Apparently shaking off the “they sound like Joy Division” tag is a tough gig to be saddled with.  Oddly, both Interpol and Joy Disaster go about ditching their pedigree in much the same way on their latest albums, with much the same results.  Both bands deviate from the icy guitar riffs and unstoppable bass lines that won them fans by branching out and incorporating new sounds into the fold.  Interpol has taken to meandering, exploratory sound noodling where they once went in for stabs of shadow and light; Joy Disaster has beefed up their sound with a few standard rock tricks and a warmer approach to their dramatic atmospherics; both groups have added prominent keyboard to the mix.  Unfortunately, in shedding their Joy Division fixation, neither has come up with a compelling sound that fills the gap.  Interpol have begun to sound a little too much like the bands they paved the way for—Joy Disaster have begun to sound like archetypal gothic rock from the 1980s.  You’ve got to admire the choice to be their own masters, but the results aren’t exactly overpowering in either case.

Interpol – Our Love to Admire

Joy Disaster – self-titled

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