This release was almost certain to go one of two ways: either it would be brilliant, or it would be painfully shite.
Interpol may be something of a Marmite band, and later releases haven’t received the same critical acclaim or fan adoration as the first couple, but over the course of their career, they have recorded some great songs. They also released ‘The Other Side of Make Believe’ in 2022, which was an absolute turkey, while Paul Banks’ solo album was also rather less than stunning. Interestingly, there are no cover versions in their catalogue – until now. These recordings are taken from the official soundtrack of the newly acclaimed film ‘Sister Midnight’ (dir. Karan Kandhari).
Banks says:
“‘Gimme Danger’ is one of my favorite Stooges songs, and ‘Sister Midnight’ I was less familiar with, but it is the titular track of a film that is feral with Stoogian grit and joy, so I was equally excited to immerse myself in it, and find an interpretation that felt authentic to my voice.”
His take on ‘Gimme Danger’ is true to the original in essence, and it does benefit from Banks’ vocal range being similar to that of Iggy… But whereas Iggy sounds menacing, with a hint of derangement, and James Williamson’s guitar flies to a frenzied peak toward the end, Banks imbues the sing with an air of melancholy. It does actually work, but the sense of danger is somewhat subdued.
As for ‘Sister Midnight’ – it’s unexpectedly loose, with some scratchy, metallic guitar clangs cutting across the slow, twisted groove.
The end result, then, comes as something of a surprise: it’s not quite brilliant, but nor is it painfully shite.
