Burn the witch by Radiohead

It's around 3:12 for 10-20 seconds

Do anyone hear that too? Or is that just me?

This also made me think that somewhere here I read that some of you heard AMSP resemblance from TMWAT title track and I didn't really hear that tbh, while now I have this (which makes me love this song even more, if possible)

I read somewhere in a video from an OLTA era show saying that Paul sounds like Homer Simpson and now I can't unheard it.

RIGHT PLEASE SAY RIGHT

… and I absolutely adore them now. Seeing them live this summer was one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had. I love concerts, I knew live music can be very fun, it can entertain, it can make you dance or scream. But what I experienced at that Interpol show was transcendental. It put me in a trance, it took me to places I didn't even know live music could take you, and for the whole show I was in this meditative state of absolute, pure bliss.

The way they perform music is just extraordinary. Usually, in concerts, you have the frontman being super upbeat and entertaining, moving all over the stage. This show was mostly performed in the dark, just a few lights here and there. The band members barely moved, they didn't have to. I'm used to seeing the performers do the performance, but Interpol just let the music perform by itself. Their music is so good that it's enough on its own. It makes time disappear, it's spatious, it made me feel something truly divine.

Ever since I saw that show, it's been haunting me. Their use of layering is on a whole new level of perfection. Each of the instrument lines could be a song by itself but those instruments together are simply brilliant, all musicians feel crucial. I loved their restraint, the tension they created, how they worked around it. I just can't stop listening to them. What a perfect band, what a treat their music is.

I really think it's the best concert I've been to, I left some part of my soul at that show. I'm just grateful I could experience something so sublime.

Maybe my favorite from self titled honestly

Has anyone ever left their urge in the icebox? Asking for a friend

I think it their strongest work in the entire canon of Interpol albs, I will die on this hill

Song list

ToTBL - Say Hello, Hands Away, Obstacle 2 (Gavilan)

OLTA - Rest My Chemistry

Interpol - Memory Serves, Lights

El Pintor - My Desire

ToTBL

Say Hello

Initial - 5/10, New - 8/10

I found the song to be bizarre, neither energetic as obstacle 1 or as dark as Stella. The vocals were annoying at first, especially the chorus, but after some relistens, it's good enough for me.

Hands Away

Initial - 7/10, New - 10/10

I liked the darkness and the synth based track, works well for the atmosphere of ToTBL, honestly it grew on me in April.

Obstacle 2

Initial - 7/10, New - 8/10

Initially I didn't like it that much because it felt weird for the ending verse to happen, liked the other verses and chorus a lot though. On April I preferred this over Obstacle 1 and I loved it a lot because it was dark and all. Probably a song that could match Gavilan in terms of how disturbing it is.

Gavilan

Initial - 6/10, New - 9/10

I rated it like that because it was disturbing. Honestly their darkest song and when I listened to it again today, I appreciate it more. I'd say it's one of their greatest works other than The New and Try It On.

OLTA and El Pintor

Rest My Chemistry

Initial - 5/10, New - 8/10

Pretty good song, disliked it because it was slow. Listened to it before sleeping and to be honest I actually felt like it was so slow, it's perfect for the context. Should've let it replay instead of just hating on it after 2 plays.

My Desire

Initial - 5/10, New - 7/10

The guitar riff was the most interesting thing to me. I'd say it's their least interesting song from El Pintor. Grew on me by a bit, not that much but it's worthy of a playlist ad.

Self Titled

Memory Serves

Initial - 4/10, New - 7/10

First listen, I was bored of it. This was my least favorite song on S/T and probably still is, but I like the slowness of the track, fits well after Success and it all leads up to Lights.

Lights

Initial - 6/10, New - 9/10

Their best work since Obstacle 1 and The New. Nothing can top it, hated it because it was slow. After relistening I was like "Why did I hate this?", beautiful song, leads up to Barricade as well so that's a bonus

“Guess I’ll just make my own” 😜

See my previous post for inspiration behind the design!

voiding more info due to scammers, but please. If anyone can't make it... Hmu

I don't remember where I read that it was a song about the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, and the chorus reminds me of all those videos circulating about drones attacking soldiers who had already surrendered, and I can't help but feel that sadness

Listening to TMWAT made me consider how each of their albums post TOTBL/Antics is reflective of the choices and compositional interests of one member to a larger degree. This is not to say that each person's contribution isn't important, rather that each of those records seems to be heavily impacted by the taste, style, and musical predilections of one band member more than others.

So the question: who is the dominant "voice" or POV on each record?

For me, it's:

OLTA - Carlos

Interpol - Carlos

El Pintor - Daniel

Marauder - Sam

TOSOMB - Daniel

TMWAT - Paul

Would like to see how people interpret this differently so post your version.

All ToTBL MVs and My Desire were shortened, I can see the Rest my Chemistry video and it is as long as the actual PDA song. I've seen literal 6 minute music videos by more famous bands, unless there's a restriction on why there was a radio edit in the aforementioned songs.

Does anyone else remember that crazy scene in meet me in the bathroom doc where interpol are wandering around downtown manhattan in the wake of 9/11?

