Turn on the Bright Lights

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but innovation is much more interesting. When the New York City quartet released their masterful EP earlier this year, critics rushed to proclaim them the second coming of Joy Division. On their debut LP, Interpol mix the propulsive sonic backgrounds and emotional swells of early-’80s post-punk with unexpected bursts of melody and their own brand of wit to create one of the most exciting new sounds of the year.