Interpol - Antics again...

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Now that more than a month has passed I guess we can all admit that Antics is MUCH MUCH better than TOTBL. Best atmosphere of the year so far. no?

― Panagiotis Pileidis (Panagiotis Pileidis), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

No.

― I'm serious ... Ti-i-i-i-im (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

No.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

nope.

― blackmail.is.my.life (blackmail.is.my.life), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

yes.

― Panagiotis Pileidis (Panagiotis Pileidis), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

No way.

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Nope, sorry.

― 57 7th (calstars), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

no. it might be better (I like them pretty much the same, can see arguments for preferring eith), but I can't go with the much much.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

TOTBL rules, Antics drools.

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

No. But I still really, really like Antics.

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Can't do the MUCH MUCH better either, although it is a Top 5 of 2004 (if not Top 2) contender. For me, that is....

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

No. But a couple of the songs on Antics are better than most of the songs on Bright Lights.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Antics left no impression on me one way or another. I can't imagine ever playing it again.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

not even close....overwhelmingly meh (with a few exceptions)

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

ditto. with glimpses.

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

MENTAL!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I do agree that Antics is much, much, much better than their first album.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

It's weird that people would get so excited about Bright Lights given that all of side b is pretty boring and tuneless. Antics is better if just because of the fact that "Evil" and "Not Even Jail" are on it.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I rate em about equally. I get tired of both albums about halfway through, albums are both front-loaded.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

antics is more of a solid record... while totbl had a few songs that were absolutely stellar.

best atmosphere? nope.
m.

― msp (msp), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

They should just release singles.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone could easily say this about Antics, with "Obstacle 1" and "NYC" getting mentions instead. And a lot of that side 2 stuff has grown on me, especially the track where he spends time a-lying.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:47 (twenty-one years ago)

actually this thread is quite funny given how similar Antics is to Bright Lights.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:48 (twenty-one years ago)

oh man I have to put on an Interpol album now. I love these guys! They take me there!

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

is it my imagination, or have they all got distinctly fatter since Bright Lights? in all the recent photos it looks like they really had to make an effort to squeeze into their suits.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, the thing of it is, Interpol is a singles band (PDA, NYC, Obstacle 1, Evil, Slow Hands, Narc) They have the same number of great songs on both records, it's just that the filler on Antics is better than the filler on Bright Lights.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't imagine ever playing it again.
-- Alex in NYC

OTM. I mean, I probably will force myself to listen to it again just to give it another chance, but I certainly had no actual desire to listen to it a second time. I really liked TOTBL, but something about Antics alternately bored me and even annoyed me. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, or maybe it'll grow on me... I almost don't even care to find out though at the moment.

― sleep (sleep), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Paul's been putting it on. They only film him in extreme close-ups and wide shots on "Slow Hands." I wouldn't make fun but I'm jealous of his hair.

I actually haven't played TOTBL in ages, since I play Antics all the time. It's SO FUCKING GOOD.

SHE CAN READ! SHE CAN READ! SHE CAN READ! SHE'S BAAAD...oh she's baaad...

Nobody does it better!

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I heard Antics and thought "this sounds like a poorly reimagined version of the first album" (of which I only liked about 3-4 songs on the entire album).

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I heard Antics and thought "at last I have more ammunition to diss this band than just ad hominem attacks on the bass player's fucking retarded wardrobe."

― martin m. (mushrush), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Interpol is a singles band, and I'll just as often hop to highlights as just kick back and spin the whole full-length. Aside from less reverb and Banks' being a little more straightforward lyrically distinctions just aren't cost-effective for me. The difference between the albums personally is that TOTBL grew on me with each listen until I was salivating for the release of Antics and when I got a copy of that I ended up playing it all the time for weeks immediately. If I have more love for TOTBL its probably because of that gradual slow-burn.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree they are a singles band, and on the first record there are a handful of songs which I like and continue to like after hearing them more times. I don't think Antics has many if any songs that will do that, and there was nothing that jumped out at me as interesting the first couple times I listened to it.

I think the guys are a bunch of wankers either way. Especially that empty-holster short-tie wearing monkeyboy on bass.

― martin m. (mushrush), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:10 (twenty-one years ago)

For the most part, Antics went in one ear and out the other. TOTBL still gives me shivers.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I, for one, definitely prefer Antics over the first one.

― Mickey, Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm listening to side 2 of TOTBL and while songs start off awkward the climaxes really pay off. If you can get past Paul playing with the braids that you came here with tonight you get to hear him go AWOOOOO over a pretty groovy beat.

Goddamn I want to do Interpol karaoke. Singing those words in public would be a gas.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)

The first album's good, the second album's not as good. I have a hard time taking serioualy anyone thinking different than that. None of their songs are "good" in the classic sense, but they are powerful mood pieces on the first album that just aren't there on the second.

