Interpol’s 2002 debut album, Turn On The Bright Lights celebrated its twentieth anniversary earlier this year with a re-release of the album on vinyl. Turn On The Bright Lights was met with critical success on its release and has only become more important today.

Interpol was a key part of the 2000s Post Punk Revival with bands like Franz Ferdinand and The Bravery. Seated in New York City with other important rock bands like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Interpol was in the right place at the right time and was able to identify themselves as an important part of the new rock scene.

And so their 2002 album was met with praise. But the magic of Turn On The Bright Lights isn’t in its setting, it is in its unique mix of modern rock and the Post Punk sound of the early eighties. While Yeah Yeah Yeah’s were more focused on Art Rock and The Strokes stuck to Garage Rock, Interpol’s more planned, moody, and serious songs like Untitled were able to focus on a musical sound in the era that had not yet been re-explored, setting them apart from other bands.

Turn On The Bright Lights is an album of singles, with each song cultivating a unique atmosphere while simultaneously being high quality. The album still feels consistent though, and each song leads well into the next, giving the album a cohesive feel.

After twenty years, Interpol and specifically Turn On The Bright Lights remain important in 2000s American rock history and are still well-loved by young and old listers alike. There is no better place to start listening to Interpol than with Turn On The Bright Lights and if you’ve never listened to it you are missing out.