Interpol
Turn on the Bright Lights (Matador)

The most buzzed of the buzz bands from New York City ÷ like, say, the Strokes, or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ÷ bear no resemblance to their N.Y. brethren Interpol.

While the Strokes try their very hardest to look like dirty shoplifters, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs get by on their "doin'-it-behind-the-dumpsters" sex appeal, Interpol is a much more refined band.

In fact, Interpol, with their fey haircuts and tailored suits, seem more aligned to draw visual comparisons to bands from across the pond.

They bear an uneasy resemblance to British band Menswe@r, or perhaps Blur in their mod days. But thankfully, that's only how they look.

Interpol has also had more time to develop than those other N.Y. bands. Started in 1998 by a few friends at NYU, the band has been working in relative obscurity for a while. Long enough to generate a lot of airplay in London for their first single, before getting signed to Matador Records and releasing their self-titled EP this summer.

The time has been well spent. Let other N.Y. bands impress you with their one-off guitar hooks and carefully torn denim jackets.

"Turn on the Bright Lights" has layers of lush production built on singer Paul Banks' self-assured vocals and Carlos Dengler's bass lines.

In fact, the band most often draws comparisons to Joy Division (more Brits) but the comparison is deceiving. Paul Banks does sound like Joy Division's Ian Curtis ÷ and the bass lines are sort of similar as well ÷ but Interpol's expansive sound is both minimalist and full at the same time. It's also more reminiscent of, say, Radiohead or Clinic than Joy Division. Not bad for a band's first album.

If you want to catch Interpol live, they'll be playing Solar Culture on Sept. 20.