Marauder
by Interpol
  • Record Label: Matador
  • Release Date: Aug 24, 2018
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
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  1. The Observer (UK)
    Aug 27, 2018
    60
    Flight of Fancy and Number 10 impress too, but elsewhere the quality is more variable: Daniel Kessler’s delicate guitar lines aside, the slower Stay in Touch lacks any light or shade. The equally uninspired closer is called It Probably Matters; on this evidence it probably doesn’t.
  2. PopMatters
    Aug 23, 2018
    60
    It is, once again, the sound of a band coming within scraping distance of their potential. And after so many competently executed scrapes in a row, things tend to go numb. Marauder does have a small treat though, in the form of two instrumental interludes. They're only about a minute apiece, but they convince me that Interpol could whip up a fine instrumental ambient album if given a chance.
  3. The Skinny
    Aug 21, 2018
    60
    What Marauder provides is a top-up of Interpol for the band’s most dedicated fans, but nothing that approaches their former glory.
  5. Uncut
    Aug 14, 2018
    60
    The result is neither an especially loud or revelatory one. [Sep 2018, p.32]
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  6. Under The Radar
    Aug 24, 2018
    55
    It's doubtful Marauder will win Interpol any new fans and may even leave existing fans somewhat disappointed, but if you work at it, you can find some redeeming qualities since a sub-par Interpol is still better than most.
  7. Rolling Stone
    Aug 24, 2018
    50
    “Mountain Child” is a catchy ode to trying to get in touch with your inner enfant sauvage, and the album’s closing confession, “It Probably Matters” is a poppy, jazzy number on which Banks reconciles his shitty attitude toward faithfulness, inner anger and his own lack of grace. He even sings a bit more on the latter cut. Unfortunately these moments come late on Maurader after so many lesser clones of the same old tricks.
  8. Exclaim
    Aug 22, 2018
    50
    Interpol are far past the point of trying to recapture their glory days, but even their attempts to change things up come off as a mixed bag. Prospective fans and diehards alike are better off starting at the beginning.

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Most Discussed Album of 2018
75
#75 Most Shared Album of 2018

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 91
  3. Negative: 9 out of 91
  1. itsjust
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    Interpol made an album for themselves. It’s what they’ve always done and it’s why they’ve got such a distinct sound. This album came offInterpol made an album for themselves. It’s what they’ve always done and it’s why they’ve got such a distinct sound. This album came off initially as muddled, rushed out, and congested. I felt as if the band just came into the studio and started playing with no direction or purpose. I was willing to give this a 6/10 from there on out. But then Flight of Fancy started to unveil in my mind. The outro constantly built upon itself in a beautiful, aggressive fashion. I loved it. It was the first time I got goosebumps from this album. I went back and listened and I got that feeling for other songs and the album got better. I listened again and it got better as well. And then it got better. And again. And again.

    What we have here is something completely new. While El Pintor was a rerun to safe form, carrying dark tones and clear-cut production, we now have an album that’s comfortable in its own disarray. It shares a lot of qualities as self titled, but without the dysfunction and depression (and I love self titled). This album sounds like it acknowledges the confusion, complications, and darkness of everyday life and culture but makes a BANGING album out of it. Every song starts out simple, but twists into an energetic or wallowing spark of pure passion. The band had fun making this. They took a lot of leaps and bounds over anything we’ve heard before. This isn’t boring or expected after a few listens. It’s diverse, fun, thought provoking, but overall a companion to confusion, mellodramatic thoughts those like me suffer from. The everyday burden of existence is eased and acknowledged by what Interpol made. It’s an album I know I can come back to if I’m feeling some way J can not explain, because it’ll either accompany those feelings and give me some semblance of understanding, or simply give me happiness hat some guys were able to make something so enjoyable, unique, and prosperous out of feelings that completely contradict those notions. I love you Interpol. This album **** rocks.    … Full Review »
  2. ParttimeRobot
    Sep 1, 2018
    10
    What a triumph. Interpol is oftentimes sneeringly called a band that desperately struggles to re-capture the greatness of the first album andWhat a triumph. Interpol is oftentimes sneeringly called a band that desperately struggles to re-capture the greatness of the first album and that hasn´t had a real clue on how to accomplish that, After having to agree with that at least to the extent that none of the albums from Our Love To Admire to El Pintor have been on the same level as the first two, even though they still managed to be very good, I was prepared to listen to El Pintor 2.0. However, instead of a "classic Interpol-album" I expected off of El Pintor, with sleek and clean production and roughly even-handed switches from slower to mid-tempo songs, I was blown away by Marauder. Marauder, instead of starting fast and straight-forward, builds an atmosphere of both palpable gloominess and a yet assured confidence that things will blow over and be just fine in the end. As if you´re leaving a dimly-lit bar at the break of dawn when the evening really had its ups and downs, but in the end, you´re happy you experienced the whole thing. More than any Interpol-album after TOTBL, even Antics, Marauder never lets go of this atmosphere and experiments with the moods within the confines of it, rather than trying to stray from its central tone. It doesn´t need to. Marauder is confident that its sound will capture the listener and take her or him on a ride for this one special evening it creates. In sticking with one idea, it succeeds in rising above its concept.

    Marauder is not just a very good Interpol-album as its predecessors already were; it´s finally a special one once again.    … Full Review »
  3. BroteinSupreme
    Aug 24, 2018
    8
    Rolling in with a creative and booming effort, Interpol's sixth album proves that the band hasn't lost their touch, and they have much more toRolling in with a creative and booming effort, Interpol's sixth album proves that the band hasn't lost their touch, and they have much more to offer. This is an album with no filler and no holds barred.

    That being said, Dave Fridmann's production leaves a lot to be desired. While the mix sounds absolutely terrible on stereo, and will require some normalization to avoid the peculiarities (such as volume changes in between tracks), the collection of songs seem like they're more of live tracks, as even the early YouTube recordings of NYSMAW seem to capture the emotion of the song in a way that the album recording just doesn't seem to do.

    The mixing doesn't prevent Interpol from making several phenomenal songs. Surveillance is easily one of the best songs they've written, and It Probably Matters keeps up Interpol's track record of making kick-ass closers. The interludes don't really make too much sense here, they don't change the tone or set the mood, overall they're pretty insignificant, which is probably for the best. One of the songs that didn't make the cut was Real Life, a song that's been played extensively throughout Interpol's 2018 tour, which hints that there'll be another cut of bonus tracks like there was with El Pintor.

    This is no Turn on the Bright Lights, nor is it another Antics, if anything it's closer to a more-polished El Pintor, though the mixing wouldn't immediately show it. Regardless, it fits snug into Interpol's discography and is worth several repeat listens.

    Best Tracks: Surveillance, It Probably Matters, Flight of Fancy
    Worst Track: Complications    … Full Review »
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