Our Love to Admire is an Interpol record. This, we learned from their sleek and seductive sophomore album Antics, means the album should be a certain kind of product (to be reductive: a little Joy Division, a little neo-garage rock, often tight, usually intriguing). Yet, it seems this time around, Interpol strayed, and the result is a subpar album.
"The Heinrich Maneuver" is jittery fun (despite its clichéd kiss-off lyrics); "The Scale" is rapid-fire arpeggios and a groovy rhythm section (that becomes a bit redundant); the guitar whines and hallowed calls of closer "The Lighthouse" are slight and heartfelt (until they are overshadowed and marred by a full-band outro).
Starting to get the picture? Even the good tracks are needlessly flawed.
"Rest My Chemistry" bounces on a nice guitar waltz that is both Buddy Holly and the Pixies, but the song overstays its welcome; "Mammoth" often sounds too Spinal Tap for comfort; and the rather enjoyable "No I in Threesome" doesn't mix its sincerity with its lyrics (or title).
Ultimately, Interpol is too good to release a paltry knockoff like this. One can only hope the next Interpol record is a return to form.
