Interpol - The Other Side of Make Believe

For their seventh album, Interpol have taken a slow-burning approach. Anyone hitting play on ‘The Other Side of Make Believe’ hoping to find an indie punk banger along the lines of ‘Slow Hands’ or ‘PDA’ might come away feeling short changed: this is not an album that favours catchiness, but atmosphere. This approach works best when the Manhattan trio infuse their sounds with a touch of the cinematic. Sunny opener ‘Toni’ is the strongest and most immediate offering here by far, held aloft with floaty piano and pounding drums, while ‘Something Changed’ simmers moodily with Paul Banks’ low croon lending an air of murkiness. There’s a reason their music has been used so frequently in TV shows (most famously soundtracking Joey and Rachel’s first kiss in Friends) - it’s where they’re at their best. Conversely, the songs lacking this feeling of drama are less memorable. Though it’s one thing for music to be slow-burning, the likes of the all-too-placid ‘Fables’ and the aimless, Coldplay B-side-esque ‘Go Easy (Palermo)’ don’t stand a chance of even briefly setting alight. This is an album that asks for patience, and only on occasion is it duly rewarded.