Julian Plenti

Paul Banks can't hide behind the moniker of Julian Plenti; his stark, Ian Curtis-like monotone gives him away. Still, the Interpol frontman takes one step out of the post-punk vault for his solo debut, skulking into a crypt filled with strings, horns, pianos and acoustic guitars. His band helps bulk up his sound, adding layers of baroque instrumentation inspired by medieval folk ("Skyscraper," "On the Esplanade"), post-punk ("Fun That We Have") and classical ("H"). But it's Banks' stoic drones that resonate, coming in and out like a distant foghorn, full of both caution and comfort.

Interpol singer-guitarist Paul Banks has always been a New Waver with a velvet crooner's
soul, locating the lounge-y loveman in the image of his hero, Joy Division's Ian Curtis. With
this solo alter ego, he digs into his gloomy-balladeer side. "Fun That We Have" turns
Interpol's hard-charging drone into a heartsick hobble, "On the Esplanade" is hushed folk,
and lachrymose ballads like "Girl on the Sporting News" explore a doomed roman... More >