it's too happy imo. Not a patch on the previous two. Still good though.

yeah not overly impressed after the first two listens - in saying that, the second one was a major grower for me too and now i cant believe i never loved it! There's a few cringe worthy vocal moments on 'Our Love....' some of the lines in No.1 in threesome being one of the main offenders! New stuff sounded great at the Oxo though - esp the first track off the new album.

ive gotta sya it is definitely a grower

It's definitely different from their other 2 albums. I saw an interview with them and they said that this is the 1st album that they constructed with Piano and keyboard from the start.

I do like the album, there are some great songs, but there are a few that leave you feeling that they should have left the keyboard and strings out. Hopefully, it will be a grower but it seems to me that the new arrangements take away from the brooding nature of their songs.

I think they're starting to sound jaded... there's maybe about 4 or 5 great tunes on it that are among the best stuff they've ever done (like Pioneer, Mammoth, Wrecking Ball) but the rest of it goes straight into the 'diminishing returns' box for me, lots of stuff that just sounds like dodgy rewrites of various tunes off the last 2 albums minus the charm and freshness.

Its a great album, Pioneer To The Falls is absolutely outstanding. I listened to it about 30 times then gave myself a few days off, went back to it today and its better than ever. The keyboards & strings totally work if you ask me.

Can't believe they are getting so much stick off the general public for being too happy?! If you came out of a five year drinky druggy stint in hell you'd be upbeat too! Its time they took it up a notch, and fair play to them for getting straight into #1 here and elsewhere.

I don't think they are starting to sound jaded. I just think they are going down a new direction with this album. I think I need a few more listens to really get into it.

I like Interpol but I've found with their last 2 albums there are about 3 or 4 brilliant tracks and the rest is just passable. Have a feeling this could be the same? Should I buy the 'best 3' tracks off iTunes or buy the whole album?

I'm finding it hard to get the enthusiasm together to a) purchase and b) listen to this record. I love Turn on the Bright Lights and like Antics a little bit less. I'm afraid it might be a case of diminishing returns. Same thing with the new Kings of Leon record - I find myself getting bored with bands after 2 albums.

If this needs reiterating for Quint & Muzak, the album is well worth 12 of your european dollars and 45 minutes of your ear time. What's the worst that could happen?

I agree that it's well worth 12 euros, but I'm a bit disappointed with it. If it was a debut album, or the first Interpol album you've heard it'd seem fine. However, I've listenened to it a few times but don't feel the need to listen to it repeatedly like I did the previous two. The better bits sound a little like the better bits of Antics, and there's less of Carlos D's interesting basslines; in fact drums and bass seem to be less interesting than before in general.

I don't really know them that well, but I heard a track on Phantom and it reminded me of Arcade Fire. I'm assuming thats probably not a good thing?

I think that the Editors have won this round. I personally never got the whole Editors Vs Interpol thing and when i listened to The Back Room for the first time, barring a couple of vocals, i thought nothing of it.

I think Interpol have on this album some of their finest and absolute worst moments. I wont rabbit on but in Pioneer, Mammoth, Pace is the trick and (fav track) The Lighthouse are just stunning where as All Fired Up i think is possibly their worst song ever.

As an album i dont feel it flow and i think that if this is to be their last, its an overall weak one to go out on. Hard thing to say from a massive interpol fan.

Editors have come into their own on this new album and while there are one or two tracks which i skip i think its overall flow and feel is much more becoming of a band on the rise as opposed to one whom maybe slipping away from us.

Ha Ha A.D.D.

I was one of the people a bit disappointed with the album at first but it's really starting to grow on me. I agree there are one or two fillers but give them a break, they are trying some new sounds out.

€30 for the vinyl? Fuxake

Very very true and dissappointing to boot - I'm liking the album more after a few listens but the absence of such an exercised bass and drum dynamic they had previously is a bit s**t. Def no amazing NYC-style bass&drums outros on this :-(

do ya reckon this absence has something to do with him being in a film coming out soon.

Yeah, heard on Phantom news that he's rumoured to be leaving the band. No more interpol so, or at very best a watered-down approximation of them.