Entry Level Essentials (genres)

Post-Punk

"When I listen to Turn on the Bright Lights, I don’t hear Joy Division; not every post-punk band with a baritone singer needs to be compared to them. Hell, their vocal styles aren’t even remotely the same (it’s hard to imagine Ian Curtis singing something as wordy as “Obstacle 2”), and at the very least, Paul Banks has a more mobile voice than Ian Curtis (see specifically, the “It’s up to me now, turn on the bright lights” part of “NYC” and the “This is a new year” section on “Say Hello to the Angels,” or the opening perfect fifth interval, “She said” of “Leif Erikson” as examples). When I listen to Turn on the Bright Lights, I don’t hear the post-9/11 landscape that so many people talk about, with the possible exception of the mostly instrumental “Untitled,” whose guitars do sound like sirens (made even more obvious in a live show I saw in 2010). Do you know what I hear when I listen to Turn on the Bright Lights? Damn good music."

Gateways songs for the album:

Obstacle 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=qetipkznG80
Interpol also benefits from the interplay between two guitarists who know what they’re doing and know how to play off each other. Case in point, listen to “Obstacle 1,” and how one creates a steady rhythm while the other plays brief, two-note stabs. Nothing complicated at all, but it sounds amazing. Listen specifically to how they sound when Paul Banks sings, “You go stabbing yourself in the neck” (the 2:20 mark)

NYC www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsNnXFgmnAw
The subway is a porno” line (later, “Subway she is a porno”) of “NYC,” which sounds awkward on paper, but Paul Banks delivers it in such a way that it never sounds so. I thought it was a clever line, people get on and get off subways without much thought. Add “NYC” in the long list of songs about New York City from artists that reside there who paint a grimy picture of it (ie. LCD Soundsystem’s “Yr City’s A Sucker, My City’s A Creep” and “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” and, um, about every song Lou Reed has ever written)

PDA www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA5xtHxfiTI
By far the greatest outro. I know I've already mentioned it, but these guys REALLY know how to play off each other. Listen to the last 2 minutes and tell me that's not impressive.

Say Hello to the Angels www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMpvInj7Io
listen to how these guys play off each other on this key track. The opener is kick ass, then the melodic structure of it accompanies one of the best bass lines i've ever heard.

Acknowledgements go out out to marsbars of RYM.

Post-Punk

To start off, I enjoy Closer immensely more (well not by a large margin, but a noticeable one) but I didn't get Closer until I got Unknown Pleasure.

Gateway songs for the album:

Disorder www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhCLalLXHP4
The catchiest, most pop punk hooks you'll hear from Joy Division. A very ambitious song that sets the tone for the rest of the album to come as its the opener. Killer riffs, amazing solos makes for one hell of a track. Still one of their best IMO and the reason why its one of their most popular songs.

She's Lost Control www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PtvIr2oiaE
No seriously THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL. Ian Curtis (the frontman) has lost control. If you ever feel down this is my to-go-song to fill that void. An insanely catchy bassline accompanied by some very surprisingly artistic guitar riffs towards the end of the track. The drums almost sound avant-garde.