A casual observer – and listener – might find in the New York band Interpol and their debut album Turn On the Bright Lights (2002) a typical indie rock sound emerging from the alternative Williamsburg neighborhood. However, a quartet, at the time composed of Paul Banks (vocalist and guitarist), Daniel Kessler (guitarist and backing vocalist), Carlos Dengler (bass and keyboards), and Samuel Fogarino (drummer), a contract with a major independent label, Matador, and talented producers, Gareth Jones and Peter Katis , who understood the message the group wanted to convey, turned their debut into something monumental.
The album is a work of its time. Post-9/11 New York devastated the United States and the world, and of course, this was reflected in the music. At the time, the city had lost its luster and was no longer the young and cultural hub it once was – and one day became again. The city became a dark, complicated place full of disconnection. Turn On the Bright Lights reflects this and becomes so true with its emotional details that it rings true even for those who have never set foot in the city.
Many still compare this intensity to Joy Division , and indeed there are some similarities, but where Interpol differentiates itself is in its more theatrical and paradoxical atmosphere. Each of the album's eleven tracks conveys a raw and unsettling need, while simultaneously possessing a delicate serenity.
An example of this is the opening track of the album, “Untitled”: “I will surprise you sometimes/ I'll come around/ When you're down.” Here, Banks sings gently over a guitar full of echoes. The words are melancholic, but assertive, and set the tone for the album.
With this intensity, Interpol automatically established itself as a force in indie rock, setting an example for many bands that would come after. To this day, groups like The Killers, Editors, and The xx cite the band, and especially the album, as an inspiration.
Buy your ticket here for the Interpol show in Brazil..
Antics
Two years after Turn On the Bright Lights , the group released Antics , another acclaimed and important album for their career. For vocalist Paul Banks, this is his favorite album by the band. He stated this during a 2018 interview with Vice : “I really put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this record.”
Banks also stated that his confidence in the album's quality acted as "the perfect antidote to the sophomore slump," and the group overcame the pressure and was able to "dive right back in."
Drawing heavily from its predecessor, Antics wasn't condemned to a shameful life as a monotonous sequel to Turn on The Bright Lights . The work still draws on the band's most sentimental and troubled experiences and transforms them into something moving and powerful. Furthermore, Interpol dabbles in some danceable songs, showing that everyone can have their fun side.
Today the band consists only of Paul Banks, Daniel Kessler, and Samuel Fogarino. Dengler left in 2010 to pursue other projects. Banks took on the additional role of bassist instead of hiring a new one.
Show in Brazil
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of both releases, Interpol brings all that intensity and melancholy to Brazil in June. The group will perform three shows: June 5th at Vivo Rio, in Rio de Janeiro, and June 7th and 8th at Audio, in São Paulo.