| Product: |
A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party |
| Date: |
21/03/07 (189 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: A very good second album, some really well made tracks
Disadvantages: takes a bit longer to get into than Silent Alarm
In 2005, the debut album from Bloc Party was amongst my favourite of the year. It seemed to offer something a little different to the other bands that were around at the time. That was then and while Silent Alarm still features on my Ipod and CD player the band were faced with a difficult task. They had to come up with a second album, something that enhanced their reputation after Silent Alarm. This wasn't going to be easy and many people thought that Bloc Party would fall foul of the difficult second album syndrome that seems to plague bands. So this year seen them come up with something and a few weeks ago, Weekend In The City was released.
To ensure that the band didn't fall into the trap of releasing something just for the sake of it they enlisted the help of well known producer Jacknife Lee. He'd previously worked with both Kasabian and Snow Patrol so the signs that he could help Bloc Party were promising. The four piece from Essex wouldn't be happy with a mediocre release themselves and that's why almost exactly 2 years after the first album they have returned.
The result is an album that actually borders on being better than the debut. I felt after a couple of listens that this album offered a sound that would perhaps stand the test of time a little more. Having now had the CD in the car almost constantly since its release my opinion certainly hasn't changed on that score. Of course the experience of the last couple of years has matured the bands music, but the lyrics still seem to carry the same message. It still shows the sense of frustration the band have with peoples attitudes towards each other and general situations.
It starts with a slow intro that, using Kele's vocals really sets up the tone for the album. The intro to the track soon picks up and this seems to be the story of the album. It has a lot of contrast in terms of slow, mellow pieces combined brilliantly with much more upbeat, in your face Indie rock. Unlike a number of guitar driven Indie bands, Bloc Party seem to mix between the guitars and the drums really taking the lead on all the tracks. The bass provides an accompaniment throughout, while the drums and guitars really give the album a real purpose and drive.
The musical element of Bloc Party certainly seems to have matured and the lyrics seem to be far more intense than the previous album. The range of subjects covered from Love to the attacks on the twin towers, there is a lot of scope. The type of tracks and the style of the lyrics really suit Kele's vocals and that perhaps lends more credence to the appeal of each track than if had been anyone else singing. The first album already seemed to have a hint of maturity to the lyrics but the vocals and lyrics on this album are even better.
It's not an album you'll love on first listen and while I could see this would be an album that would stand the test of time. I have to say it took me a lot longer to get into than Silent Alarm. The whole album is quite slow burning, but within about a week of listening to it certain tracks did start to stand out. The likes of recent single "I Still Remember" has quite a haunting sound to it and with a nice pace and decent vocals it certainly is one of my favourite tracks on the album. There is something catchy about it that means you can't help but like it.
There are two tracks that I just can't split between being my favourite from the album. The first is a very low key, but very touching track, "Kreuzburg". It has a slow melody and a nice steady beat, whilst Kele's vocals really seem to bring the song to life. The amount of emotion and feeling in the track really make it easy to listen to. At the opposite end of the scale is the next single to be taken from the album, "Hunting For Witches". It's a much more upbeat track that really seems to be lead by the drums. Once the guitars and vocals join in it really gives a sense of what the new Bloc Party material is all about. The vocals are sublime and with a very catchy, upbeat track it definitely makes for a good choice as a single.
So have they managed to overcome the tricky second album? I'd definitely say so. In fact I actually think this album is a much stronger album than the first. It has a slightly different sound and that might put a few fans off. It doesn't however contain any weak tracks. There are a few that take much longer to get into but in the end this is a very solid album. Fans of the band will really like it, perhaps not at first but you've got to give it a chance to grow on you. It's an album I'd be happy to recommend to anyone who likes guitar driven Indie tracks. If your not familiar with Bloc Party it's a good introduction to the band and an album I'm sure I'll be listening too for a long time to come.
Amazon: £8.99
Amazon Marketplace: £5.93
Summary: The Follow Up to Silent Alarm
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