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Interpol's Paul Banks (Julian Plenti) & CYHSY's Alec Ounsworth are releasing solo albums too

DOWNLOAD: Julian Plenti – Fun That We Have (MP3)

Julian Plenti

Since we just mentioned one new solo project from a band on hiatus (Julian from The Strokes), it’d be good to mention two other similar albums in the works.

In May, it was announced that Paul Banks of Interpol will be releasing a solo record called Julian Plenti is Skyscraper (Plenti being his own moniker) through Interpol’s ex-label Matador on August 4th. Listen to “Fun That We Have,” from the record, above.

This’ll be the recording debut from “Julian Plenti,” but the project itself is nothing new.

From 1998 to 2003, Julian Plenti performed in and around Manhattan as an acoustic solo artist. Venues that played host included Tobacco Road, Pete’s Candy Store, The Knitting Factory, The Living Room, and “Lach’s Antihoot” at Sidewalk Cafe.

In 2006 Plenti began to demo a selection of his music using Logic Pro, including some older acoustic songs (“Girl on the Sporting News,” “On the Esplanade,” “Fly as you Might,” “Fun that We Have”) with added beats and string arrangements.

In the Fall of 2008 Mr. Plenti took the demoed album to the Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn to be re-recorded with live instrumentation.

He hired session performers to play the string and horn arrangements, and also enlisted some friends. Mike Stroud of Ratatat and Charles Burst of The Occasion guest on “Skyscraper;” Sam Fogarino of Interpol plays drums on “Games For Days;” and Striker Manley of Stiff Jesus appears on “No Chance Survival” and “Fun That We Have.”

Shows in support of the record are expected (…as are Julian Casblancas shows. I vote they play a show together).

Alec OunsworthAnd it was announced this week that another frontman-cum-solo-performer, Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (who we reported in January will be taking a break… possibly a very long one), will be releasing his debut, Mo Beauty, on October 20th on Anti- Records. That album was recorded at New Orleans’ Piety St. recording studio…

For Mo Beauty, Ounsworth was backed by George Porter, Jr. on bass, Stanton Moore on drums, Robert Walter on keys, and Matt Sutton on baritone and pedal-steel guitars, with additional help from some members of the diversely talented New Orleans community such as Mark Mullins, Craig Klein, Greg Hicks, Washboard Chaz, Shannon Powell, John Boute, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, and Meschiya Lake. The album was produced by veteran musician/producer and fellow Philadelphian Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Blasters, John Lee Hooker, The Replacements).

This is not the first non-CYHSY project from Alec (though maybe the first that has a record), and this is not the first announcement this month from Anti regarding a new solo album from a popular Brooklyn band member (though I think Alec actually calls Philly home).

Other CYHSY side-projects include Uninhabitable Mansions and Radical Dads. Interpol Sam drums in Magnetic Morning. None of these bands have any upcoming dates.

Tracklists for Mo Beauty and Skyscraper, with a YouTube video that purports to be the first 30 seconds or so of each Julian Plenti track, below…

Track-By-Track Snippets of ‘Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper’ Album

Mo Beauty tracklist
1. Modern Girl ( . . . with scissors)
2. Bones in the Grave
3. Holy, Holy, Holy Moses (song for New Orleans)
4. That is not my Home (after Bruegel)
5. Idiots in the Rain
6. South Philadelphia (Drug Days)
7. What Fun.
8. Me and You, Watson
9. Obscene Queen Bee #2
10. When You’ve No Eyes

Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper tracklist
1. “Only if You Run”
2. “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”
11. “H”