It hasn't really grabbed me after several listens. I've given it chance after chance after chance. Why do I seem so indifferent when listening to this?

Is anybody else experiencing this?

No. I think it's top ten material.

Certainly way better than the first album.

"Not Even Jail" is the best thing they've ever done

I'm with ya Chris. I don't think it's bad though. It just doesn't do it for me like the first one. I agree that 'Not Even Jail' is a good song, but it doesn't touch anything on their first album.

i like it better than their debut.

No, I really like this record.

I don't like it as much as the first one at all.
I think the first one was such a great gloomy/rainy day album - this one has a lot more fast/upbeat songs on it. I mean, I don't know if I could play "NYC" almost every night for 2 years straight without trying to make some "fun, poppy" songs to play for the next 2...

I love the album. I wasn't super impressed at first, but it definitely grew on me. I think Bright Lights is one of the best of all time, so it would be tough for Antics to live up to that. However, for me, it's one of the top three of the year.

Antics will probably be top ten for 2004, but it didn't grab me immediately either. I don't love it as much as Bright Lights, but it's pretty damn good.

Ive only given it a few listens...and not all the songs on it grab me, but the few songs that do are really fucking good

2004: the year i finally dislike most of the music i hear, even stuff that i once would've liked.

but, that "evil" song is still pretty tight. maybe "not even jail" if i turned the volume way the hell up.

KPH

it has a more consistent feel to it, but lacks the heights of TOTBL, the opening four songs on TOTBL absolutelly slay

Haven't heard it, so so far I love it.

I agree that it is a bit harder to get into, but I like it OK I s'pose.

That said, TOTBL destroys it, so eh.

I like both albums about evenly. However, I didn't get into TOTBL back in 2002 when it came out, so technically I kind of like Antics more, as it will be in my top 10, if not top 5.

It's just really anthemic for me. Great to sing along to. And my mother loves it.

Maybe you're indifferent to it because it sucks. Or maybe that's just why I'm indifferent to it.

Personally, I like Bright Lights better because that disc starts out by establishing a mood. It may be done too often, but a slow goer at the beginning always appeals to me. It need not have a lot of vocals, but BL is much stronger from the start than Antics. IMO.

BL set a tone from the start, and visually, after the way cool design of the NYC EP the summer before Bright Lights came out, then the design of Bright Lights it was a much more cohesive approach. Visuals/Sonics. Antics design is subpar compared to BL. It looks like a sophmoric effort to me. Bleh.

Interpol as a whole can be summed up by one image. Just take a gander at the band image in the center of Turn on the Bright Lights and thats all you need to know. It says everything about them... again.. IMO

see, i've been saying precisely this about a lot of things. i thought it was just depression or a defense mechanism gone awry, but alas. maybe i'm not as mentally unsound as i thought i was.

KPH

I've actually been listening to Antics as my rainy-day soundtrack lately...and there's been a lot of those

Exactly.

i think it's as good as their last album, but no growth. Will probably make my top 20. Solid album. i was just hoping for marked improvement.

I really liked the first one, but this one is mediocre, at best. I've given it time to grow upon repeated listens, but it just ain't happening. Antics is meh all the weh.

Except I'd change "Not Even Jail" with "Take You on a Cruise." That is my favorite song on Antics.

I've listened to this release more than anything else in the past 2 months. I dig it. And I dug the first one too. This one took a couple listens to hook me, but then it got its hooks in deep. It makes me dance. Definitely Top 10 for this ol' poster.

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It's alright... getting better with every listen, but there's nothing to hook me in like "Obstacle 1" did on the first record.

this is the correct opinion.

evil, not even jail, these are all remarkable songs and i like the sound's consistency more than i like the dips and peaks of bright lights