Many words can (and should) be used to describe Interpol’s third album: slick, gorgeous, emotional, deliberate, immediate, and accessible. “Pioneer to the Falls” is regal perfection, showcasing singer Paul Banks’ newly seductive croon; “The Heinrich Maneuver” is a potent dish of a first single; “Rest My Chemistry” is all aging vulnerability, and taking comfort in watching the world go by; “Wrecking Ball” exhibits the most growth, with its haunting, layered vocals, horns and animal noises; Maudlin closing track “The Lighthouse,” however, provides the most lasting, spine-tingling impression of Interpol 3.0: epic grandeur, augmented with tremolo guitar, the feeling of desolate loneliness as the tides roll in and out in a hurricane of emotion. The velvet curtain has parted, and the view is spectacular. –Carrie Alison

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