Interpol - NYC

Interpol is one of the bands associated with the New York City indie music scene, and was one of several groups that emerged out of the post-punk revival of the 2000s.
Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks (vocals, guitar), Daniel Kessler (guitar, vocals), Carlos Dengler (bass guitar, keyboards) and Greg Drudy (drums, percussion).Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino. In 2010, shortly after recording finished for the band's fourth album, Dengler left to pursue personal projects.

The band's sound is generally a mix of bass throb and rhythmic, harmonized guitar, with a snare heavy mix, drawing comparisons to post-punk bands such as Joy Division and The Chameleons.

Aside from the lyrics, their songwriting method includes all of the band members, rather than relying on any given chief songwriter. Interpol also had a striking visual presence marked by the members' fondness for suits, which only strengthened their stately, British-influenced appeal.

Interpol's debut album Turn on the Bright Lights was critically acclaimed, making it to tenth position on the NME's list of top albums in 2002 as well as #1 on Pitchfork Media's Top 50 Albums of 2002. Subsequent records Antics (2004) and Our Love to Admire (2007) have confirmed the band's initial success and turned them into a commercial and critical success. The band released its fourth, self-titled album on September 7, 2010.

"NYC" is taken from their debut album and was released as a single on April 14, 2003.The music video for was produced, directed by Doug Aitken.
As Joe Marvilli (consequenceofsound.com) states, "Interpol’s tribute to New York is a decidedly sad affair in which the protagonist only finds hope from the city itself. Despite the fact that the feeling doesn’t appear mutual (“The subway is a porno/The pavements they are a mess/I know you’ve supported me for a long time/Somehow I’m not impressed”), the city is still there for him, day in and day out. The sluggish guitar riff gives a feeling of wandering aimlessly through the city streets at night.

At the end of the song, the realization comes that New York’s done its part to support those who live there. Now it’s the inhabitant’s turn to make something of it (“It is up to me now, turn on the bright lights”)".