When I reviewed Julian Plenti...is Skyscraper, I gave the album a solid A, though I cautioned that the album, the debut solo release by Paul Banks of Interpol, sounded simply like an expected new Interpol album. And because I really like Interpol, the good grade was easy.
Unfortunately, the same can be said of the live show. Interpol is an incredibly polished, synced live band with absolutely zero personality. The band members wear full suits on stage, and perform as automotons. I never could figure out if it was an aesthetic they were shooting for or if whatever soulfulness the band had was fully spent on making the records, leaving only hollow shells to be propped up before live audiences. I guess it's the latter. Paul Banks, here as Julian Plenti, at least contributed a few short sentences to the crowd, though it hardly went beyond the ubiquitous "thanks for coming out" and "it's so great to be back at the Metro" bullshit. Nevertheless, the band deliberately worked its way through the limited source material; limited in quanitity given they are supporting only the one record. A couple of throw-away covers (Pixies, America) were inserted to round up to an hour set, which wouldn't have been necessary had the band simply interacted somewhat, or even acknowledged the crowd. Or perhaps perform a couple Interpol covers to really liven it up. Sadly, this excellent foursome, like Interpol, fails to match its live performance to its recorded craftsmanship. C
