Recommendations of the Editorial team
The music sounds contemplative – spongy guitars, angelic backing vocals – as Interpol frontman Paul Banks sings with staccato conviction: “This mirror weighs a tone, but at least we act sudden.” This twist, which gives its title to both the band’s eighth album and its lead track, honestly doesn’t make all that much sense – and that’s kind of the point, since Banks came up with it while improvising melodies and vocals at the same time. It’s highly refined automatic writing, and the band said it lays the foundation for the rest of the album, out August 28th. Another song from it was also released: “See Out Loud” – similarly cryptic lyrics, but a harder beat, a little more guitar and a feeling that sounds even more like Interpol.
The group recorded the album with producer Andrew Wyatt (Rosalía, Charli XCX) in Wyatt’s Manhattan studio – the first time Interpol have recorded in their hometown in more than a decade. They said they expanded their sound this time to include strings, woodwinds, acoustic guitar and more layered vocal harmonies. “See Out Loud” also features the first time guitarist Daniel Kessler has contributed vocals since “PDA” on Turn on the Bright Lights.
“I was standing right next to Andrew when he started doing these incredible things with sound design – it was just so exciting,” Kessler said of the song “This Mirror Weighs a Ton” in a statement. “I remember thinking: I have no context for what kind of music this is – these huge crashes before Paul even had a vocal. The logic would have been that maybe this would be an instrumental. Then Paul just got up, went into the back room and started singing these melodies – and suddenly it was clear that it wasn’t going to be.”
Wyatt on the sound
“I wondered what it would be like to leave the parts completely readable, because everyone in this band writes such great parts. And then add other spatial dimensions to them,” Wyatt said. “It was something that almost sounded a little more like chamber music – the musical ideas hold up to scrutiny without the sonic treatment having to carry all the weight. It was also nice to bring in a few tricks I’ve picked up over a few decades of making pop records.”
They will support the release with a series of North American dates this summer, alternating between opening for Sombr and being supported by Youth Lagoon, Loathe, Diiv and more. Ticket details can be found on the Interpol website.
“This Mirror Weighs a Ton” – Tracklist
1. “This Mirror Weighs a Ton”
2. “See Out Loud”
3. “Iron City”
4. “Wounded Soldier”
5. “Wings on Fire”
6. “Ever the Actor”
7. “So Rides the Reindeer”
8. “Darling Thoughts”
9. “Wake Up”
10. “Enemy”
11. “Bird and the Serpent”
12. “Sudden”
Interpol tour dates
July 31 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom **
Aug. 2 – Jackson Hole, WY @ Snow King Mountain **
Aug. 3 – Boise, ID @ Revolution Concert House **
Aug. 4 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden **
Aug. 6 – Portland, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield ***
Aug. 8 – Tacoma, WA @ Dune Peninsula ***
Aug. 11 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield ****
Aug. 14 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl ****
Aug. 15 – San Diego, CA @ The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park ****
Aug. 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas ****
Sept. 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ CBGB Festival
Sept. 29 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena*
Oct. 2 – Toronto, ON @ The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium *****
Oct 3 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia *****
Oct. 4 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner *****
Oct. 6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *****
Oct. 7 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora *****
Oct. 9 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Jack White Theater *****
Oct. 10 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live! Outdoors *****
Oct. 11 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed Fairgrounds *****
Oct. 13 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory *****
Oct. 15 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern *****
Oct. 16 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern *****
Oct. 17 – Nashville, TN @ The Pinnacle *******
* Supporting act by Sombr
** Opening act: Youth Lagoon
*** Supporting act: Loathe
**** Opening act: Julie
***** Opening act: Diiv
****** Opening act: French Police
******* Supporting act: Diiv and French Police