Matador

It’s impossible for Interpol to veer outside of its comfort zone. Although its hypnotic shoe-gazy sound touches upon ‘80s post-punk, the New York group has almost patented its signature music. The new disc, the last with original bassist Carlos D, tries nothing new and never wavers from the Interpol mold – a fact that is either truly limiting or refreshingly familiar. On this fourth album, singer Paul Banks and crew continue to create monosyllabic post-punk tracks that contain repetitive beats and are laced with Banks’ monotone vocals. Sometimes it’s interesting: “Always Malaise (The Man I Am)” has a subtle hook and “Safe Without” is memorable for its propulsive beat. Doing the same thing over and over doesn’t seem crazy in Interpol’s case because it never seems to be expecting a different result.