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Aug 23, 2018 Interpol By Christopher Roberts

Interpol (Daniel Kessler, Paul Banks, and Sam Fogarino) are releasing a new album, Marauder, this Friday (August 24) via Matador. Now the band has shared one last pre-release single from the album, “If You Really Love Nothing,” via a video that stars Kristen Stewart and Finn Wittrock. Hala Matar directed the video, which was shot in Los Angeles. A press release says the video “channels the song’s nocturnal, nihilistic allure, with just a hint of the absurdism.” It mainly takes place at an Italian restaurant, with Stewart as a reckless and impulsive character. There’s also lots of smoking. Watch it below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

Banks had this to say about the video in a press release: “Hala is a young director I had the pleasure of meeting a few years ago, and I’ve been a big fan of her short film work since. Her luscious use of colors and lighting, her insightful dialogue and playful direction, for me, are her hallmarks. There’s always humor, drama and atmosphere to spare in her work. I see all of these qualities in her video for ‘If You Really Loving Nothing.’ And speaking on behalf of Interpol, we are so proud to have had the opportunity of this collaboration. Kristen Stewart is the perfect actress for this part. I don’t think there’s anyone that could have better played the role. She nails it, and I love the performance from Finn Wittrock. Another wonderful casting choice - he plays the role of Kristen’s beleaguered companion beautifully.”

This Friday, on release day, Interpol are playing a free show at House of Vans Brooklyn, with Gang Gang Dance and Honduras opening. Part of the concert will be live-streamed on Interpol’s Facebook page and YouTube channel starting at 9:45 p.m. EST.

Marauder was announced via a live-streamed press conference from Mexico City. Previously they shared its first single, “The Rover” (which was one of our Songs of the Week), then they performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and shared a video for “The Rover” starring actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls, The Punisher). Then they shared another song from the album, “Number 10,” which is about an office romance and was an honorable mention on our Songs of the Week list.

Dave Fridmann (MGMT, The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Mogwai) produced the album, which was recorded in two-week spells from December 2017 to April 2018 at his Tarbox Studios in Upstate New York. A previous press release promised that the album is louder than previous Interpol releases, relating a story where the police were called to their practice space while working on the album due to a noise complaint from a neighbor. “It seemed like you’re picking on the wrong rock band,” joked Fogarino in the press release. “It’s not like we’re Mastodon. I mean, in certain circles, we’re considered wimps!”

Previously Banks’ lyrics have been more observational, but for this album he turned inward. He explained in the press release: “This record is where I feel touching on real things that have happened to me are exciting and evocative to write about. I think in the past, I always felt autobiography was too small a thing for me to reference. I feel like now, I’m able to romanticize parts of my own life.”

The album cover is a Garry Winogrand photo of former Attorney General Elliot Richardson. In 1973 he resigned after refusing President Nixon’s orders to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox because Cox was leading an investigation into the Watergate scandal. “A lot of being accountable has to do with being honest,” said Banks about both the cover art and his lyrics on this album. Of course the Watergate scandal also has modern parallels to our current president and the Russia investigation.

It’s been four years since Interpol’s last album, 2014’s El Pintor.

Interpol Tour Dates:

8/23 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer - w/ Honduras
8/24 - Brooklyn, NY - House of Vans
9/11 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/12 - Montreal, QC - Olympia Theatre - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/13 - Toronto, ON - Rebel - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/14-16 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest
9/16 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Theatre - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/17 - Columbus, OH - Express Live! Indoor Stage - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/27 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/28 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall - w/ Sunflower Bean
9/29 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall Lawn - w/ Sunflower Bean
10/1 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren - w/ Sunflower Bean
10/4 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl - w/ The Kills, Sunflower Bean
10/5 - San Diego, CA - SDSU Open Air Theater - w/ The Kills, Sunflower Bean
10/6 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre - w/ The Kills, Sunflower Bean
11/6 - Tokyo, Japan - Akasaka Blitz
11/14 - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/16 - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/18 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/23 - Hamburg, Germany - Mehr! Theater - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/24 - Copenhagen, Denmark - TAP1 - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/25 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/27 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli Vredenburg - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/28 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National - w/ Nilüfer Yanya
11/29 - Paris, France - La Salle Pleyel w/ Nilüfer Yanya
1/31 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
2/1 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium
2/2 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
2/5 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
2/8 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
2/9 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
2/11 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
2/14 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
2/15 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
2/16 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden - w/ Car Seat Headrest, Snail Mail

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