Interpol - Marauder
- Written by Danielle Gibson
You’d think that after a decade and a half, along with some of the other early 2000s indie rock bands, things would have fizzled out for New York trio, Interpol. Despite a minor set back with 2010’s self-titled LP, Marauder is everything and more that fans have been waiting for.
It all starts out stunningly well with ‘If You Really Love Nothing’. In his typical fashion, Paul Banks emotes his feelings of desire melancholically. The thumping of the drums, interwoven with Banks’ eerie vocals resonates to another level, enrapturing the listener from the start.
Lead single, ‘The Rover’ naturally sounds like a new Interpol song, or even an old one. Sounding similar to 2003’s ‘Say Hello to the Angels’, Sam Fogarino’s drums appear anxious and illusorily unpretentious while Bank’s lyrics remain dark. Fogarino’s drumming pounds its way throughout the album, particularly on tracks like ‘Stay in Touch’ and ‘Mountain Child’, with the former achingly leaking a dark resonance, depicting an illicit affair. Bank’s lyrics enthral that dark affair, “I came to see you in starlight and let electric fields yield to skin / Leave my head to spin, rush forward to leave my bed in sin.”
Perhaps something that would normally be overlooked are the interludes. They reverberate the mind and act as the balance between tracks. ‘Interlude 2’ chilling the soul, foreshadowing the end.
Taking up the first minute of the track, Number 10, is a prime example of guitarist Daniel Kessler’s stellar guitar work before plummeting into a distinctive rock-edged sound with Fogarino’s hard hitting drums and Bank’s lyrics; “Your secrets safe here / It’ll never leave / It’s in the basement for you, na’mean?” Probably the most life filling track of the album and a nice change of pace.
Interpol arouse those anxious feelings that typically most of us try to ignore and you wait for the release from the strain. Maybe you were expecting more from the sixth studio album, but certainly they have delivered a solid album that allows us to reminisce and hope for the future.