Paul Banks showcases 7 new songs at Sonos Studio

Kevin Bronson on
0

By Corey Remington

Paul Banks is Paul Banks again, the Interpol singer-guitarist having given up the Julian Plenti persona he adopted for his 2009 solo album. On Saturday night, the eve of his performance at FYF Fest, Banks and his band convened at Sonos Studio for an invitation-only showcase of some of the material on his second solo effort, “Banks” (due Oct. 23 on Matador).

Banks even claimed he was nervous, but it didn’t show.

||| Download: “The Base”

[audio:http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/paul_banks/paul_banks_the_base.mp3]

His fresh material won’t surprise fans who dialed into Interpol’s four albums, anchored as they are by Banks’ weighty baritone and drama-filled post-punk guitar licks. “Banks” was made with producer Peter Katis (Interpol, the National and others), and the early returns on the new songs – seven of which he played at Sonos – show Banks revealing a bit more of his tender side.

The album follows a June EP titled “Julian Plenti Lives …” which featured one song on the new album, the sprawling  “Summertime Is Coming.” The surprises on the EP were the covers, which included songs by J Dilla, Frank Sinatra and “Running Man” movie composer Harold Faltermeyer.

During a Q&A, Banks allowed as how he loved J Dilla and embraced deconstructing the song to cover it. “it’s the next step” in being a fan, he said. In choosing Next up, “Perimeter Deactivated” from “Running Man,” Banks copped to having had an attack of childhood. “I think I’m a very nostalgic person,” he said, “and when recently watching that movie I remember seeing it for the first time when I was 13 or so.” And as for Sinatra, Banks said “I’m a Fool to Want you” was the hardest song because he was afraid of getting into the “karaoke zone.” Is there an album of standards covers in his future? “No,” he said with a smile.

The “Banks” cover art – a bleak cityscape – is a photograph Banks took with a humdrum camera through a window. He said he liked the effect it gave the photo.

Saturday’s setlist:

“Skyscaper,” “The Base” (new), “I’ll Sue You” (new), “Fun That We Have,” “Paid for That” (new), “Only If You Run,” “Arise, Awake” (new), “Over My Shoulder” (new), “Games for Days,” “Young Again” (new), “Summertime Is Coming” (new).