Interpol releases pop-driven third album

After the lackluster and inconsistent sophomore record Antics, the indie-rock foursome of Interpol had a lot to make up to its fans.

Come July 9, the be-suited quartet will serve up a hot plate of Our Love to Admire, which also serves as the band's major label debut on Capitol records, and this time around the guys are determined not to disappoint.

A move to a major label almost always equates to a change in recording quality because bigger budgets mean bigger sounds and higher production values.

This time around, the group enlisted Rich Costey, the producer of records for the dramatic and often theatrical rock group Muse and also Franz Ferdinand.

The group's musical equation doesn't give room for too much change, though, with Paul Banks' Jim Morrison-esque monotone vocal delivery of sharp syllables, Daniel Kesslers' traditional choppy guitar riffs, the pulsing bass undertones of the mustachioed thug that is Carlos D, and the rock-and-roll heavy drum beats of Sam Fogarino.

While I'm not sure if it's a good thing, I definitely have noticed the group has shifted its focus toward a pop direction as opposed to its more art-driven past.

The chorus and guitars on the record's first single, "Heinrich Maneuver," are examples of this, and while it's definitely a strong single, it's not something you would have heard on their debut, Turn on the Bright Lights.

The record begins and ends on eerie notes amidst ghostly guitars that are highlighted by Banks' somber vocals.

The introduction, "Pioneer to the Falls," provides the spine-chilling ode, "Show me the dirt pile/ And I will pray/ That the soul can take/ Three stowaways."

This song also has a new texture that hasn't necessarily been apparent in their work before, the use of keyboards and strings which help create an ambient tone in the song.

The slow moving and increasingly building introduction reminded me of the exact opening on Turn On The Bright Lights with "Untitled."

My favorite songs of the record tended to be more high-energy and full of choppy rock and roll riffs, such as "All Fired Up" and "Mammoth."

"Rest My Chemistry" has an inherent swinging low-key guitar feel, and on this track, Banks utters some of his most expressive vocals on the record, "I made you/ And I will take you back."

His style and delivery of lyrics aren't always too personable, so it was nice to hear a little sincerity in his voice as opposed to detachment.

Banks injected some cheeky lyrics on the record, such as, "Baby it's time we give something new a try/ Alone we may fight / Let us be three tonight" on the aptly titled "No I in Threesome" featuring D's throbbing bass lines, and the repeating "How are things on the West Coast?" as he sticks it to a relocated ex-girlfriend on "Heinrich Maneuver."

Songs such as "Who Do You Think?" and "Scale" fail to make an impact on the listener and end up creating skippable gaps on the record, similar to the shortcomings of their previous record Antics.

The climactic and reverb-heavy "Wrecking Ball" finds its place at the end of the record and is probably the best example of one of the wildcards Interpol threw on the record in regards to their newfound use of keyboards and strings as an attempt at diversity.

The record ends with "Lighthouse," which is full of echoing and clamorous guitars that have a ring of finality.

Critic's Conclusion: While I initially enjoyed the record and feel like it has been a step up from the work of their recent past, after repeat spins, it gave me listener's fatigue. Just like a Franz Ferdinand record, there's only so much you can get out of such simplicity and formulaic material until you eventually become bored. B