Interpol frontman Paul Banks steps out with an alter ego and a surprisingly inviting side project.
JULIAN PLENTI
Julian Plenti Is…Skyscraper
(Matador) Rating: 
Julian Plenti is the nom de rock of Paul Banks, the dapper lead singer of urban gloomsayers Interpol—a man better known for his charismatically cold croon than his songwriting. So the 11 warm, remarkably assured tracks on his solo debut come as a welcome surprise, especially since they arrive on the heels of Interpol’s turgid 2007 album, Our Love to Admire. Yet where that album was swampy and self-serious, Banks—er, Plenti—lightens his New York nocturnes with delicate flourishes: lilting acoustic guitar on “On the Esplanade,” sultry strings on “Girl on the Sporting News,” and spooky samples of otherworldly voices throughout. Opener “Only If You Run” has the sexy swagger of the best Interpol songs but without the Joy Division–esque lack of joy, and the irresistible “Unwind” kicks out the poppiest trumpet hook this side of Herb Alpert. City kids: This is your day at the beach.
