Do you know Paul Banks? He is a guy my age or so, who was born in Essex, England. Then his parents moved to Michigan in the U.S., then to Spain and then Mexico. His travels probably ended after school, when he moved to New York to study at New York University.
And I ask again? Do you know Paul Banks? Do you perhaps know Julian Plenti? If i tell you he's the singer of Interpol , then something comes to mind.
Last August, therefore, Paul Banks aka Julian Plenti released his first solo album entitled "Julian Plenti is ... Skyscraper". Eleven special songs, that sometimes bring to my mind Interpol, other times Arcade Fire and other times the Fleet Foxes and generally folk music.
Quite melodious is Julian Plenti with compositions that manage to create a personal profile, which is based on the melody, the acoustic guitar and vocals of Banks, and sometimes "filled" with the presence of various instruments (horns or keys).
Top moment of the album is in my opinion the "Skyscraper", which is a folk song and is perhaps closer than the rest of them to the personal sound of Banks, as it seems to be in my understanding. Very close to "Skyscraper" stands in "Unwind", which is quite close to the joyful side of the sound of Arcade Fire and Interpol. "Only if you run" opens the album well enough with a little more beat of course, without lacking melody and a pretty good solo at the end. Finally, remarkable are "Games for days", "Fun that we have","Fly as you might".
Overall, I think "Julian Plenti is ... Skyscraper" is one of the several good records of the year. The album goes well til the middle and if it hadn't a "slump" towards the end would get even better reviews from music magazines and websites.
Only if You Run (****)
Fun That We Have (***,*)
Skyscraper (****,*)
Games for Days (****)
Madrid Song (***)
No Chance Survival (***,*)
Unwind (*** *,*)
Girl on the Sporting News (***)
On the Esplanade (***)
Fly as You Might (****)
H (***)
Our score: 7,2
And I ask again? Do you know Paul Banks? Do you perhaps know Julian Plenti? If i tell you he's the singer of Interpol , then something comes to mind.
Last August, therefore, Paul Banks aka Julian Plenti released his first solo album entitled "Julian Plenti is ... Skyscraper". Eleven special songs, that sometimes bring to my mind Interpol, other times Arcade Fire and other times the Fleet Foxes and generally folk music.
Quite melodious is Julian Plenti with compositions that manage to create a personal profile, which is based on the melody, the acoustic guitar and vocals of Banks, and sometimes "filled" with the presence of various instruments (horns or keys).
Top moment of the album is in my opinion the "Skyscraper", which is a folk song and is perhaps closer than the rest of them to the personal sound of Banks, as it seems to be in my understanding. Very close to "Skyscraper" stands in "Unwind", which is quite close to the joyful side of the sound of Arcade Fire and Interpol. "Only if you run" opens the album well enough with a little more beat of course, without lacking melody and a pretty good solo at the end. Finally, remarkable are "Games for days", "Fun that we have","Fly as you might".
Overall, I think "Julian Plenti is ... Skyscraper" is one of the several good records of the year. The album goes well til the middle and if it hadn't a "slump" towards the end would get even better reviews from music magazines and websites.
Only if You Run (****)
Fun That We Have (***,*)
Skyscraper (****,*)
Games for Days (****)
Madrid Song (***)
No Chance Survival (***,*)
Unwind (*** *,*)
Girl on the Sporting News (***)
On the Esplanade (***)
Fly as You Might (****)
H (***)
Our score: 7,2