― i am right on, Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

But you all do know that "Evil" is their best song, right? Cos that's just factual.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Anthony, you were pretty right about the "asshole" thing in "Slow Hands". I can't ever hear that lyric the same way again.

My "Top Ten Worst Lyrics on Interpol's First Album" article was linked to on Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewittin's blog. I can now die a happy man.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 20:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the disc is good, I think the first disc is good. But having caught the band live twice this year, I never want to hear either ever again. Somebody send this band to Rock School!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Antics is pretty good when I'm listening to it and a complete and total non-entity when I'm not.

― MC Transmaniacon (natepatrin), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

it's okay, it hasn't captured me the way the first one did, and it doesn't have a song as good as the one where he leaves his urge in the icebox on it

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 23:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I have this group of friends who finds Interpol so outrageous that they walk around singing the word "interpoooll interpol interpol" in an over-the-top Peter Murphy voice and giggle about it constantly. I asked them one time, "so do you actually like Interpol?" and he said "Not really.. but that Evil song is awesome!"

Think about it. AWESOME.

― Sonny, Ah!!1 (Sonny A.), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i second matt's notion to call evil their best song. awesome or not. nyc is close, but just not enough...

― youngn, Tuesday, 23 November 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Interpol's a singles band? Really? I don't see that at all. I wholly rely, especially with TOTBL (but that I'm sure has to do with how long I've been listening to it), on each album's entirety and flow.

I occasionally cherry-pick my favorite tracks but judging from my iTunes "Play Count" I listen to each albumm as well, an album.

Maybe it's my misunderstading of singles band because that strikes me as a very one-hit-wonder Gin Blossoms-esque calculation.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

PS, Say Hello To Angels > Evil

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Say Hello To (The) Angels

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The albums work well as a whole but the singles are really effective as stand-alones, to the point where I sometimes find myself hopping to the next highlight. That's why I'd call them a singles band.

I think I do prefer the debut (more rhythm-section driven climaxes) more but INTERPOL ARE SO FUCKING GREAT!!!

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd call them a FUCKING GREAT band before a singles band, though. I just understand the logic because they really do one thing over and over again. It's a wholly beautiful thing though (combining Bunnymen-thru-MBV guitars with post-Pixies rhythm section and hilarious ultra-memorable sex-obsession) and they are the masters of it.

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Bright Lights is a great album because it has really good songs that are tied together with other songs to create an interesting atmosphere. Antics is a collection of great songs that really have little to do with each other aside of being on the same album.

― I'm serious ... Ti-i-i-i-im (deangulberry), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Somebody send this band to Rock School!

I second that sentiment, though the way it's phrased here made me picture Jack-Black-as-Angus demonstrating to the members of Interpol how to "raise your goblet of rock" after strumming a barre chord.

Come to think of it, that may be exactly what they need. I'm not a fan of Tenacious D by any real stretch of the imagination, but there's probably a happy medium between conjuring a mood and recognizing just how fucking ridiculous (in a good way) many aspects of rock [performance] really are.

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Bunnymen-thru-MBV guitars

Hrm. Apparently this is one of those cases where the sum is less than either of the parts, no?

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:57 (twenty-one years ago)

No. Although I agree about Antics being disappointing, thought I'd like it more than I do, but TOTBL just has this mood that's unbeatable. Antics seems less driving, less intense. Either way, I'm almost as keen as Miccio on this...

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Heheh... I think I may be starting to annoy Anthony on more than one thread, so I wanted to take a break for a second and let him know that someday we're both gonna end up on the same thread defending Weezer.

Seriously. When the Weezer hate starts again, I will have your back, sir.

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I get the distinct impression Martin doesn't like Interpol.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I like both albums, but TOTBL just compelled me to keep listening to it in a way that Antics hasn't.

― Sanjay McDougal (jaymc), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 07:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I would just like to note that I have yet to hear this allegedly glorious Chameleons. While I will defend Interpol against Ian McLulloch and numerous other combos, I cannot argue their merit against the infamous Chameleons, for I have yet to savor their wares...

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 07:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Somebody send this band to Rock School

i'll 3rd this one! they just don't know how to 'let loose' in a song. it's all too tight and wheel spinnning. goes nowhere fast.

but, hey, they look great doin it, right?
right?

eeehhhh.

― eedd, Wednesday, 24 November 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Ed-

Listen to the breakdown at the end of "Say Hello To The Angels"

Get back to me.

Thanks,

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I won't stand for this talk of Evil being their best song...the bass line is absurdly derivative (boring) and the lyrics are laughable:

"Write, we'll take you places
Yeah maybe to the beach"

granted, it all builds up to a satisyfing chorus but definetely not a classic

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I would just like to note that I have yet to hear this allegedly glorious Chameleons.

We shall correct this. (Using the royal 'we' here.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

only 3 tracks on antics i really like - narc and public pervert and one other.

