Interpol - Memory Serves

Material were a good band, and one of few things particularly not-good about them – at least on debut Memory Serves – was not actually their fault at all. With a lineup like this, Bill Laswell, Fred Frith, Sonny Sharrock, Fred Maher, a few more, Material were expected to do so much, but they didn’t, not really. The structure and play, dynamism, phases and soloing indicates Memory Serves to be listened to in a manner like jazz, but the reward is simply mildly proggy, very funky rock, of decent calibre but nothing special. It’s the anticipation that makes any of this even remotely disappointing.