One of those collections of songs that can only be fully enjoyed with no distractions, preferably with headphones in a dark room. ‘Pioneer to the Falls’ opens the album with a single guitar hook and ghostly piano, introducing what sounds like a song that you’ve already heard a million times – willingly. It’s one of several from the album that would not be out of place alongside old favourites, quite a feat for a third album from any band.
‘Mammoth’ is simply a gig song. Right from the off it’s just the right tempo and energy for you to jump along without getting a stitch or feeling like a complete tit…”Now we should dance like two fucking twins”. Erm, not sure how that works but if it means knocking the breath out of oneself with one’s moves, I’m in!
It’s a little less inspiring listening to ‘All Fired Up’. On paper it sounds like a good’un, with some dark double bass and an interesting choice of opening lyrics: ‘I dream of you draped in wires…’ I can’t describe what it is that lets the song down but maybe that’s worse, an indication of sheer mediocrity, so I won’t dwell.
But it all picks back up again with ‘Who Do You Think?’ when it’s the turn of Sam Fogarino and his trusty drum kit to burst out of nowhere a little way in to the intro and carry through to the end with a view to tapping some feet somewhere. No hard task then.
There’s nothing difficult about ‘Our Love To Admire’, it’s just the natural successor to ‘Antics’ that’s easy to listen to and easy to love. And as for providing a benchmark for other such bands (Editors spring to mind), Interpol do it well, even 3 chapters in.