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On the Shelf 164: Bloc Party
Apr. 14th, 2016 03:11 pmBloc Party released a debut album in 2005 called Silent Alarm. It immediately became and has stayed one of the best album of its time.
They were one of a crop of bands that were the rising stars of their time. Every year probably has these, but at this time it looked like a movement. There were many bands that were bringing back rock in those days. We had seen the Libertines, the Vines, BMRC, the Strokes, and the Killers; and soon, it was the Arctic Monkeys, the Editors, Maximo Park and Hard Fi, but Bloc Party was definitely at the top with the Kaiser Cheifs and Franz Ferdinand making a play for greatness.
Ten years later, odds seemed good that Bloc Party would be the most relevant. I can't be alone in thinking this. Silent Alarm was such a great album, yet it was accessible, so had all the makings of a staying power. it did not peak too much commercially like the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand, and probably most importantly of all, the band seemed to have the right ingredients to handle lasting success.
They would not suffer the awkward move to dance music like Franz, nor would they make the same record over and over again like the Strokes.
The truth is they did start incorporating a move to dance music. It has been hard to keep up with the Bloc Party, and even harder to keep up with Kele Okereke's solo career. Still, why they move farther and farther away an album at a time stylistically from Silent Alarm, they were always keeping an eye forward.
So unlike much of the above mentioned bands, a fifth album from this band still hold promise in just the fact that it exists and the band is constantly evolving.
Hymns must certainly be informed by Kele's solo work and adding a member of Menomena to the band. Where this band has moved to dance territory, they have firmly arrived at their destination which is 80s new wave influenced.
Which means if you are looking for Silent Alarm, this isn't it. That doesn't matter of course if it is any good.
Unfortunately, this sort of isn't. The album just falls a bit flat trying to get where it is going. If I have to find where the problem is, I would have to say it is lyrically. The band doesn't necessarily falter, but in trying to emulate the best of 80s New Wave, it sounds very much like a teenager trying to ape Martin Gore. There's sex and drugs and spirituality (and think what you will of Gore), this sounds like the work of a young goth writing bad poetry on high school nights.
If you have read my recent reviews, you might recall the Editors did the same thing on their 5th album (October 2015 's In Dream) and I praised them for it. I don't have a problem with Bloc Party wanting to be a new wave band, and adding shoegaze and EDM in the mix, it just that Hymns is such a disappointment. It tries too hard and feels heavy handed.
(After writing my review, as I often do, I went out to read some other reviews just to see if I am on track or off base, and critics really really hate this album. Yeah, it's not that good, but I kind of want to defend it now. Clunky lyrics aside, it's not a bad listen. Certainly a talented band, it's just not up to standard for them. Yeah, i wouldn't recommend it, but if you are a fan of the band or you like what you hear, why not pick it up).
They were one of a crop of bands that were the rising stars of their time. Every year probably has these, but at this time it looked like a movement. There were many bands that were bringing back rock in those days. We had seen the Libertines, the Vines, BMRC, the Strokes, and the Killers; and soon, it was the Arctic Monkeys, the Editors, Maximo Park and Hard Fi, but Bloc Party was definitely at the top with the Kaiser Cheifs and Franz Ferdinand making a play for greatness.
Ten years later, odds seemed good that Bloc Party would be the most relevant. I can't be alone in thinking this. Silent Alarm was such a great album, yet it was accessible, so had all the makings of a staying power. it did not peak too much commercially like the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand, and probably most importantly of all, the band seemed to have the right ingredients to handle lasting success.
They would not suffer the awkward move to dance music like Franz, nor would they make the same record over and over again like the Strokes.
The truth is they did start incorporating a move to dance music. It has been hard to keep up with the Bloc Party, and even harder to keep up with Kele Okereke's solo career. Still, why they move farther and farther away an album at a time stylistically from Silent Alarm, they were always keeping an eye forward.
So unlike much of the above mentioned bands, a fifth album from this band still hold promise in just the fact that it exists and the band is constantly evolving.
Hymns must certainly be informed by Kele's solo work and adding a member of Menomena to the band. Where this band has moved to dance territory, they have firmly arrived at their destination which is 80s new wave influenced.
Which means if you are looking for Silent Alarm, this isn't it. That doesn't matter of course if it is any good.
Unfortunately, this sort of isn't. The album just falls a bit flat trying to get where it is going. If I have to find where the problem is, I would have to say it is lyrically. The band doesn't necessarily falter, but in trying to emulate the best of 80s New Wave, it sounds very much like a teenager trying to ape Martin Gore. There's sex and drugs and spirituality (and think what you will of Gore), this sounds like the work of a young goth writing bad poetry on high school nights.
If you have read my recent reviews, you might recall the Editors did the same thing on their 5th album (October 2015 's In Dream) and I praised them for it. I don't have a problem with Bloc Party wanting to be a new wave band, and adding shoegaze and EDM in the mix, it just that Hymns is such a disappointment. It tries too hard and feels heavy handed.
(After writing my review, as I often do, I went out to read some other reviews just to see if I am on track or off base, and critics really really hate this album. Yeah, it's not that good, but I kind of want to defend it now. Clunky lyrics aside, it's not a bad listen. Certainly a talented band, it's just not up to standard for them. Yeah, i wouldn't recommend it, but if you are a fan of the band or you like what you hear, why not pick it up).
