Interpol - Antics

Antics is the record that proved Interpol were no fluke. Released on Matador in 2004, the New York band's second album followed the acclaim of Turn On the Bright Lights by tightening everything: the hooks land faster, the arrangements breathe more, and the gloom feels earned rather than borrowed. Producer Peter Katis captured them at his Connecticut studio at the peak of their post-punk revival powers.

Paul Banks' baritone and Daniel Kessler's chiming guitars still owe a debt to Joy Division and the Chameleons, but Carlos Dengler's melodic basslines give the songs real lift. "Evil," "Slow Hands," and "C'mere" became singles for good reason, each pairing dark subject matter with an almost buoyant drive. It is a tighter, warmer record than its predecessor without losing the shadows.

A cornerstone of the 2000s post-punk revival, this Matador LP keeps one of the era's defining albums in print. Sleek, propulsive, and built to last.