Turn On The Bright Lights

Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
Critic Score
Based on 11 reviews
2002 Ratings: #28 / 238
User Score
2002 Ratings: #6
Liked by 479 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
AllMusic

This record is no fun at all, the tension is rarely resolved, and -- oh no! -- it isn't exactly revolutionary, though some new shades of gray have been discovered. But you shouldn't allow your perception to be fogged by such considerations when someone has just done it for you and, most importantly, when all this brilliance is waiting to overwhelm you.

95
Pitchfork

Turn On the Bright Lights has been one of the most strikingly passionate records I've heard this year. That other people I've spoken with have the opportunity to experience it, and that they feel similarly about it, can only be a good thing.

91
Entertainment Weekly
On their debut LP, Interpol mix the propulsive sonic backgrounds and emotional swells of early-’80s post-punk with unexpected bursts of melody and their own brand of wit to create one of the most exciting new sounds of the year.
90
Tiny Mix Tapes

As a debut full-length, the group is definitely doing some excellent stuff, but like any band that gets swept up by the hype machine, you may be disappointed if you expect too much.

90
Drowned in Sound

Interpol have emerged at time when reinventing the past is the new “it” thing. They take that 80s melodic, post-punk sound and make it feel renewed rather then rehashed.

80
NME
Through all those years of bad irony and blank angst, The Dark’s vital signs have kept strong. With ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’, Interpol interpret them perfectly for these new and exciting times.
80
musicOMH

This is cold soul, post-punk mope-rock at its absolute best, and Turn On The Bright Lights is a nearly flawless and consistently impressive debut.

60
Rolling Stone

Interpol’s sleek, melancholy sound is a thing of glacial beauty.

CLJesse
100

I ejaculate every time I listen to this

BradTasteMusic
90

One of the most depressing albums I’ve ever listened to. Why did people want me to react to something like this?

YungNoodle
98

MY BEST FRIEND’S A BUTCHER HE HAS SIXTEEN KNIVES

MrGuy
92

The strokes for people who don’t go outside

This album is dense. Filled with sick riffs, sick bass lines, and passionate vocals. Going in I was a little worried that this wouldn’t hit me very hard due listening to a lot of post punk but no, this is a very great post punk album and one you should definitely check out

astrofizyka
94

PDA outro is so good that I want to cry everytime I listen to this song

Velocirabbit43
98

Interpol relisten #1:
A while ago I despised this album. I really didn’t get it and thought that every single song sounded the same. But ever since then, it keeps on growing on me. Maybe it’s because I’ve been listening to so much post punk albums in recency and it becoming one of, if not my favorite genres. And because of that I can now see how influential and impactful this album is to the history of rock music. This album is so near flawless. And the drumming on this record ... read more

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Track List

1Untitled
3:56
93
2Obstacle 1
4:11
95
3NYC
4:19
93
4PDA
4:59
92
5Say Hello to the Angels
4:28
90
6Hands Away
3:05
88
7Obstacle 2
3:47
89
8Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down
6:27
93
9Roland
3:35
89
10The New
6:07
93
11Leif Erikson
4:00
91
Total Length: 48 minutes

Year End Lists

#1/Pitchfork
#32/SPIN
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