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Bloc Party

Silent Alarm  Hear it Now

RS: 4of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2005

Play View Bloc Party's page on Rhapsody

One of punk rock's greatest joys is when group members interlock to the point of becoming a visceral, vibrating dance machine. London's Bloc Party achieve this manic bliss on nearly every track of their superb long-playing debut. Drummer Matt Tong provides enough speedy syncopation for several bands, guitarists Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack lend nervous string interaction, and bassist Gordon Moakes adds suspenseful, propulsive shifts. Pointed pop tunes yelp and cry and tug at your heart even as the band's rhythmic friction spews sparks at your feet. Singer Okereke is black and Tong is of Asian descent, and together with their pale mates they distill twenty-five years of spiky British rock, from the Cure to Blur to hot Scots Franz Ferdinand. Silent Alarm is dance rock, but highly caffeinated.

BARRY WALTERS

(Posted: Mar 24, 2005)

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Review 1 of 4

Ilovememusic writes:

4of 5 Stars


Undeniably Bloc party's best album, this is one you ought to listen to, if you want to hear what all this fuss is about. They have two distinct styles here, the more slow, melodic, Bloc Party, which is almost overwhelming with emotion, and the Yelpy, Fast Paced, Bloc Party, which will make you immediatly want to get up and start dancing.
Since I am a fan of the latter, my favourite tracks on the album were Helicopter, with its grating guitars and the delightful drum work by the incredible Matt Tong, and Banquet, which was a bit of a grower, but now one of my favourite songs by the band.
However, at times, when the more melodic, slow Bloc Party is in control, the album lags a bit, at least in my case, since I am not too big of a fan of the style. Such cases of this, would be Compliments, and This Modern Love, my too least favourite tracks on the Album.

Feb 27, 2008 13:37:53

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Review 2 of 4

msmarykins writes:

4of 5 Stars


i am a fickle music listener, especially when it comes to bands i've never heard of, but this album i must say is my favorite album of the past couple years. it's once in a great while nowadays you find an album that literally every song could stand on their own as a single...i feel like this album does that. i loved the catchy choruses, i wanted to sing along, i loved feeling guilty riding around in my car belting out the lyrics. what may come for them i get worried about cause this album seemed to be perfect timing, perfect harmony between members, and a total same page of thinking. i've heard a few songs off the new album and was not impressed at all. then listened to it the whole way through and realized "ah...it's one of THOSE albums..."

i don't know if anyone agrees with me but i am not the biggest fan of those albums you must listen to from beginning to end to enjoy and that's what i feel this new album is gearing towards. i leave that spectrum up to a very very few bands...once you're established you can do things like that, tool can do that, the mars volta can do that, but bloc party don't do this to me...you can't do this yet.

it feels as if the new album is in your face screaming "i have something to prove" which they have nothing to prove...they already did that with silent alarm. it worked...and it worked well. don't get all experimental on our asses, stick to what you do best cause you sound best while you're doing it.

Feb 20, 2007 00:34:04

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Review 3 of 4

christianallen writes:

5of 5 Stars


I challenge you to find a better Alternative Rock album of
2005. It will certainly be very, very difficult. "Silent Alarm" is a
brilliant, satisfying, intelligent Alternative Rock CD. It starts
off with a brilliant drum hook and never lets you go until the
very end. It features some of the more unique vocals I've
heard in a long time, and is produced to perfection. The drum
parts are always extremely danceable, and always get your
foot tapping. And the lyrics are deep, sometimes political, but
always extremely intelligent. But my favorite part of the album
is Bloc Party's use of dualing, high-pitched guitars that are
always ready to knock some heads off. This album is
undoubtedly the best album you've probably never heard.
Start listening, and you'll never be able to stop.

Oct 30, 2006 17:05:22

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Review 4 of 4

Ryankissinger writes:

4of 5 Stars


My friends say this band is cool, plus some girl at the bar the other night swore by them. So I give them my vote...

May 12, 2006 16:56:29

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