Antics - Interpol

Advantages: Fantastic lyrical content, beautiful vocals, a brilliant example of what rock can be.
Disadvantages: Some songs lack the spark that most featured here possess.

...also recommend. Antics is a delicious cocktail of vast guitars, harmonious vocals, and mind swirling lyrics, and I think it is quite accessible, as it seems more crisp and clear than their debut. Despite having all the songs on my computer already, I simply had to own the real deal! ... Read review

Advantages: More accomplished and upbeat than their debut
Disadvantages: None

Having previously written a glowing review of Interpol's debut album from 2002, 'Turn On The Bright Lights', it seems only fitting that I write a review of their follow up album - or the much dubbed 'difficult second album'. Where many New York 'hipster' bands have failed in the opinions of some, (taking The Strokes 'Room On Fire' as the prime example), Interpol have grown and developed their sound into something quite their own now. 'Antics' is ...
...'the real deal' and justify their hype. Following on from glowing critical acclaim from their debut and a huge underground and cult following on the UK/US indie scene, the debut didn't trafer into huge sales for the band. This is not surprising however, in a period that was full of countless Ramones pinching flash-in-the-pan bands with here today, gone tomorrow hits. Interpol had their eye on long term aspirations choosing to grow as a band and ... Read review

Advantages: It's all power and emotion, hugely taut as a song set.
Disadvantages: You need to be in the mood for it to enjoy it

...get this track, this album and this band. And how they've done something different and done it well enough that you want to listen to it more than any other. Sure enough, Antics isn't uniformly brilliant, hence the less than unequivocal rating that follows, but when it's good it's great. ... Read review

Advantages: Great follow up album! Exceeded expectations
Disadvantages: Not enough songs! We want more interpol!

Very Very good album! I was long awaiting this album after having purchased the first Interpol album, and therefore there a certain amount of expectation as the first one was so brilliant! But it turned out to be even better than I first thought! One thing I will say, is that the lead singer does have a fairly unusual voice, which on first hearing does take a bit of getting into, but is also highly effective in accompanying the great music which ...
...which is in itself a great song, but also a lot slower than most of the other songs, and after having listened to the album before, I find it hard to avoid skipping this as all the other songs are so amazing! But no way is this a bad song. As far as the other songs go, the favourites for me are the very powerful and melodic "evil" There is something about the way the leads voice and the music mix together to form such an amazing sound in all their ... Read review

Advantages: A more consistent album than the enchanting debut
Disadvantages: A few tracks that don't quite hit the spot ...frustrating...

Now myself, being a firm fan of Interpol, bought this album with high expectations, still riding on the goosebumps that the classic debut 'Turn On The Bright Lights' gave me. To be perfectly honest i was shocked, the album past by in a blur, with only the single at the time 'Slow Hands' and the truly fabulous 'Not Even Jail' and its frantic build ups really shining from the 10 tracks. However, i was determined to make something of this album, and ...
...'grower' it was this. Repeat listens highlighted favourites such as the frightfully witty 'Evil', a track that starts with Carlos D's enigmatic bass and Paul's trademark vocals. 'Narc' is a track focussed around Daniel's haunting guitar riff, building up an atmosphere of tension and release by the time of the chorus, a truly romantic song in my opinion. Recent single 'C'Mere' is almost musical perfection from this band, and a song which truly stood ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent album holds its own amongst 2004's greats
Disadvantages: Some rather odd tracks

...Kasabian are a four-piece from Leicester, in the UK. This, their self-titled debut album, is a contender for "Album of 2004", which is saying something, because that was also the year in which the brilliant Hopes and Fears (Keane), Antics (Interpol) and Hot Fuss (Killers) were released, amongst others. Definitely a class year, and yet Kasabian fits straight in. The opening track, Club Foot is a good harbinger for the album. It's really difficult to describe it (or indeed any of the songs) without using the word "fuses". But this is exactly what it does, bringing together 1980s synth pop with 1990s Indie rock to form a guitar track that is heavily distorted, and overlaid with synth strings. It helps of course, that this is a very high-energy track that opens the disc with tremendous verve before all-but ingesting itself to pave the way... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: 80s revivalists, great tunes
Disadvantages: None, for a change

...THESE ------------------------------------------- Ultravox: The Collection (1985) Joy Division: Permanent (1995) New Order: Power Corruption & Lies (1983) Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand (2004) Interpol: Antics (2004) U2: The Unforgettable Fire (1984) Hot Hot Heat: Bandages single (2002) IN A NUTSHELL ----------------------- The sounds of synth drenched 1982 in 2004 with Duran Duran, Blancmange and U2 driving the bus while Gary Numan fights with Joy Division on the top deck! Thanks for reading.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Catchy "darker" pop-rocksongs, got its moments,
Disadvantages: mostly lame verses, the songs only go off in the chorus (if at all),

...any songs. I actually got a bit annoyed because how can I have a valid opinion on a band if I never even heard them . So when one of these magazines had a CD in it including "Camera" I should've been satisfied with finally knowing them. But I wasn't. I liked the song and it actually did give me a feeling not far from when I started loving Interpol's second album "Antics". I normally don't just go and buy an album because I like one song of it but this time, being in the Netherlands alone I wanted to treat myself and try it out. After weeks of waiting I finally held my copy of "The Back Room" in my hands. The design is well done. The booklet consists only of some nice, a bit pseudo artsy photographs of each band member in black/white. This seems to be "cool" nowadays, look at other "indie-charters"' CDs like the Killers' (urgh). So... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful