Julian Plenti - “On the Esplanade” from Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper
If you’re a fervent Interpol fan then you probably already know that Paul Banks’s solo album - Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper drops today. Personally, I found Our Love to Admire so disappointing that I was a bit leery of a new Interpol-related project, but I guess I liked Antics enough to give anything that Paul Banks does at least one listen.
And the results? Mixed. Most of the tracks sound almost exactly like Interpol, which, although uninspired, isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there are definitely some tracks that fall flat. Banks does, however, take a few risks. ”Unwind” is a surprising pop song and “Girl on the Sporting News” is a moody gem, but my favorite is probably “On the Esplanade,” which hints at a gracefulness and a sentimentality that I didn’t think “too cool for school” Banks had in him. Overall, quite the little mixed bag.
