AMG Review of Interpol

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

A lot about Interpol suggests that it's a statement of purpose, from its eponymous title to the fact that it was released by Matador, where the band released its best material. There is a back-to-basics feel: producer Alan Moulder gives the band a more muscular attack by pushing the rhythm section to the fore. Interpol spends the first half of the album shoring up their strengths, particularly well on "Barricade," which could have appeared on Turn on the Bright Lights. Despite the direct sonics, many of these songs take some time to understand; even the single "Lights" is more insistent than catchy, with a drilling riff that builds into a dark meditation on love and control. The band sounds fresher than they have in some time.