Our Love To Admire

After listening to this album a very times I like it very much. But then I am an Interpol fan so maybe a bit biased. It's best to read some of the other reviews for a more in depth view. But this is an album I,m happy to own.

I know everyone says Antics is the best Interpol album but I still think OLTA is brilliant. I purchased this for the DVD primarily which is definitely worth it if you're an interpol fan like me but otherwise just stick with the audio cd and watch the vids on youtube.

Interpol's second LP Antics failed to commercially breakthrough, though the Interpol toured epically in support of it. Our Love to Admire is Interpol's major label debut, there is a distinct fear that the 'Pol (as they're never called etc...) might turn into a U2-band like The Killers, or worse, end up as a Simple Minds-style take on the dreary Editors. Our Love to Admire is quite reassuring, Interpol sounding like...Interpol - a glum, somewhat studied band who couldn't be mistaken for a Coldplay or Keane in any line-up. I've never really seen the frequent Joy Division-comparisons, apart from Paul Banks' vocals live and the first few seconds of 'PDA' - but there are definite reminders of bands from the past: Comsat Angels, the Bunnymen, The Sound, The Chameleons & Kitchens of Distinction. Interpol do manage to transcend these influences, and with Our Love to Admire they take the sound of Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics and give things a vaster treatment.With the Pol's drummer Sam Fogarino suffering nerve damage and bassist Carlos D blogging about classical music and starting to think about soundtracks, the Interpol sound has changed. It is in a wider screen, more expansive, though not remotely bombastic - epic opener 'Pioneer to the Falls' as classic an opener as 'Next Exit' or 'Untitled' - but with a dub quality and the kind of jazz-classical sound you'd expect from a late period Talk Talk record. I wasn't sure about this record first of all, probably scared it would be as empty as the last two U2 records - where Antics was fairly instant with songs like Evil, NARC, Slow Hands and C'Mere - Our Love to Admire isn't - the songs take awhile to reveal themselves, overall it feels like the original Bunnymen delivering a Spirit of Eden.'No I in Threesome' and 'The Scale' don't give the expected kicks, the former is like early REM with avant classical piano - a song that improves with every listen. I do hope the Interpol sets features more of this record, thus far they have only regularly played about 4 songs - 'No I in Threesome' should be one of them. 'The Scale' is another joy, having a riff that is sort of prog post-punk with expansive keyboards, this sounds like huge stuff, again, not bombastic - filling up space completely. The final section featuring a distorted E-Bow suggests they should focus more on the post rock than post punk - maybe they should release something that isn't song/vocal based in the future?Single 'The Heinrich Maneuver' will no doubt give those enamoured with Antics what they wanted, a pulsing 'Evil'-style rocker that offers a narrative of a disintegrating couple on the other side of the States. Suitably fractal and managing to get away with some of the slightly nonsensical lyrics of yore. Not many folk could get away with "today my heart swings!" - 'Heinrich' is a tight, angular beast and not that poppy, so probably quite a curious single choice - the concluding riffs are as tight as Josef Ferdinand or Fugazi. The next track 'Mammoth' initially sounds like the latter part of 'Heinrich', but instead reveals itself to be the centre of the album and probably the highlight. It sounds like Screaming Trees playing Psychedelic Furs, which is more than alright where I reside - a definite psychedelic vibe is detected with the swirling guitarscape. More please!!'Pace is the Trick' looks more to the ballad side of Interpol, a suitably epic sounding ballad that in time will no doubt take its place alongside 'NYC', 'The New', 'A Time So Small', or 'Public Pervert'. The next track 'All Fired Up' attempts a curious time signature, the sort of thing you get with Prince's 'Dance On' or Husker Du's 'Terms of Psychic Warfare' - sadly it doesn't completely hang together, perhaps this should have been saved for b-side-dom? 'Rest My Chemistry' restores the quality instantly, another of the new songs that has been regularly played on this years tour - time will tell if it is an Interpol classic, but it's already sounding like one, despite the fact the guitar reminds me lots of 'Where Is My Mind?' by The Pixies!!The final trio of songs will probably come across more with further listening, though it is possible a dud or three might be present. 'Who Do You Think' sounds a bit like songs like 'Obstacle 1' and 'Say Hello to the Angels', but at present doesn't sound as memorable as either. 'Wrecking Ball' is very, very keyboard heavy with chants and the like - Interpol are certainly trying; the closing track 'The Lighthouse' is an even more fractal affair, a little bit shoegaze, a little bit math/post rock - the band sounding they're moving more towards soundscapes akin to Seefeel, Sigur Ros, or Slowdive. The next Interpol record could be where things get really interesting? - in the meantime, this is a pretty decent third LP, Interpol advancing their sound and pointing towards their future. If you just want Antics or Turn on the Bright Lights again, why don't you just buy them again? In the meantime, there is Our Love to Admire...

For me the Interpol group's best album, wonderful vinyl, excellent remastering of this vinyl

Fantastic!

Great packaging, pretty bias as I already love Interpol another great album.

A perfect transation

Excellent