― titchyschneider (titchyschneider), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe it's my misunderstading of singles band because that strikes me as a very one-hit-wonder Gin Blossoms-esque calculation.

No, no. Think more along the lines of a band like The Smiths. The Smiths have loads of mediocre album tracks, and all of their best songs were the singles or otherwise popular songs that ended up on the hits compilations. If Interpol doesn't fall off and keeps up their rate of 4-5 strong songs per album, they will make a kick-ass compilation cd yesterday that will make their albums seem totally unnecessary.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"Evil" is the best Interpol song cos it's the catchiest. All of them have crap lyrics, it's absurd to complain about one or the other in that respect. It's their best song by a billion miles. I'll keep saying this until you accept it as truth!

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

That said, "Evil" has some of the best lyrics of all of the songs.

"Hey wait / great smile" (which looks dumb but feels great)

"make revision to a dream while you wait in the van"

"it took a life spent with no cell mate"

"you are weightless / semi-erotic"

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps the best thing about "Evil" is that it sounds the way their most attractive female fans look. If that makes any sense at all.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Think more along the lines of a band like The Smiths. The Smiths have loads of mediocre album tracks, and all of their best songs were the singles or otherwise popular songs that ended up on the hits compilations.

I can see how some listeners might analogize Interpol with The Smiths, but I (and I suspect I'm not alone in doing so) characterize the non-singles/less-popular tracks as an album's/band's "deep cuts" rather than as its "mediocre" filler.

However this quote-unquote deeper listening certainly lends itself better to TOTBL than Antics for precisely the same reasons Ti-i-i-i-im points out upthread, to wit, Bright Lights is a great album because it has really good songs that are tied together with other songs to create an interesting atmosphere...

That said, I never skip ahead with TOTBL, whereas I have been known to ffwd Antics. At least on more than one occasion.

xpost (start)

I realize your (and others') characterization of Interpol as a singles band is part and parcel of the music-buying public's move away from albums and its return to singles (see: iTunes, et al). To be sure, I'm not condemning the trend or the characterization. Certainly there are artists who don't deserve more than three to twenty minutes of our attention per release. File-sharing generally and iTunes specifically have done said public a great service by allowing us to select our own personal wheat from an artist's chaff.

In contrast to those artists creating the occasionally great 3-4 tracks per release, however, there are a (literal?) handful of artists creating excellent end-to-end albums that warrant a more patient (less selective?) listen.

I just happen to feel Interpol is the latter type of artist, and TOTBL, in particular, the latter type of release.

xpost (back to start)

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 24 November 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

some of antics sounds like interpol 'doing' interpol a bit too much.

― titchyschneider (titchyschneider), Thursday, 25 November 2004 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, that's my main complaint with it. It sounds like a lazy, undercooked version of their first record (which was hardly an ample feast in the first place).

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 25 November 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, it's really too bad that we have all this technology now which encourages listeners to focus their attention on the songs they like.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Thursday, 25 November 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

It is a shame the way the internets have crippled the industry heavies. How are they supposed to make any money if listeners have this unconstitutional freedom of choice?

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Thursday, 25 November 2004 22:03 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

ditto. meh, with glimpses.
-- piscesboy (piscesxx...), November 23rd, 2004.

by the way, BOLLOCKS PAL!
in future i'm not coming on here with any fancy opinions until i've listened to a record for 6 months.

"we aint goin to the tooooooooown..."

― piscesboy, Sunday, 5 June 2005 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

That said, "Evil" has some of the best lyrics of all of the songs.
"Hey wait / great smile" (which looks dumb but feels great)
"make revision to a dream while you wait in the van"
"it took a life spent with no cell mate"
"you are weightless / semi-erotic"
-- Matthew Perpetua (fluxequalsra...), November 24th, 2004.

Perhaps the best thing about "Evil" is that it sounds the way their most attractive female fans look. If that makes any sense at all.
-- Matthew Perpetua (fluxequalsra...), November 24th, 2004.

This is a very funny observation.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 3 October 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

matt, why are you reviving threads about interpol?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 3 October 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha ha -- does it hurt that much?

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 3 October 2005 01:13 (twenty years ago)

just an insight into your brain.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 3 October 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

And yours, too -- Dan, we share so much...

Anyway, the real insight is here: interpol really are sellouts

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 3 October 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Unless you're keen on talking about shoulder hostlers, herpes, Ian Curtis and/or crushingly abject ennui, what is there to discuss about Interpol?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 3 October 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

eleven years pass...

Antics is their best album. The production is flawless, Paul Banks' voice and lyrics are still stunning, the pacing/sequencing is on point, all killer no filler, more confident, more assured, utterly thrilling (the chorus of "Not Even Jail" alone, or the masterpiece that is "Evil").

― flappy bird, Friday, 30 June 2017 05:49 (nine years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.