Despite Paul Banks’ active promotion of his impressive solo debut, Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper, the fourth Interpol album is still on track for release in early 2010. Drummer Sam Fogarino has even alluded to its close relationship to Interpol’s darkly expansive 2002 debut, Turn on the Bright Lights, telling Paste Magazine, “In trying to move forward, there was an unspoken realization that you can’t let go of your sonic-defining tag.” An intriguing sentiment. While The Strokes argue over whether their new songs veer too far from the band’s core sound, Interpol is retreating back to familiar ground, which can get tricky. It’s difficult for a band to move forward while maintaining one foot in the past. At least calculatedly so. In some respects it’s only natural to maintain consistency, but it’s another story to try to recreate the zeitgeist of a career-defining sound. The cynical take is that this is purely to please fans and critics, who may have fallen off the band’s successive efforts, but as a fan of all three Interpol records, I’m willing to allow for the requisite benefit of the doubt.

Julian Plenti Tour Dates:

11/24 – Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
11/25 – Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, NY
12/02 – Academy Manchester, UK
12/03 – Scala London, UK
12/06 – Melkweg, Amsterdam, NH
12/08 – Cologne, DE Kulturkirche
12/09 – Berlin, DE Festaal
12/11 – Vienna, AT Arena Vienna
12/12 – Milan, IT Magazzini
12/13 – Paris, FR Alhambra Theatre Music Hall