{{other uses}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = El Pintor | type = studio | artist = Interpol | cover = Interpol - El Pintor cover art.jpg | released = {{Start date|2014|9|8}} | recorded = | studio = * Electric Lady (New York City) * Atomic Sound (New York City) | genre = * Indie rock * post-punk revival | length = 39:50 | label = * Matador * Soft Limit | producer = Interpol | prev_title = Interpol | prev_year = 2010 | next_title = Marauder | next_year = 2018 | misc = {{Singles | name = El Pintor | type = Studio | single1 = All the Rage Back Home | single1date = August 12, 2014 | single2 = Ancient Ways | single2date = August 19, 2014 | single3 = My Desire | single3date = October 27, 2014 | single4 = Anywhere | single4date = March 9, 2015 | single5 = Everything Is Wrong | single5date = April 18, 2015 }} }}
'''''El Pintor''''' (Spanish for "the painter"; also an anagram of "Interpol")<ref name="cos"/> is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Interpol. It was released through Matador Records and Soft Limit on September 8, 2014, internationally, and on September 9, 2014, in North America. ''El Pintor'' is the band's first album without bassist Carlos Dengler, who departed Interpol after the release of the band's eponymous album in 2010.<ref name="spin12">{{cite web | url=https://www.spin.com/2014/06/interpol-el-pintor-september-matador-track-list/ | title=Interpol's First Album in Four Years, 'El Pintor,' Painted for September |work=Spin | date=June 5, 2014 | access-date=June 5, 2014 |last=Hogan |first=Marc}}</ref>
''El Pintor'' received both critical and fan praise. The band embarked on a summer tour preceding the album's release.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/06/interpol-announces-el-pintor-release-date-track-li.html | title=Interpol Announces New Album El Pintor |work=Paste | date=June 5, 2014 | access-date=June 5, 2014 |last=Youorski |first=Joe}}</ref> Five singles were released from the album: "All the Rage Back Home", "Ancient Ways", "My Desire", "Anywhere", and "Everything Is Wrong".
==Production== Self-produced by the band and recorded at Electric Lady Studios and Atomic Sound in New York City, the album was engineered by James Brown (known for his work for Foo Fighters) and mixed by Alan Moulder (known for his production and mixing work for My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails).<ref name="bill">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6113676/interpol-new-album-el-pintor-september-tracklist |title=Interpol Announces New Album 'El Pintor'|magazine=Billboard|date=June 5, 2014|access-date=June 5, 2014|last=Schneider|first=Marc}}</ref><ref name="p4k">{{cite web | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/55453-interpol-announce-new-album-el-pintor/ | title=Interpol Announce New Album El Pintor | website=Pitchfork | date=June 5, 2014 | access-date=June 5, 2014 |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |first2=Zoe |last2=Camp}}</ref> The bass duties on the album were taken over by frontman Paul Banks. The album features guest appearances by Brandon Curtis (Secret Machines), Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) and Rob Moose (Bon Iver).<ref name="cos">{{cite magazine | url=https://consequence.net/2014/06/interpol-announce-new-album-el-pintor-due-out-in-september/ | title=Interpol announce new album, El Pintor, due out in September | magazine=Consequence of Sound | date=June 5, 2014 | access-date=June 5, 2014 |last=Young |first=Alex}}</ref>
In a 2018 interview with ''Vice'', Banks claimed that the band's future was uncertain after Dengler left, saying: "it was really just daunting to find out if we could be a good band without Carlos, because he was a really integral member of our band." However, it did not take long for the group to find the type of sound they wanted to go with in the future. Banks continued: "I think everyone was of common mind and purpose when we made this record. We'd gone pretty far left on ''Interpol'', so I think there was a spirit of 'Let's just try to rock.' It was a good reset for us."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rank-your-records-interpol-paul-banks/|title=Paul Banks Rates Interpol's Five Albums|website=Vice.com|date=23 August 2018 |access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | ADM = 7.5/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/6661/Interpol-El-Pintor.aspx |title=El Pintor by Interpol reviews |website=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref> | MC = 77/100<ref name="meta">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/el-pintor/interpol |title=Reviews for El Pintor by Interpol |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 2, 2014}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/el-pintor-mw0002688787 |title=El Pintor – Interpol |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 24, 2014 |last=Phares |first=Heather}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev2score = A−<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/review/reborn-trio-interpol-turns-its-version-light-el-pi-208649 |title=Reborn as a trio, Interpol turns on its version of light with El Pintor |work=The A.V. Club |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=October 10, 2014 |last=Battleground |first=Andrea}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Chicago Tribune'' | rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/kot/ct-interpol-el-pintor-review-20140908-column.html |title=Interpol roars through the gloom on 'El Pintor' |work=Chicago Tribune |date=September 8, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2019 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Guardian'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/04/interpol-el-pintor-review |title=Interpol: El Pintor review – a cheerful return to sonic murk and doom |work=The Guardian |date=September 4, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2019 |last=Simpson |first=Dave}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Mojo'' | rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |title=Interpol: El Pintor |journal=Mojo |issue=251 |date=October 2014 |page=89}}</ref> | rev6 = ''NME'' | rev6score = 8/10<ref name="nme">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/interpol/15588 |title=Interpol – 'El Pintor' |work=NME |date=August 31, 2014 |access-date=September 2, 2014 |last=Daly |first=Rhian |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901233701/http://www.nme.com/reviews/interpol/15588 |archivedate=September 1, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev7score = 5.9/10<ref name="pitchforkreview">{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19693-interpol-el-pintor/ |title=Interpol: El Pintor |work=Pitchfork |date=September 8, 2014 |access-date=September 10, 2014 |last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Q'' | rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |title=Interpol: El Pintor |journal=Q |issue=339 |date=October 2014 |page=106}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/el-pintor-183546/ |title=El Pintor |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2019 |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Uncut'' | rev10score = 7/10<ref name="uncut">{{cite journal |title=Interpol: El Pintor |journal=Uncut |issue=209 |date=October 2014 |page=73}}</ref> }} Reviews of ''El Pintor'' have been highly positive overall. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 77, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 34 (26 positive and eight mixed) reviews.<ref name="meta"/> ''Clash'' magazine critic Will Salmon wrote: "...as an exercise in getting back to where you once belonged, ''El Pintor'' is highly successful".<ref name="clash">{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/interpol-el-pintor |title=Interpol - El Pintor |first=Will |last=Salmon |date=August 26, 2014 |work=Clash |access-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref> Dom Gourlay of ''Drowned in Sound'' thought that the album "feels more structured than ''Interpol''" and stated, "Bold in intention and quiet in confidence, they've gone back to basics here and for the most part, the results are sublime". Gourlay also described the album as the band's "finest record in a decade".<ref name="dis">{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18371/reviews/4148122 |title=Album Review: Interpol – El Pintor |date=August 28, 2014 |work=Drowned in Sound |access-date=August 29, 2014 |last=Gourlay |first=Dom |archive-date=August 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830101614/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18371/reviews/4148122 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Writing for ''NME'', Rhian Daly stated that the band proved that "there's still plenty of value in their elegantly downtrodden aesthetic."<ref name="nme"/> ''The Skinny'' critic Gary Kaill wrote: "Expansive and texturally advanced, and arguably their strongest outing since that lauded debut, this is a welcome second coming".<ref name="theskinny">{{cite web|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/records/308819-interpol_el_pintor |title=Interpol – El Pintor |first=Gary |last=Kaill |date=August 26, 2014 |work=The Skinny |access-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref> ''Uncut'' magazine also stated: "It's back go [sic] icy, slightly gothic basics".<ref name="uncut"/> Larry Fitzmaurice of ''Pitchfork'' gave a more mixed review of the album, stating: "There's nothing here that touches the band's creative peak, but any of ''El Pintor''{{'}}s songs could hang with Interpol's strongest deep cuts".<ref name="pitchforkreview"/>
''El Pintor'' made its way onto multiple music magazine best of the year lists, most prominently, ''Drowned in Sound'' (No. 13), ''Q'' (No. 12) and ''NME'' (No. 49). It was voted the second best album of 2014 by the popular German music website Laut.de.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laut.de/News/Best-Of-2014-Die-Alben-des-Jahres-13-12-2014-11056/Seite-49 |title=Platz 2: Interpol - "El Pintor" |date=2014-12-13 |website=laut.de |access-date=2015-03-02 |language=de}}</ref>
==Accolades== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Accolades for ''El Pintor'' !scope="col"|Publication !scope="col"|Accolade !scope="col"|Rank |- ! scope="row"| ''Q'' | Top 50 Albums of 2014 | align="center"|12<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlists.html#2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104040314/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlists.html#2014|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 4, 2006|title=Q End Of Year Lists Lists|website=Rocklistmusic.co.uk|access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Drowned in Sound'' | 50 Favourite Albums of 2014 | align="center"|13<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4148558-drowned-in-sounds-50-favourite-albums-of-2014|title=Drowned in Sound's 50 Favourite Albums of 2014|website=DrownedInSound.com|access-date=20 May 2021|archive-date=17 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217125459/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4148558-drowned-in-sounds-50-favourite-albums-of-2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''NME'' | Top 50 Albums of 2014 | align="center"|49<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/2014.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223151424/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/2014.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 23, 2014|title=Rocklist.net....NME End Of Year Lists 2014...|website=Rocklistmusic.co.uk|access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref> |}
