{{Infobox album | name = Anything But Words | type = studio | artist = Banks & Steelz | cover = Banks & Steelz - Anything But Words cover art.jpg | alt = | released = August 26, 2016 | recorded = 2013–2015 | studio = {{ubl|Electric Lady (Manhattan, NY)|123 (London)}} | genre = East Coast hip hop | length = {{duration|m=55|s=14}} | label = Warner Bros. | producer = {{hlist|Paul Banks{{efn|name=a|Also an executive producer}}|RZA{{efn|name=a}}|John Hill|Kid Harpoon|Ari Levine|Andrew Wyatt}} | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Paul Banks | type = Studio | prev_title = Everybody on My Dick Like They Supposed to Be | prev_year = 2013 | title = Anything But Words | year = 2016 | next_title = | next_year = }} {{Extra chronology | artist = RZA | type = Studio | prev_title = Only One Place To Get It | prev_year = 2014 | title = Anything But Words | year = 2016 | next_title = Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater | next_year = 2022 }} {{Singles | name = Anything But Words | type = Studio | single1 = Love and War | single1date = May 19, 2016 | single2 = Giant | single2date = June 9, 2016 | single3 = Speedway Sonora | single3date = July 14, 2016 | single4 = Sword in the Stone | single4date = July 28, 2016 | single5 = Anything But Words | single5date = August 12, 2016 | single6 = Wild Season | single6date = April 22, 2017 }} }} '''''Anything But Words''''' is the debut studio album by Banks & Steelz, a collaborative project between Interpol vocalist Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. It was released August 26, 2016, on Warner Bros. Records. Recording of the album dates back to 2013, with a demo of early material being created two years prior. ''Anything But Words'' features guest appearances by other musicians, as well as other Wu-Tang Clan members, and additional production from Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt, among others. Five singles were released from the album; "Love and War", featuring Ghostface Killah, "Giant", "Speedway Sonora", "Sword in the Stone", featuring Kool Keith, and "Anything But Words".
==Background and recording== When asked by his manager who he would like to work together with musically, RZA responded with Interpol member Paul Banks. When asked about his choice in a 2013 ''Rolling Stone'' interview, RZA stated that Banks "just has an energy about him" and that "it [would] be great" if the two were to collaborate.<ref name="RS 2013">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rza-on-his-new-movies-and-recording-with-paul-banks-20131008 | title=RZA on His New Movies and Recording With Paul Banks | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=October 8, 2013 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Zemler, Emily | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009224358/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rza-on-his-new-movies-and-recording-with-paul-banks-20131008 | archive-date=October 9, 2013}}</ref> In 2011, during which the duo were not planning on making an album together, a demo of material was created with Banks providing vocals over a beat developed by RZA.<ref name="Noisey">{{cite web | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rza-and-paul-banks-explain-what-the-hell-theyre-doing-with-banks-and-steelz/ | title=Two Music Geeks: RZA and Paul Banks Explain What the Hell They're Doing with Banks & Steelz | publisher=Noisey | date=June 22, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Jackson, Reed}}</ref> The first public mention of the duo's collaborations was made in the same ''Rolling Stone'' interview. It was during 2013 that the duo began working on an album together.<ref name="RS 2013"/> RZA expected the album to take about a year to finish.<ref name="RS 2016">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rza-interpols-paul-banks-talk-meeting-in-the-middle-as-banks-and-steelz-20160609 | title=RZA, Interpol's Paul Banks Talk Meeting in the Middle as Banks and Steelz | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=June 9, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Horowitz, Steven J.}}</ref> During 2014, Banks' main project Interpol recorded a studio album titled ''El Pintor'', which was then released in September of that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://matablog.matadorrecords.com/2014/06/05/coming-september-9-interpol-el-pintor/ |title=El Pintor on Matador Records|access-date=July 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/55453-interpol-announce-new-album-el-pintor/ | title=Interpol Announce New Album El Pintor | publisher=Pitchfork Media | date=June 5, 2014 | access-date=July 5, 2016 |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |first2=Zoe |last2=Camp}}</ref> The duo wanted to release their material in 2015, but later realized that the material was unfinished.<ref name="RS 2016"/>
==Release and promotion== The duo premiered the album's lead single, "Love and War", featuring fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, on the Apple Music radio station Beats 1.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/post/idsa.bbd8ce27-1ddb-11e6-869f-a6c723399088 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923202046/https://itunes.apple.com/us/post/idsa.bbd8ce27-1ddb-11e6-869f-a6c723399088 | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 23, 2016 | title=World First: Banks & Steelz feat. Ghostface Killah – "Love & War" | publisher=Apple Music | date=May 19, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Lowe, Zane | author-link=Zane Lowe }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/65553-interpols-paul-banks-and-wu-tangs-rza-are-banks-and-steelz/ | title=Interpol's Paul Banks and Wu-Tang's RZA Are Banks and Steelz | publisher=Pitchfork Media | date=May 18, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Phillips, Amy}}</ref> A video for the song, which pays tribute to a scene from the film ''Reservoir Dogs'', was also released the following day.