Music Review

02 December 2008 02:18 BST

Bloc Party: A Weekend in the City

Wichita, February 12th.

In a nutshell…

Scintillating, discerning, energetic, expansive, unceasing

What's it all about?

Bloc Party's second album is ambitious from the start. Although not unlike their debut Silent Alarm, A Weekend in the City is notable for its increased bellicosity. Kele Okereke's vocals are more precise, yet they ask more questions and seem to show off the frontman's increased confidence and attitude. Bloc Party have never been short of political opinions and societal observations, however, on this new record they crank it up a notch with an increased focus on domestic issues.

As the title suggests, this is a journey into Britain's capital; its dingy alleyways, glorious tourist spots and dangerous avenues. On Hunting for Witches, Okereke discusses the London bombings in 2005, mocking the right's position of spreading fear that the "enemy's among us". Fear, he sings, will keep people in place and lead ordinary men to aggressiveness (hunt for witches). Aside from its strong lyrics, Hunting for Witches is a powerful tune, with distorted electronic notes punctuating the beginning of an uncomfortable ride.

Current single the Prayer is possibly the furthest Bloc Party could have gone from Banquet, for instance, or Helicopter - two of the more pop tunes on Silent Alarm. It's disjointed before it enters a chant-like chorus. It's certainly challenging and signals Bloc Party's maturity, pushing the boundaries of their music.

Who's it by?

Bloc Party appeared in 2005 at a time when New Cross was the new 'scene'. They played gigs on big carpets in small venues before the likeability of their material thrust them further into the spotlight. Tracks like Banquet - which was remixed by the Streets – earned a great many plaudits.

The single Two More Years seemed to bridge the gap between the uncertain Silent Alarm and a more focused follow-up. Although their debut was widely recognised as one of the best albums of the year, it still struggled in its own skin, jagging out a leg every now and then and hinting at something different. Two More Years seemed to push forward a format debuted in Like Eating Glass, ending in a raucous frenzy of guitar and group choruses.

As an example…

"There was a sense of disappointment/as we left them all/All of the young people look the same/wearing their masks of cool and indifference/Because we're so handsome/and we're so bold/So entertain us/tell me a joke." Uniform sounds like a rallying cry on behalf of the dissatisfied youngsters in the UK, the kind who come to Bloc Party gigs, maybe.

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

Perhaps the most striking thing about Bloc Party's meteoric rise is the band's success in the US. They've crashed into the higher echelons of the Billboard chart after previously entering past the 100-mark.

What the others say

"Bloc Party's second album, unmistakably, is a change of pace." – NME

"The strong start to the album continues to amass appeal with each listen whilst the weaker latter stages become more and more stranded." - BBC

So is it any good?

A Weekend in the City doesn't paint the most glorious picture of London town. It's drab, upsetting and full of silent rebellion in need of an outlet. But then again, Bloc Party have found a soul in the capital to fuel their emotions and overlook the endless spawning of free paper distributors, which is an achievement in its self.

This is undoubtedly a strong record, the sound of a band reaching for new buttons and tricks to captivate their listeners, and listen you will, for this is not a throwaway record. They'll be many who'll pine for some Kaiser-esque "whoah ohh ohs", but instead you get songs that simmer in your brain for a little while, before rollicking about in your head thanks to some outstanding riffs and beats. Song for Clay (Disappear Here) opens this album with a quiet sequence of lyrics, before erupting into a second half of devilish guitar and drums. You want to jump around, yet you've just been indoctrinated with the band's message as well. Clever eh?

Bloc Party seem to be heading for Radiohead's mantle which the Oxford chaps have yet to relinquish. They're readily building up one of the strongest bodies of material seen for some time, yet they refuse to produce easily digestible crap that record companies can't wait to package. This isn't music for the Artic Monkeys' generation, but it's just as crucial. "East London is vampire/it sucks the blood right out of me," Okereke sings on the opening track, before jumping into Eighties Matchbox-like thudding.

Sunday is the closest thing to a weak track on this album, evoking memories of the So Here We Are moment on Silent Alarm – you couldn't help but ask where did that fit in? SRXT finishes the record rather triumphantly in a deliberately grandiose fashion, and you wait in a state of great anxiety for the chapel choir to come in and sing a long.

The majority of the time this album never shies away from challenging you, and therefore rarely fails to hit levels of brilliance. Crucially, Bloc Party have erased any memories of being part of a shortlived scene. A Weekend in the City is good enough to convert the doubters, preach to the cynics and scare the living hell out of the average indie-pop fan.

9/10

Karl Pike