Interpol-Our Love to Admire

Although many fans have been waiting around for Interpol to replicate the magic of their 2002 debut TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS, the band deserves credit for not overtly aping the formula of that album. On 2007's OUR LOVE TO ADMIRE, as on the group's sophomore effort ANTICS, Interpol endeavor to stretch the fabric of their classic 1980s post-punk sound while leaning toward straightforward pop territory. They succeed, to a large degree, thanks to a major label budget (the band moved to Capitol for this release) and a strong batch of material. None of this is to say that Interpol aren't still rooted in the dark dramatics of Joy Division, the band's primary influence, as the gloomy, churning "Pace is the Trick" and "Wrecking Ball" prove. But the upbeat feel of "The Heinrich Maneuver" and the thumping groove and catchy hooks of "No I in Threesome" show a fresher-faced Interpol, as do the ambitious production flourishes of tunes like opener "Pioneer to the Falls." The album's nicest surprise comes at the end: "The Lighthouse" is a spare, emotionally affecting song, lovely and haunting, illustrating--as the rest of the album does--the band's continued ability to captivate.