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/65572-rza-and-interpols-paul-banks-pay-tribute-to-reservoir-dogs-in-love-war-video/ | title=RZA and Interpol's Paul Banks Pay Tribute to Reservoir Dogs in "Love + War" Video | publisher=Pitchfork Media | date=May 20, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Pearce, Sheldon}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/banks_and_steelz-love_war_ft_ghostface_killah_video | title=Banks & Steelz "Love + War" (ft. Ghostface Killah) (video) | magazine=Exclaim! | date=May 20, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Murphy, Sarah}}</ref> Details for ''Anything But Words'', as well as tour dates, were released on June 9. Also released on that day was the album's second single, "Giant".<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.spin.com/2016/06/rza-paul-banks-banks-steelz-anything-but-words-tour-dates/ | title=RZA and Paul Banks (Banks & Steelz) to Release Collaborative Album, 'Anything But Words' | magazine=Spin | date=June 9, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Brodsky, Rachel}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/06/09/interpol-paul-banks-rza-banks-steelz-anything-but-words/ | title=Interpol's Paul Banks and RZA announced new LP, share 'Giant' | magazine=Fact | date=June 9, 2016 | access-date=July 5, 2016 | author=Bowe, Miles}}</ref> "Speedway Sonora" was released as the album's third single on July 14.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/66801-rza-and-interpols-paul-banks-share-new-song-speedway-sonora-listen/ | title=RZA and Interpol's Paul Banks Share New Song "Speedway Sonora": Listen | publisher=Pitchfork Media | date=July 14, 2016 | access-date=July 24, 2016 | author=Lozano, Kevin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stereogum.com/1887520/banks-steelz-speedway-sonora-stereogum-premiere/ | title=Banks & Steelz – "Speedway Sonora" | publisher=Stereogum | date=July 14, 2016 | access-date=July 24, 2016 | author=Trewn, Pranav}}</ref> "Sword in the Stone", featuring rapper Kool Keith, was released as the album's fourth single on July 28<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/new-music/2016/07/banks-steelz-sword-in-the-stone/ | title=Banks & Steelz Premiere "Sword in the Stone" Featuring Kool Keith | magazine=XXL | date=July 28, 2016 | access-date=August 3, 2016 | author=Madden, Sidney}}</ref> and the album's title track was released as the fifth single on August 12.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.spin.com/2016/08/banks-steelz-anything-but-words-stream/ | title=Banks & Steelz Share Album Title Track, 'Anything But Words' | magazine=Spin | date=August 12, 2016 | access-date=August 15, 2016 | author=Brodsky, Rachel}}</ref>
==Track listing== All songs produced by Paul Banks and RZA except where noted. Credits adapted from AllMusic.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/anything-but-words-mw0002963582 | title=Anything but Words – Banks & Steelz | website=AllMusic | access-date=August 26, 2016}}</ref> {{Track listing | headline = ''Anything But Words'' — {{nobold|CD — digital download<ref>{{cite web | url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/anything-but-words/1119641169 | title=Anything But Words by Banks & Steelz | publisher=iTunes U.S. | access-date=July 5, 2016}}</ref> — streaming — vinyl<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fatbeats.com/collections/pre-order/products/banks-steelz-paul-banks-and-rza-anything-but-words-2xlp | title=Banks & Steelz (Paul Banks and RZA) – Anything But Words (2xLP) | publisher=Fatbeats | access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref>}} | total_length = 55:14 | extra_column = Producer(s)<ref name="album notes">{{cite AV media notes|title=Anything But Words|others=Banks & Steelz|year=2016|type=album liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records}}</ref> | title1 = Giant | writer1 = {{hlist|Paul Banks|Robert Diggs|John Hill|Tom Hull}} | extra1 = {{hlist|Hill|Kid Harpoon}} | length1 = 3:52 | title2 = Ana Electronic | writer2 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs}} | length2 = 3:44 | title3 = Sword in the Stone | writer3 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs|Nico Fidenco|Keith Thornton}} | extra3 = Andrew Wyatt | length3 = 4:50 | note3 = featuring Kool Keith | title4 = Speedway Sonora | writer4 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs}} | length4 = 4:15 | title5 = Wild Season | writer5 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs|Florence Welch|Wyatt}} | note5 = featuring Florence Welch | length5 = 4:26 | title6 = Anything But Words | writer6 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs}} | extra6 = {{hlist|Banks|Ari Levine|RZA}} | length6 = 4:21 | title7 = Conceal | writer7 = {{hlist|Banks|David Coles|Diggs|Gintas Janusonis|Andrew Kelley|Borahm Lee|Wes Mingus|Arnold Mischkulnig|Kejuan Muchita|Noah Rubin|Josh Werner}} | length7 = 3:59 | title8 = Love and War | writer8 = {{hlist|Banks|Dennis Coles|Diggs}} | note8 = featuring Ghostface Killah | length8 = 4:09 | title9 = Can't Hardly Feel | writer9 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs}} | length9 = 4:33 | title10 = One by One | writer10 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs}} | length10 = 4:48 | title11 = Gonna Make It | writer11 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs|John F. Kennedy}} | length11 = 5:46 | title12 = Point of View | writer12 = {{hlist|Banks|Diggs|Clifford Smith|Elgin Turner}} | note12 = featuring Method Man and Masta Killa | length12 = 6:31 }}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2016) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|UKR&B|18|date=2016-09-02|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 3, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|186|artist=Banks & Steelz|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|15|artist=Banks & Steelz|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRap|11|artist=Banks & Steelz|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRock|16|artist=Banks & Steelz|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Country ! Date ! Format ! Label |- ! scope="row"| Worldwide | August 26, 2016 | {{hlist|CD|digital download|streaming|vinyl}} | Warner Bros. |}
==Notes and references== '''Notes''' {{Notelist}}
'''References''' {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Discogs release|release=8958068|name=Anything But Words|type=album}}
{{Banks & Steelz}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2016 debut albums Category:Warner Records albums