"Come and see me and maybe you'll die..." Interpol’s sixth studio album reignites the spark that made Turn On The Bright Lights so special, influenced perhaps by the band’s decision to interrupt the writing process to tour their debut album in full before finishing writing and recording. It’s easily their most listenable album released this decade, not to mention their best art direction since Bright Lights. After self-producing their last two records, the band chose to work with Dave Fridmann (of Mercury Rev) in his analog studio in upstate New York, recording live as a unit and cutting straight to tape, eschewing ProTools. This brings out a certain warmth that’s totally new to the Interpol sound, and the hot drums and gooey compression of “The Rover” almost sounds more like Tame Impala or The Flaming Lips than the band that made the clinical-sounding “Slow Hands” or “Obstacle 1” (which we love). Nevertheless, Paul Banks’ witty songwriting is front and center, and the lyrics for tracks like “Stay In Touch” “Surveillance” and “NYSMAW” indicate he’s growing more comfortable as Interpol’s protagonist. Sam Fogarino’s drumming is loose and funkier than ever, having taken inspiration from Al Jackson Jr. as well as Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and closing track “It Probably Matters” is probably the most soulful tune of the band’s career. Indie-exclusive cream colored vinyl pressing, housed in printed inner sleeve with full album lyrics and download code.

• cream colored vinyl pressing
• indie exclusive
• full-color pic sleeve w/ red interior + high-gloss accents
• printed inner sleeve w/ red interior + high-gloss accents
• digital download included
• limited edition
• music label: Matador 2018

reviewed by sakura incident 09/2018