Interpol - "The Heinrich Maneuver"

Dapper NYC rockers Interpol will return with their long-awaited third album, Our Love to Admire, July 10th. The album marks the group's major label debut and will be released on Capital Records. First single "The Heinrich Maneuver" has been making the rounds on the internet for a few weeks now and the song suggests the boys are hesitant to depart from the formula that worked so well on their two Matador-released albums. Our Love to Admire will come nearly three years after their sophomore record and one might expect the lead single from a band's "difficult" third album to be a bit more controversial or challenging. The track finds the band sticking to the well-established formula of their first two albums and would not sound a bit out of place on Antics. "The Heinrich Maneuver" features the familiar spiky (mostly single note) guitar lines, insistent drumming, and fluid bass work one has become accustomed to hearing from these guys. Singer Paul Banks's lyrics and vocal melody are the most interesting elements here and this tune is thematically more direct than usual. Interpol's songs have tended to be brooding and ambiguous, but lines like "How are things on the West Coast?" and "Today my heart swings" almost certainly allude to a break up while coming across as uncharacteristically upbeat.

While "The Heinrich Maneuver" is a good tune, it unfortunately leaves this listener longing for something more. With their upcoming album, Interpol has the opportunity to challenge both their fan base and the potential new converts a major label album offers. But, based on this song, it appears they are content to play it a bit safe. Hopefully on Our Love to Admire they tweak and expand their sound more than this single would suggest. Their incredible 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights sounded fresh and unlike anything else at the time and remains one of the strongest albums of the 2000s so far. Antics was also great and played to their strengths, providing a fine follow-up. However, five years after their first album, it is probably time the band took a few chances and shook things up to keep their sound moving forward. Let's hope the album cuts provide a greater sense of progression and evolution than does this first single.


Stream the tune:


If you are seeking a MP3, the track is available via iTunes or try here.

Check out Interpol's summer tour dates.