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = Interpol {{small|(Paul Banks, Sam Fogarino, and Daniel Kessler)}} | title1 = All the Rage Back Home | length1 = 4:22 | note1 = | title2 = My Desire | length2 = 5:00 | note2 = | title3 = Anywhere | length3 = 3:12 | note3 = | title4 = Same Town, New Story | length4 = 4:09 | note4 = | title5 = My Blue Supreme | length5 = 3:09 | note5 = | title6 = Everything Is Wrong | length6 = 3:32 | note6 = | title7 = Breaker 1 | length7 = 4:13 | note7 = | title8 = Ancient Ways | length8 = 3:00 | note8 = | title9 = Tidal Wave | length9 = 4:17 | note9 = | title10 = Twice as Hard | length10 = 4:56 | note10 = }} {{Track listing | headline = iTunes pre-order | title11 = The Depths | length11 = 4:08 }} {{Track listing | headline = Target deluxe edition | title11 = Malfeasance | length11 = 4:36 | title12 = Slow Hands | note12 = live at the Brixton Academy | length12 = 3:18 }}
==Personnel== '''Interpol''' *Daniel Kessler – guitars, piano on "Twice as Hard" *Paul Banks – vocals, guitars, bass *Sam Fogarino – drums
'''Guest musicians'''<ref name=CD>{{Cite AV media notes |title=El Pintor |others=Interpol |date=2014 |type=CD booklet}}</ref> *Brandon Curtis – keyboards (all except "Tidal Wave") *Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – keyboards on "Tidal Wave" *Rob Moose – violin and viola on "Twice as Hard" *Brad Truax – bass on "Slow Hands" (live)
'''Technical personnel'''<ref name=CD/> *Interpol – production *James Brown – recording *Phil Joly – assistant engineer (Electric Lady Studios) *Dakota Bowman – assistant engineer (Atomic Sound) *Alan Moulder – mixing *John Catlin – mix engineer *Caesar Edmunds – mix assistant *Greg Calbi – mastering *Graphic Therapy NYC – artwork
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+Weekly chart performance for ''El Pintor'' !scope="col"| Chart (2014) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Australia|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Austria|13|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardCanada|15|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Denmark|30|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 20, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|16|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Finland|45|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Germany|id=252161|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- !scope="row"|Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1881|title=Artisti - Classifica settimanale WK 37 (dal 08-09-2014 al 14-09-2014)|publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana|language=Italian|access-date=September 19, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011065107/http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1881|archivedate=October 11, 2014}}</ref> |25 |- {{album chart|New Zealand|27|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Poland|50|id=886|rowheader=true|access-date=September 24, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Portugal|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|10|date=20140914|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 22, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Spain|25|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|UK2|9|artist=Interpol|date=20140914|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|1|date=20140914|rowheader=true|access-date=July 23, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|7|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardDigital|11|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|2|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|1|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRock|2|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |- {{album chart|BillboardTastemaker|2|artist=Interpol|album=El Pintor|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2014}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Year-end chart performance for ''El Pintor'' !scope="col"|Chart (2014) !scope="col"|Position |- !scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2014|publisher=Ultratop.be|access-date=September 28, 2020}}</ref> |168 |- !scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2014|publisher=Ultratop.be|access-date=September 28, 2020}}</ref> |192 |- !scope="row"|US Independent Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine| url = https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/independent-albums | magazine = Billboard | access-date = December 30, 2014 | title = 2014 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Independent Albums}}</ref> |39 |} {{col-end}}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Release history and formats for ''El Pintor'' ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Label |- ! scope="row"| International<ref name="soft">{{cite web|url=http://matablog.matadorrecords.com/2014/06/05/coming-september-9-interpol-el-pintor/ |title=El Pintor on Matador Records|website=Matablog.matadorrecords.com|date=5 June 2014 |access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> | September 8, 2014 | Soft Limit |- ! scope="row"| United States<ref name="p4k"/> | September 9, 2014 | Matador |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://interpolnyc.com/|Interpol official website}} * {{Discogs master|729697}}
{{Interpol (band)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pintor, El}} Category:2014 albums Category:Interpol (band) albums Category:Matador Records albums