—Lisa J. Bloomberg Interpol

“C’Mere”

“C’Mere” is far too inclusive a title for Interpol’s video of the third “Antics” single. In the final shots, the band erupts into animated flames, burning in their own tragically hip musical finale. All this plus some nifty whimsical creatures that are born with the music, and frolic for a good half of the video. But I digress.

The video begins unassumingly in a tiny cabin sequestered in the snowy woods. Inside are our musicians, escaping from the world, the audience, and their stardom. The camera peers into their cabin—as Thoreau as it is fairytale—reminding us that Interpol needs no audience. The band members appear through the slats in the cabin walls and then disappear behind soft focus. We look in on a private session.

The intimacy and mystery of their hideaway provides a good platform for the forest creatures that emerge. As the music builds, the creatures blossom. A romp through the woods leads to some stark, intriguing visuals, and nice special effects as the sprites envelop the cabin in their hair (magical fire locks?).

While the aforementioned finale is overwhelmingly self-righteous, the hideaway is well-executed. Shots of the cabin from the outside suggests that it is smaller than the sum of its parts—almost too small to fit a drum set, let alone the whole group that we see in interior shots. The video reduces the band down to its music, stripping away their individual personas. It distills Interpol to musical imagination, burning away the rock stars behind the album.

—Eve A. Lebwohl