Interpol and Greenday redefine their sounds on new albums

Antics, Interpol (Matador Recods)

Interpol, the indie quartet made up of Paul Banks, Carlos Dengler, Sam Fogarino, and Daniel Kessler, released their second album, Antics, on Sept. 28. The band is based in New York City and has only gained publicity for their debut album through a very dedicated fan following. News of the innovative Turn On the Bright Lights, their first album, traveled mainly by word of mouth until it was finally discovered by the media.

Sophomore albums have not been very popular with listeners in recent years; just think of the media hype which surrounded The Strokes’s first album and how their second attempt was dubbed a poor copy of Is This It.

Interpol’s situation is far removed from The Strokes’s. They did not have the luxury of media attention for their truly spectacular first album, but have received more press coverage for their second record. NME, a music/entertainment magazine, began running articles on the band in the spring and have had frequent updates on the album’s progression.

The media can odten be too quick to write off an excellent piece of work, but Antics may surpass Turn On the Bright Lights in both quality and record sales. The band continues in the same new-wave style that characterized their first album, while garnering comparisons to the older Joy Division, even though the two are radically different. The first single from the album, “Slow Hands,” was number one on the NME Chart for the week of Sept. 5. Other notable tracks include “Next Exit,” “Take You On A Cruise,” and “Not Even Jail.”

Antics has more of a rock feel than Turn On the Bright Lights, which was more obscure and ethereal-sounding. In the new album, guitar tones sound more distinct and less synthesized. Their sound is grand, as if it were meant to be heard in an elegant concert hall.The songs tell stories of “romance, separation, anxiety, and relationships,” in Banks’s own words, similar to the content of their first album.

My favorite track is “C’mere.” The song follows in Banks’s theme of relationships; he sings, “the trouble is, that you’re in love with someone else.” This song also shows a transition for the band, as they begin to follow more of a typical verse-chorus-verse pattern, from which their debut album was a clear departure.

The final song on Antics, “A Time To Be So Small,” is more of a traditional Interpol song, especially concerning Banks’s vocal techniques. Many have complained that his voice changed noticeably on this album. Banks’s more melodic singing complements the band’s new style, just as his more monotone pitch complemented the melodies on Turn On The Bright Lights.

The recording process was far from elegant for Banks, who writes all of the band’s music. He said that creating the album drove him to a state of emotional deterioration and that it was his only focus for months. The rewards of this mental strain have been huge: a concert at London’s Scala on Sept. 14 sold out in five minutes and another London date had to be added to their schedule. The hype that the band received in London was eerily reminiscent to The Strokes’s debut in 2001.

The group will take the stage at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Nov. 11 and 12. Originally, the opening bands were The Secret Machines and On!Air!Library!, but The Secret Machines pulled out of the line-up.

In related news, the band has opened an art gallery at 199 Lafayette Street in New York, which displays works of art related to Interpol and sells various band mementos.
—Marcella Veneziale, Staff Writer

American Idiot, Green Day (Warner Brothers)

There have never been enough terms to describe Green Day’s unique musical compilations, lyrics and, rhythms. The only description I have ever heard that even attempted to fulfill this near impossible task was that of “nerd rock” where political, personal, and satirical comments meet constant beats and memorable melodies. Their albums of the past, Nimrod and Dookie, both fulfilled this definition, and their new album, American Idiot, released Sept. 21, is no different. Within this 21 track album Green Day attacks modern pop culture, depression, religion, and politics with melodies that just makes you want to sing along.

By far the longest of Green Day’s past efforts, the concept album Idiot combines short and sweet songs, such as the title track, with long epics like “Jesus of Suburbia,” a commentary on the loss of community in the latest generation and the problems it encompasses, particularly that of mental health. With five distinct sections, the nine minute song goes through several serious problems in this “land of make-believe,” all surrounding the theme of everyone being alone, isolated, and not caring about the word around them. “Lost children with dirty faces today/No one really seems to care.”

The melodies on this album vary greatly from one another, as well as from Green Day’s previously defined style. Many songs, such as “Give Me Novacaine/She’s a Rebel,” combine a strong driving guitar riff with a slow tempo to result in a passionate and moving ballad at first, then drift into a more standard Green Day punk rock rhythm in the second half. This combination maintains the fun nature of the band while giving more depth to their music.

One of the most moving songs on this album is “Whatsername,” a ballad with interspersed guitar riffs that describes an experience in almost everyone’s life—trying to forget someone, but continuing to wonder about them years later.

Overall, this album is characteristic of Green Day, yet shows incredible growth in melody and rhythm variation and length of songs as well as meaning and power of lyrics. This album is definitely one to buy.
—Deborah Temkin, A&E Editor