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May 20, 2019 Web Exclusive By Matt Conner

If I had to name the new Interpol release myself, A Fine Mess might’ve been my pick without even knowing there was an included song of the same name.

The latest extended play from Interpol is a short five-song set comprised of outtakes from the band’s recording sessions from last year’s long player, Marauder. There’s no other unifying theme at work here; no great banner to be found overhead. A Fine Mess is just that—scattered outtakes from producer Dave Fridmann’s (The Flaming Lips) stellar work with the band from the previous year.

For fans of Marauder, myself included, that’s very good news with the titular emphasis on Fine. Marauder introduced Interpol as a bruising force—the harsher angles, the jagged edges, the less obviousness of it all. You can still feel that at work here on A Fine Mess even though they weren’t chosen for the band’s initial presentation of Fridmann’s influence.

“Real Life” holds an interesting line where Paul Banks’ inimitably sings, “With my bloody nose/I am mixed of savagery and show biz.” The meaning is not quite certain, but the words feel like an ideal description of Interpol’s work these last two years: some savagery and show business. The guitar work on “Real Life,” the haunting vocal work on “No Big Deal,” the beautiful synth and roughed up vocals on the title track—it’s all interesting. Interpol is inspired.

Then again, A Fine Mess could just be an extension of a version of Interpol you never liked a year ago. (www.interpolnyc.com)

Author rating: 6/10