A blast from the past, coming back for more

The post-punk household band Interpol, has released their latest album, The Other Side of Make-Believe. Bringing back their classic tones, the band now brings forth a new refined tone as well, making new for fans just joining and refreshing for fans from the past.

This early-2000s group found its start in Manhattan, NY back in 1997. From formation to 2001, the band released many EPs filled with music, until being discovered and signed to Matador Records in 2001. By 2002 the band released their debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights. From there the group became a household name releasing five more albums with their latest, The Other Side of Make-Believe coming as their sixth studio album.

Single, “Toni” welcomes listeners to the album with a calming piano and guitar combination. The gentleness of this track brings forth the refined and matured tone for the ageless band. This growth plays the biggest part within the vocals, showcasing a clear resonance with the vocals, losing the gritty tone from their previous albums. Overall, “Toni” is a well-balanced track that gracefully shows off each element from guitar, and bass to drums and vocals 

Bringing in the nostalgic tones, “Fables” brings in the elements of their previous gritty energy, yet a bit subdued. The track just like “Toni” offers a calming mature tone, however, the guitar that plucks and strums in the background of the full track offers this post-punk element, lending a modern twist on the band’s classic tone. This track feels like it’s reaching for that fast punch grittiness, yet it just doesn’t seem to make it, leaving the ears craving more punch by the end of the song.

“Renegade Hearts” musically offers a vast soundscape filling both speakers, yet the vocals seem to be a bit out of place. Many guitar textures come about within this track, along with the hopping bass and vibrant drums, the vocals, in the end, seem to almost be out of place. The song offers such a lush soundscape, that the vocals don’t seem to fully imprint onto the instrumental. 

Bringing the labrum to a close, “Go Easy (Palermo)” seems to be the highlight track. The song starts quite soft, tricking the listener to think it will be a gentle end, just like the gentle start. Quickly, the percussion crashed through creating a very hoppy, and upbeat beat. While the drums bounce along the guitar floats about with lush ambient reverb, yet keeping its dirty distorted voicing. 

Despite some bumps within the album, Interpol certainly has delivered with their most recent release of The Other Side of Make-Believe. This album is worth the listen for both any old-school fans or fans just joining the Interpol party.