Interpol - Our Love To Admire

bugler

I managed to resist the urge to download this in advance of its release, even though I was bursting at the seams to hear it. I finally got my clammy hands on it yesterday, and while I have yet to form a definitive opinion on it (that may well take 10-12 listens, and/or a couple of months) my first impressions are very positive.

It has a strong opening half (like their previous two albums), and "No I in Threesome" is up there with their best tracks yet. Over the past few years they have been quietly putting together a seriously impressive body of work, and I hope there are a few more albums in them to come.

MikeHoncho

Im loving it so far as well. Im not sure if it will have the staying power that Bright Lights and Antics have but it still a great album. Alot of the tracks work really well live too. One of the best live acts ive ever seen. The album has an amazing opener. Favourite song so far is Rest My Chemistry.

Lunar Junkie

I'm very disappointed by it.. except for a small handful of decent tracks they sound like they've totally run out of ideas, it feels like a re-run of 'Antics' but with less conviction.. Plus your man's lyrics have gone from charmingly offbeat to just cringingly awful: "you look just like a daisy in my lazy eye"?! "I got this soul and it's all fired up!" "I live my life on cocaine, some rage and three types of yes!" "Who do you think that is there? I came to fight, I am in the air!" "I've seen love and I follow the speed of the starlight!" - Bon Jovi could do better.. Can't see myself ever choosing to hear it over Turn on the Bright Lights, at this stage.

princess-sprkle

i love it, 'there's no i in threesome' is ace.
its taken a bit longer to grow on me than the other 2 but i'm loving it big time at the moment!

Blackpitts

as a HUGE Interpol fan, I was really looking forward to listen at this 3rd album.
I've it on just now and the first impression is that it's quite dark (more similar to the 1st album) and it has not the power of some hits like PDA or Slow hands, but i see they are not repeating themself (I was concerned about it) and I'll take few times to appreciate it completely. Final comment: positive!

judas101

gonna pick me up a copy this week (yes I still but cd's)

the new tracks i saw them play recently were fantastic.

Mammoth was especially good. Quite droning and very powerful. looking forward to hearing the studio version.

Blackpitts

I really feel sorry, but I agree 100% with the review I quote here:

After listening to this album from beginning to end about a dozen times now, I can conclude this is an extremely mediocre album. After releasing their debut masterpiece Turn On The Bright Lights in 2002, Interpol unknowingly set off a watershed of post-punk rockers culling the territory mined by bands such as Joy Division, Echo & The Bunnymen, New Order, and The Cure in the late 70s and 80s. With all the Franz Ferdinands, Killers, Editors and Braverys in the world streaming a re-energized enthusiasm for 80s synth-washes with more modern dance hooks, Interpol perhaps felt threatened in their role as avatars of the post-punk revival. With Our Love To Admire, it seems fairly obvious now that for the most part, Interpol have exhausted their muse. As they did with Antics, they seem determined to water down their own signature sound into what they believe will be more palatable to masses and compete on the floors of alt-rock dance clubs. The result is that Our Love To Admire comes off as some kind of Interpol-Lite: 2/3s of the album are comprised of the same formulaic up-tempo, brooding-Killers pastiche that defined Antics. However, there are moments here that are extremely worthwhile to any Interpol fan. The best songs on this album are the ones that Interpol allow to expand: opener "Pioneer" is transcendent with its wailing walls of guitar, the clean orchestrations, and the kind of unresolved tension and anti-climax that recalls the best aspects of Bright Lights. And while other standouts "No I In Threesome," "Mammoth, "Wrecking Ball" and "The Lighthouse" may excel sonically, the album as a whole disappoints lyrically. Paul Banks' vocals are front-and-center in the mix (where did Carlos D go??), and more versatile (read: less monotonous) than on previous outings, but his lyrics obsessing over coked-out groupies and his own self-indulgent rock-star lifestyle are embarrassing, and pale in comparison to the vivid and violent imagery that defined Bright Lights and provided the sole cohension on Antics. Cringe-worthy lyrics, and only modest developments musically, 5/10 is extremely generous.

11811

ah come on,its well above average, fair enough a few of the lyrics do sound a tad cheesy, but not over all. the vocals sound quite well in my opinion, infact an improvement , sound wise on the previous albums, also the more wide sread use of backing vocals was nice.. it think its an excellent album, the addition of a producer has really broadened the bands sound.

\as far as the review goes... "the vocals are in front and center" - well thats usually were one will find them on the majority of records.

"wheres carlos d?" - em, i hear a fair amount of good bass lines. and i wonder who wrote those lush key arrangments?..............

great album, credit where its due.........

ghostdancer

editors now do interpol better than interpol. pity.

mr_angry

Last week, I would have agreed with every bit of criticism levelled at the album here. However, having given it a week, I now think that its a magnificent album. Comparing it to the other two albums is difficult -- after all, they are two of my favourite ever albums -- but after a while, I'm really getting a sense of the mood of the recording, and I like it a lot.

Yeah, Banks' lyrics are all about coked-out groupies and the rock 'n' roll lifestyle... what does it matter? You have to take your inspiration from somewhere, and that seems as valid as anything else. All that matters is that it works musically, and in my opinion, it certainly does.

Admittedly, I found it more difficult to pick out Carlos' basslines. The album doesn't have a bass-heavy opener like "Untitled" or "Evil", but after a few listens, I've started to notice them in "Rest My Chemistry" and "Who Do You Think" particularly. I also disagree with the reviewer's statements on disco-like tempo... I think this record is quite dark and down-tempo, and certainly doesn't pander to the masses.

I'd give it 8.5/10 at the moment.

