwriting to their superficially amusing style.
Like TOTBL, Antics begins with a slow moody piece, Next Exit. The rhodes that begins the album is joined by Sam Fogarino's laid-back drumming. Next Exit feels like one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it's a good starter, and tells the listener assuredly that Interpol are on a different slant on this album. 2nd track Evil is one of the highlights, starting with Banks' trademark fast delivery in the verse then moving into an incredible chorus that builds and builds up to a joyous release at the end.
why can't we just look the other way
Interpol have not lost their knack for hooks either. Narc contains the beautifully strung out
she found a lonely sound/she keeps on waiting for time out there
over chiming organs and guitars to spectacular effect.
Paul Banks' singing voice retains its black hole-like power while the main stylistic change seems to be the replacing of some (not all) of the repetitious guitar underlays with organ backing. Narc leads into the more circular vision of Take You On A Cruise. Quizzical lines about Fred Astaire and Pit Bulls lead into a sweet but resigned breakdown, then a chorus which includes the line
you'll never see a finer ship in your life
Next track Slow Hands is the first single from the album, and an apt bridge between TOTBL and Antics. Starting with a familiar brutal guitar line at the start and then leading to the bridge asking
can't you see what you've done to my heart/and soul
and then the party chorus.
The first half of the album still bears the taste of fear and anger from TOTBL while the second half takes a moderately surprising left turn into affairs of the heart. Not Even Jail is a classic piece of post punk throughout the verse, with a classic Interpol guitar line, before switching to the modern, jagged chorus, which builds up to the not even jail refrain. Next track Public Pervert is my early favourite from the album, mainly because of Banks' command of the melody over the chorus. Throughout the album, the increase in musical skill is just breathtaking.
so swoon baby starry nights/may our bodies remain
Carlos D provides the song with a bass groove worth writing home about too. Again, his basswork is a star player, as it was on TOTBL. The Interpol rhythm section are a spectacular team. But then so are the songwriting team of Banks and Daniel Kessler, who has basically carved out his own aesthetic while other noted guitarists imitate others'.
Next track C'Mere (the second in a series of fairly unfortunate names) is a more straightforward love song, about the girl that Banks just can't get. It's a very appealing rocker too, I guess you would call it simple in the context of the rest of Interpol's work. Length of Love starts off back in a more traditional Interpol style. The foreboding is then given over to another epic melody-driven chorus, which for some reason reminds me of a more evil The Smiths.
Final song A Time To Be So Small slows things down and takes longtime fans back to a more familiar place, with Banks' reference to 'cadaverous mobs' reminding me of the more gruesome parts of TOTBL.
So, to close, Interpol have come far since their monumental debut album. Where TOTBL was dense with darkness and repetition of despair, Antics is a gothic celebration of the beauty in our insignificant hearts. Fans of the first album should definitely check this one out. We sure are truly seeing something special.
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