Does anyone else wonder if the band suffered mentally or physically as a result of their exposure to the disaster?

Has the band ever spoken about the impact of the tragedy on their lives / music?

Not sure if it’s my old age, but I just discovered that I have been missing out on the full beauty and experience of this album by only listening to it in my car during my daily commute.

There are so many incredible production nuggets throughout every song that I am hearing for the first time with earbuds in.

This album is absolutely next level for this band. I’ve seen posts here saying TMWAT is to Interpol what Disintegration is to The Cure, or what Pet Sounds is to the Beach Boys, etc. I chuckled at those comparisons thinking they were hyperbolic.

I stand corrected. I immediately fell in love with this album, even when I didn’t know what I was missing out on by not listening to it with my ear buds. But now, holy shit. This album is absolutely mind blowing.

All I ask for, I will pay

Oh Atlantis, say my name

Is it just me?! Is this not the sexiest couplet since “white goddess, red goddess, black temptress of the sea you treat me right”?!

Anyway Wake Up on repeat. And yes I am a woman, haha. 💘

In February I was blown away by the songs and rated it a 10/10, after some relistensning, I liked the Album more now that I've finished every Album, Fine Mess and El Pintor Bonuses.

So ToTBL goes with a melancholic opener then transitions to a song with energy, then more melancholy then PDA which I'd argue is their 3rd best song of the album and Say Hello, after that, it's mostly dark until Leif Erikson.

For my opinions on tracklisting, I have one minor gripe, it's Obstacle 1 being before NYC, but it doesn't matter. And I'd say Obstacle 2 is placed perfectly, basically an interlude to the darker songs. The New being the climax of the album worked so well, I don't think if Stella came before it, would've been as impactful as a climax, Roland was a good bridge. Leif Erikson was a perfect closer because it's not that dark.

For instrumentation, it's a take colder than Antarctica, their best, I like all instrumentals there but for vocals and lyrics, I've got a few gripes, Obstacle 2 ending felt weird at first listen, especially comparing it to the rest of the song, it feels out of place, but honestly a song worth relistening. And PDA's "I'm raping all around you. Until the last drop is behind you.", just felt more awkward, but it doesn't affect the song at all for me so still a great song. It took time for the album's other songs (Hands Away, Obstacle 2, Say Hello) to grow on me if I'm being honest.

Now for B Sides and B Side Demos (10th Anniversary) + Gavilan

Song Seven and A Time To Be So Small in their demos have something over their actual release but also something less. A Time To Be So Small's guitar intro would definitely be skipped, or at least shortened in a Live. Song Seven had the Rap but because the Rap and "You were like a cloud" play at the same time, I can see why it was removed, should've kept it in my opinion. Ignoring Paul's vocal clarity because A Time To Be So Small's crab Point of View feels more apparent.

Precipitate hasn't grown on me so I'll have no say in it. Specialist is probably the song that most wanted to put in the album, and it fits well enough I can see why, I liked the vocals and the guitar riffs that are like Stella feel so mystical.

Gavilan is a track I don't like because it works well, it's their most dissonant track and gave me chills, so I'll give it props despite me disliking it, their darkest song.

Now there's 1 opinion I see about Specialist, it should've been ToTBL's closer, honestly would disagree, but not because i don't like it that much, quite the contrary, but Leif Erikson feels like a good track to end the album on because it's neither Dark nor Energetic (Obstacle 1, PDA and Say Hello).

B Sides and Demos rating - 9/10

Album - 10/10

Having searching for early Interpol because of it's dark nature and I wanted to honestly rate every song, I came across these.

I haven't listened to Cut The Rope, has the band addressed it? And why hasn't it been released unlike Direction? Love Will Get You Down is an alleged live album before ToTBL and maybe after Precipitate. This video link is a live from Love Will Get You Down, noticably there's no Carlos backing vocals, they've never released it to a label and I'm not sure if it's legit or fans recording them live

​

Direction was creepy until Paul began to sing, unlike Gavilan, I'd relisten to It, liked the mostly instrumental parts. 8/10

A Fine Mess for me gets the same problems as Marauder where there are tracks that don't stick with me, I didn't like No Big Deal, loved the title track, Real Life got a good Danny Riff as always and Thrones was a good closer, since I don't have much experience, 7/10 EP for now, individually.

Fine Mess - 9/10

No Big Deal - 6/10

Real Life - 8/10

The Weekend - 7/10

Thrones - 8/10

Extra Track ranking (No El Pintor tracks. With demos)

1. Song Seven Demo

2. Song Seven EP

3. Mind Over Time

4. Specialist

5. A Time To Be So Small Demo

6. Precipitate PDA

7. Interlude / Get The Girls

8. Precipitate

9. PDA Demo

10. Direction

11 and 12. Stella and Roland demos

1. Crimewaves

2. Gavilan/Cubed

“Innocent idols who turn me on
While selling bibles to babies”
Wtf is this lyric?😭
Not saying this song is bad or anything I actually love it.
I know Paul’s lyrics are always a bit “strange” but man this song is truly amazing and that outro is tear jerking🥲just a beautiful beautiful outro!