Matador

Between 1998 and 2002, Interpol slugged it out for positioning on the pre-gentrified music circuit of Lower Manhattan alongside the likes of The National, The Strokes and Radio 4. But that jockeying proved crucial to the 11 songs that would comprise their Matador debut, Turn on the Bright Lights, where beloved tunes like “NYC,” “PDA” and “Roland” were honed to perfection on the stages of such woebegone downtown venues as Brownie’s, Baby Jupiter and Luna Lounge. The tenth anniversary of Lights lovingly chronicles the evolution of these 11 songs from their humble beginnings as raw demos to the post-goth powerhouses that they grew to become under the production of Peter Katis – all featured on this 2-CD set and further punctuated by tracks from an exceptional 2001 Peel Session. It’s hard to believe that a decade has passed since the dark romance of Lights hung low above the skyline. But this beautifully hardbound set, which also includes a DVD of era-appropriate videos and live performances, is a fond, fulfilling remembrance of this New York City rock classic.