Interpol, an American rock band formed in 1997, released its fifth album, “El Pintor,” on Tuesday after a four-year hiatus and the departure of its bassist and keyboardist, Carlos Dengler.
Overall, the new album manages to maintain the band’s signature sound without feeling unoriginal.
It opens with Interpol’s single, “All The Rage Back Home,” a mix of modern alternative-pop bordering on guitar-driven rock.
Musically, the song is well-mixed, as the lightly-distorted guitars take center stage and stay powerful despite the song’s softer feel. The lyrics are not as interesting as the instrumental work, however, as verses are simple and lines are often repeated to fill time.
Songs like “Ancient Ways” and “Anywhere,” however, are reminders of the band’s captivating sounds, which mix vigor and mystery to create a dream-like undercurrent.
Interpol is known for vocal filters, but they feel heavier this time around. The singing seems to take less precedent over the music, for better or worse.
Jake Hutchison can be reached at [email protected] or @poserpunk on Twitter.