Ripping o..errr "Paying Homage", The Next Generation

He was busy.

Back to Interpol; I agree they sound like Joy Division but they especially sound like the Chameleons, but most American reviewers have probably never heard of them. Interpol is a two-guitar band and really concentrate on guitars; as someone said, much janglier than Joy Division, while Joy Division is more about rhythm. Some Television in there, too. As for "Roland", it sounds more like "Out of Control" by U2 than "Shadowplay", particularly the guitar solo. They rip off Joy Division the same way the Chameleons and U2 did: less rhythm, more jangly guitar, happier, not so good in the lyrics department. At least nowadays mainstream reviewers can spot a Joy Division influence.

Most of the Interpol reviews say the singer sounds "just like Ian Curtis" but I have to disagree, just having a deep voice doesn't mean you sound like Ian. He sounds more like the Kitchens of Distinction guy, and at other times the Psychedelic Furs guy, Peter Murphy, and others, but not much like Ian.

But as for straight-up plagiarism, check out Interpol's song "Say Hello to the Angels", otherwise known as "This Charming Man" by the Smiths. You can even sing "punctured bicycle, on a hillside, desolate, will nature make a man of me yet...while in this charming car... etc." over it. More obvious than the Roland/Shadowplay comparison, I guarantee. The rest of the record is post-punk all the way, and then in the middle they turn into the Smiths.

I saw them live and they were nothing like Joy Division live. They were polished, rather than raw, and while it was beautiful, moving, and somewhat rocking (not enough), it wasn't anything like the rip your guts out overwhelming rubbed raw punk powerhouse and weird charisma that is put across on live Joy Division recordings.

I like the Interpol record. It could use more rhythm and better lyrics, but it's rousing ear candy in a sound I can't get enough of. It's derivative but everyone's got influences and if you can make a good record anyway more power to you. They are getting hyped perhaps beyond merit as part of this current New York scene in just the past few months, while there have been plenty of other bands like Versus and Modest Mouse and who knows how many others who've been at least as deserving but never received this level of attention. Well. It beats the Strokes.

The Liars and The Rapture from New York are pretty good too, Gang of Four type stuff. I really don't mind a post-punk revival, there wasn't enough of it the first time around.

Alyssa

i was too sort of confused at the abundence of Joy Division references towards Interpol... maybe in a coupla spots, but mostly you could compare them to many post-punk or post-post-punk type bands... track 5 jumped out to me too as very inspired by the Smiths, very obvious, but then i did not read about them being like the Smiths in the reviews at all??? what about Echo and the Bunnymen? i don't remember them very well so maybe not... i think one reviewer started calling them like Joy Division-like and others jumped on the bandwagon, even though they had barely heard of Joy Division...

the lyrics are not Joy Divisionish at all, to me, and you could find dozens of indie bands over the last 20 years who utilize the classic bass and drums with the contrasting guitar style much more closely... a local longtime band called Scrawl are in some ways very Joy Divisionish, but they hardly fit the stereotype...

you'll all be selling this cd back to the shops in 2 years time.......fads burn bright but fade quickly...............DON"T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!!!!!