Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti is Skyscraper
by Anthony Strutt
published: 24 / 10 / 2009

Label:
Matador Records
Format: CD
intro
Wonderful debut album from Julian Plenti, the solo project of Paul Banks, the front man with Interpol
Julian Plenti is the solo project of Paul Banks, the front man and vocalist with Interpol. Paul started his career as a solo artist before joining Interpol in 1998, and ‘Julian Plenti is Skyscraper’, his debut album under that moniker, is an easy album to fall in love with,especially if you like Interpol or any of their influences. It opens with the post rock track Only If You Run’.It begins in a slow, murmuring manner before the guitars and drums eventually kick in, while its vocal is slow and drawn out. ‘Fun that We Have’ starts off sounding like an edgy version of Chameleons, which was always a trade mark of the early Interpol sound, before it becomes more commercial and poppy. ‘Skyscraper’ is an acoustic-based number. Its guitars have an early Leonard Cohen-like sound and there is also a soft piano. It is lush,and very cinematic. ‘Games for Days’ has a Chameleons/Interpol feel and glows in the same way that Interpol do. ‘Madrid Song; sounds likes Tindersticks at their most moody, while ‘No Chance Survival’ is a slow downer of a track, very sad, lonely and quite neurotic. ‘Unwind’ has a quiet vocal, which is distorted at the start, and is backed by some Teardrop Explodes-style trumpets. ‘Girl on the Sporting News,’is a slow trip, elegant and very laid back, coffee table music even, while ‘On the Esplanade’ again recalls early Leonard Cohen in its soft acoustic guitar. ‘Fly as You Might’ has a snail-paced vocal while the music is gritty like the early Chameleons. It ends with ‘H,’ which is a short moody instrumental piece. A wonderful album.
Track Listing:-
1 Only If You Run2 Fun That We Have
3 Skyscraper
4 Games for Days
5 Madrid Song
6 No Chance Survival
7 Unwind
8 Girl on the Sporting News
9 On the Esplanade
10 Fly As You Might
Label Links:-
http://www.matadorrecords.com/https://twitter.com/matadorrecords
https://www.facebook.com/MatadorRecords
http://matadorrecords.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/matadorrecs
https://www.instagram.com/matadorrecords/
live reviews |
Rock City, Nottingham, 28/11/2009 |
Peter Allison enjoys durable American act W.A.S.P.'s theatrical form of heavy metal at a show at Rock City in Nottingham |
most viewed articles
current edition
John McKay - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Cathode Ray - Interview
Spear Of Destiny - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Chris Wade - Interview
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Shrag - Huw Stephens Session 08.12.10 and Marc Riley Session 21.03.12
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Little Simz - Lotus
HAIM - I Quit
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Pulp - More
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart