Our Love To Admire is the third album from New York’s nouveau-Joy Division Interpol, in fairness the comparison only really holds water because they sound a touch miserable and their front man (Paul Banks) sings in a manner not entirely dissimilar from a certain Mr. Curtis.

This album is mooted as being more “expressive” and “ambitious” than previous efforts by members of the band but the choppy and sparse guitars and bass throb (although arguably the bass lines are more melodic than on previous outings) that characterize Interpol’s “sound” remain. If anything Interpol appear to be leaning slightly less towards Joy Division for their inspiration and more towards a slower and more contemplative sound, ploughing a similar furrow to early R.E.M.. The Heinrich Manoeuvre is, appropriately enough, the first song that jumps up and screams “single”, possessing as it does a “bouncy” (well as bouncy as NYC miserablists seem to get…) bassline and memorable choral refrain. It also harks back to the more accessible arrangements and hooks of Antics. From here the album shifts a gear and whether it shifts it up or down really depends on whether or not Turn On The Bright Lights or Antics is your Interpol album of choice. Mammoth, The Pace Is The Trick and All Fired Up provide a well timed and well needed upping of tempo without which the album could well be accused of being a poor man’s Closer (Another Joy Division comparison I’m afraid). Fans of Antics will no doubt find the middle of the album becoming firm favourites and fans of Turn On The Bright Lights will probably find the tracks either side of these, such as Pioneer To The Falls and Rest My Chemistry more to their taste.