Is this motion everlasting or do shutters pass in the night?

Interpol: Antics

Antics is not all that different from Turn on the Bright Lights. The sound is a bit more polished, the reverb has been pulled back, but the big difference is a change in tone and theme. Where the debut was cold and full of winter, Antics sounds more hot, and deals a lot with boating, travel, love and other summer activities. Their sights are aimed to the great distances. As the first line of the album goes, ‘We ain’t going to the town, we’re going to the city.’ This first song is notable as the slowest they’ve written, the tempo of a drugged march. Paul Banks sings ‘we’ve been building up steam ignited by this fight,’ and invites us to join the Interpol army heading West.

The change in sound is subtle. Other than an increased presence of organ, the real difference is the force. Everything seems bigger and brighter, the bass and drums are very prominent. The second song, “Evil” is where the album really takes off, building up in pieces – ’sensitive to faith not denial, but hey who’s on trial?’ The guitars still rattle and spark out like alarms but they are no longer submerged or snowed under, but sharp and feeding off the energy of the rhythm section. The colder, more mournful parts stand out all the more in this context, especially the beautiful melodic section before the chorus in “Take You on a Cruise” which feels all the icier in the heat.

While it doesn’t hit quite the same highs as Turn on the Bright Lights, this is a worthy successor.

93% => ****1/2 —Currently # 7 on my best of 2004 list—

~ by jshopa on May 21, 2008.