Interpol - s/t EP
(Matador)
It is not too frequently that I get to throw a CD into my player by a band that I know absolutely nothing about. This EP by the New York-based Interpol has given me a glimpse at a new (to me) band and has left me rather interested to see what their continued output is like. The accompanying press information tells me that this is the band's 3rd EP and that there will be a full-length album on Matador to greet us all in August. Not a lot of information, I know (apart from a great, creepy Devo/early 1980s-ish picture of the band in full suits that is priceless and, unfortunately, not recreated here), I know.
There's not a lot of flash here, and no mind-numbing exposure to any sort of new musical twists or turns, but rather a solid sixteen-minute rock record. Similar to the Strokes, the Hives, and the White Stripes, Interpol has staked a claim for themselves as rockers who do not need any additional label. Whereas those other bands explore rock music from the 1970s or punk, Interpol has worked with some of the better aspects of "college rock" from the 1980s and early 1990s and created a very satisfactory result. The lineup is simple: two guitars, bass and drums. Nothing more elaborate than that, but the end result is quite satisfying.
"PDA" starts the disc out of the box in a hurry, giving the listener a quick burst of solid and somewhat angular guitar rock. The track moves from a dual-guitar attack that simply grinds ahead, jumping over to the ride-heavy bridge about a minute into the track. Paul Banks' vocals blend and match the music without flaw—they create a sense of urgency that matches the franticness of the song's earlier portion, but definitely a hyperactivity that is somewhat reserved and brash.
The middle track, "NYC," slows the pace seriously down. This mid-tempo number is quite moody and laden with atmospheric guitar work. The vocals stand out considerably more so than on the first track, almost out of necessity. Beyond this makeshift description, I'm at a bit of loss for further description of this one.
The EPs final track, "Specialist," might just be the disc's best. The action starts out with a slow burn that just tells you that something more loud and bombastic is on the way and that it's just a matter of time. The calm pace moves up to the minute and a half point in this six and a half minute song with a quick tease of a harder tempo that rapidly calms back down the original sound. The intensity does pick up and remain that way before long. As I hear this track I simply can't help but feel like I'm listening to some
sort of old and otherwise unreleased Mission of Burma song—the feeling is definitely present and that's definitely a good thing.
So, I feel like this review hasn't really said a lot, but then there's only so much you can say about a disc that lasts right at a quarter of an hour. I can say that this disc is definitely worth the four dollars that it supposedly retails for if you're looking for some rock with no frills. You've spent that four dollars in far worse ways before. Between now and August we'll both just have to enjoy this one while we wait to see what Interpol can do over a full album.
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