"Love and War" (stylized as "Love + War") is the debut single by Banks & Steelz, a collaborative project created by Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. Featuring a rap verse from fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, it was premiered on the Apple Music radio station Beats 1 on May 19, 2016.[1][2] It was subsequently released as a digital download, acting as the lead single from their debut studio album, Anything But Words (2016). A music video for the song, which pays tribute to the film Reservoir Dogs, was also released on May 20.
Composition
"Love and War" is a rock-influenced hip hop song.[3] It features rap verses from RZA and Ghostface Killah as well as a sung chorus done by Paul Banks, where he repeats "All is fair in love and war / What you keeping score for" throughout. April Clare Welsh of Fact stated that the song is built around "shuffling grooves, driving guitar and Mariachi-style trumpet."[4]
Music video
The music video for the "Love and War" was released on the duo's YouTube channel on May 20, 2016. Directed by director group Arms Race, the video is a tribute to an iconic torture scene from the 1992 Quentin Tarantino-directed film Reservoir Dogs.[5][6][7] The video has been described as "grisly" by Sarah Murphy of Exclaim!.[8] Tom Breihan of Stereogum described the video, saying that it "starts out as a yakuza torture scene, and it takes some unexpected turns."[9] Banks and RZA also appear in the video as hired guns; RZA shares "Tarantino-esque" dialogue with Banks, who remains mute during the video.[9] RZA had worked with Tarantino in the past; he worked on the soundtrack for his Kill Bill series.[5]
