One thing that made me even more convinced from watching Interpol last year—exactly in November—in Singapore: no one is irreplaceable.
Some people thought—prematurely concluded—the New York sharpest-dressed miserablists would collapse after the charismatic bassist Carlos Dengler left the band.
As you can see in this early days video after they released their magnificent debut, Turn On the Bright Lights. How Carlos D stands out in a crowd. His looks, his style, his gesture, he’s got a very strong persona. Like GNR’s Duff McKagan, Metallica’s Cliff Burton, Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie. No wonder people would think if he left Interpol, it would screw up the band. Or at least causing a catastrophe to the career of the grayest post-punk fashionistas.
But then, Paul Banks & co. released El Pintor.
Dom Gourlay from Drowned in Sound scored it 9 out of 10 and stated: “Their finest record in a decade.”
While NME gave 8/10 and said, “It would be hard to argue that Interpol are as vital as they once were—even with such an accomplished new work under their belts—but, fifth time round, they’re proving there’s still plenty of value in their elegantly downtrodden aesthetic’s.
And the first song in the album, “All the Rage Back Home”, has become one of Interpol’s concert anthems.
Interpol’s performance at Neon Lights last year, it’s a solid sign that they are even bigger, better, badasser.
No one is irreplaceable. See you and sorry, Carlos D.
💧Read also INTERPOL – MARAUDER.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Featured image via NPR.