Jonny Arson

First Interpol album that I've liked immediately, alot better than Antics which did nothing for me. I don't think Our Love To Admire will receive anything like the praise and infatuation that too many people have with Turn On The Bright Lights but either way it's a good solid album.

bugler

It's a good divisive release

Some of the abuse it has taken has been merciless. Even on TOTBL which is one of my top albums, there are parts I skip through. It has a flabby middle section where nothing really happens. OLTA has a similar problem. There are some very ordinary tracks in the middle, but the opening and closing tracks of the album are very good.

I really like "Wrecking Ball" - it is not something I ever saw Interpol coming up with. The vocals have changed a lot since TOTBL, which was evident to a lesser extent on Antics. The rhythm section is less prominent than before, only the band can explain why this is.

Oh, and the lyrics have always been ropey. Anyone who has spent time trying to decipher the inane ramblings of Mr Banks on 'Hands Away' or 'Roland' knows that.

Some sections of the press and fans seemed intent on labelling this as an attempt to break the mainstream (probably because they signed to a bigger label), which I just don't see or hear from the album. The name of the band or album are not even present on the rather strange sleeve (only on the spine, though I see a sticker has been foisted on the packaging in some stores), there isn't even a tracklisting on the back of the CD, and the contents of the booklet are hardly expressive: No lyrics, more pictures than there are words, and the single dedication from all four members? "Thank You". To me, it's all comfortingly austere

There is a lot of disappointment out there among fans - including some long-time fans from the TOTBL era. I'm just grateful I've found something to appreciate in the new album. There are 3/4 tracks here that I'd stick on an album length Interpol playlist and that counts as a decent result for me.

Blackpitts

yeah i know, it's me again :-)
after a week of intense listening, this album is growing and growing...I gave it a 5 last monday, I'm giving a 7 now.
Many songs are really cool and it took me a while to like them, this is a good sign because it means that i won't get tired of this album soon.
however, I still miss the bass lines of the previous 2 albums and a some sort of energy of few old songs. the result is that this is a great album but not their best one.

11811

its definitely a grower alright!

Jim

mr_angry wrote:

Last week, I would have agreed with every bit of criticism levelled at the album here. However, having given it a week, I now think that its a magnificent album. Comparing it to the other two albums is difficult -- after all, they are two of my favourite ever albums -- but after a while, I'm really getting a sense of the mood of the recording, and I like it a lot.

Yeah, Banks' lyrics are all about coked-out groupies and the rock 'n' roll lifestyle... what does it matter? You have to take your inspiration from somewhere, and that seems as valid as anything else. All that matters is that it works musically, and in my opinion, it certainly does.

Admittedly, I found it more difficult to pick out Carlos' basslines. The album doesn't have a bass-heavy opener like "Untitled" or "Evil", but after a few listens, I've started to notice them in "Rest My Chemistry" and "Who Do You Think" particularly. I also disagree with the reviewer's statements on disco-like tempo... I think this record is quite dark and down-tempo, and certainly doesn't pander to the masses.

I'd give it 8.5/10 at the moment.

I agree with this statement.

Blackpitts

definitely MY Chemistry is the song ... to admire....
it reminds me of "where is my mind" (pixies) but it's so beautifully Interpol...

conZ

Wait until ye hear the track 'Mind Over Time' on the Japanese version of the album.

Bubs101

I think it's far more immediate than the other two. I've only had it for a couple of days now and I'm expecting it to get better over time as Interpol album's always do

Brendygg

Great album, Pace is the Trick and Wrecking Ball great tracks. Looking forward to the gig in december.

donaghs

Liked the first two albums. I'm only two songs in but it sounds like they are slowly trying to reach a different sound, but just going through the motions of sounding like Interpol. And it lacks standout tunes.

MikeHoncho

donaghs wrote:

Liked the first two albums. I'm only two songs in but it sounds like they are slowly trying to reach a different sound, but just going through the motions of sounding like Interpol. And it lacks standout tunes.

Give it time. Its a seriously good album but everyone seems to be in agreememnt that its a slow burner. One day you will be in the right frame of mind when you are listeneing to it and the you will get it. Rest my chemistry is the best song but props go out to Pioneer to the falls as a really strong opener.

hotnipples

Love it, Pace is the trick is my favourite on the album, has that sort of epic feel that Not Even Jail had (which is my overall favourite interpol song). Not as good as the first two albums imo, I agree with the statement above that it has few really standout tunes, theres no Slow Hands or PDA style immediately accesible songs here, the closest to that being The Heinrich Maneuver. Lyrics are notably dodgy in places, but I can overlook that tbh. (Ive got this soul, its all fired up.. sounds like something an immature nu-metal band would scream - I love the song otherwise - the bass for example is fantastic - but the lyrics are cringeworthy.) You have to put in a few listens to get the best out of it.

<SNIP>

MikeHoncho

<snip>

John

Do not mention MCD events on this forum, please. Next person will be banned.

floyd333

Liked the first album, Loved the second. This does nothing for me. Gave it loads of chances, 'tis a shame as i was really looking forward to it:(

Stompbox

Fantastic album IMO, much more immediate than TOTBL and Antics I feel. I still those funkeh disco-death grooves we got from Carlos and Sam on TOTBL though.

can.music.rocks

floyd333 wrote: »

Liked the first album, Loved the second. This does nothing for me. Gave it loads of chances, 'tis a shame as i was really looking forward to it:(

I totally agree sadly....:( I've been reading this thread and trying to give it time but its not growing like I had hoped. I was REALLY excited about this album and always say Interpol are one of my top 5. Maybe I had my hopes up too high

Xavi6

Ah it's a decent album. Not amazing but enough to keep me listening to them. Just found out they're playing here in Feb and this album certainly hasn't put me off going.

Keano

Ignore me!! Mental state not good these times!!