Bloc Party - "A Weekend in the City" era

[joker]

Track Listing
1. Song For Clay (Disappear Here)
2. Hunting For Witches
3. Waiting For The 7:18
4. Prayer, The
5. Uniform
6. On
7. Where Is Home?
8. Kreuzberg
9. I Still Remember
10. Sunday
11. SRXT

Loved their first album, "Silent Alarm", and this one sounds like a winner, too! Here's the video for their single, I Still Remember.

[joker]

You can also listen to each song on the new album at their MySpace page.

[oscillations.]

I can't believe I forgot to start a thread for this. I d/led the album back in November.
I love it, and I'll be buying it soon.
But RS gave it 2.5 stars.

[jaxxalude]

Reviews so far have been pretty much divided. I like it. With the right amount of work (and career management), they could end up being Radiohead for the late 00's generation.

[oscillations.]

I was confident this would have a strong debut, but ISR isn't really doing much. I think they should have chosen "Hunting for Witches" (that bassline!) or "Song for Clay" as the first single.

[jaxxalude]

"The Prayer" was the first single for the UK.

[oscillations.]

I know. That probably wouldn't do much here, either. It's a shame Kele isn't as talented a musician as Jared Leto. America always rewards the true savants. ALWAYS.

[jaxxalude]

But I bet Kele isn't as talented an actor as Jared.

[oscillations.]

That actually is probably true. (Although, Leto has plenty of cinematic misfires to his name.)
Remember the time of the unilateral celebrity? I don't.
Kele's fragrance line should be out by spring.

[jaxxalude]

I remember when Claire Danes's wanted to fuck him bad on My So-Called Life, alright!

[joker]

cherrycrush said:

RS gave it 2.5 stars.

Ouch! Oh well, the reviews can't get it right all the time. This album is worse than Daughtry's, and no better than Rock Star Supernova? Okay!

[joker]

That Prefonataine movie was garbage. I think Kele just might've done better. ;)

[oscillations.]

Please! They gave it Kasabian's Empire one star & Weezer's Make Believe four! They need to lay off the crack pipe. Although, now that I've had a view into the bowels of Rolling Stone via their fake interns, I kind of take everything they say with a grain of salt (yes, even more so than before!)

The British mags are the only ones left with really adept writers.

[oscillations.]

Leto's best role = Requiem for a Dream

Although, Ellen Burstyn outshone everyone as his pill-popping mother. Tragic, memorable performance.

[jaxxalude]

Writers are not defined by their taste or what grades they give to records. They're defined by what they write and how they back up their opinions.

[oscillations.]

^but that's exactly what I'm talking about! They fail to do either much of the time.

[jaxxalude]

Still, what you said implies there aren't capable writers at XLR8R, Urb or XXL. And I'm just refering to music print press here.

[oscillations.]

Well, I don't read EVERY music periodical every week. ;)
Although, I do check out Urb from time to time.

I guess I should restate: the mainstream US music publications are driving themselves into obsolescence with their failure to adapt to a sound culture that evolves at breakneck speed, a diminishing presence of remarkable writing talent on staff, and their dismaying urge to cater to the cute, dumb, & sexy contigent to boost readership. Basically, they don't have their s**t together & they are lacking in all the departments that could allow them to heal themselves. I hope they all burn in hell. ( !)

[shark cousteau]

pitchfork gave it 7.5

[vinyl]

I love The Prayer.
I think I'll check the album out.

[oscillations.]

I'm buying it tomorrow!

[reception]

Reviewed by Edna Gundersen
USA Today
Bloc Party, A Weekend in the City: (* * * out of four) Rock around the Bloc

The follow-up to 2005 debut Silent Alarm, this packs more electronic density and pounding drum loops, largely influenced by producer Jacknife Lee, but it’s also thematically rich and lyrically pointed, delivering emotional counterpunches to all the rhythmic robotics. Singer Kele Okereke paints a bleak portrait of London youth culture, but how miserable can those disaffected truants be when this beat-sparkled rock is blasting from their iPods?

[oscillations.]

THE ONION - A.V. CLUB


Bloc Party
A Weekend In The City
(Vice)
Reviewed by Josh Modell
February 6th, 2007

Album number two might've been the perfect time for Bloc Party to buff its sinewy, tense dance-rock into something even more overtly palatable than 2005's excellent Silent Alarm. And on the surface, A Weekend In The City smells a bit like a shot at a wider audience. It's less frantic, less reliant on Kele Okereke's bark, and more layered and lush than its predecessor, so it mostly seems to go down easy. Get involved a little more intimately, though, and the album reveals an insidiously dark power: It's smart, strange, just different enough from its predecessor, and, eventually, absolutely stunning.

Okereke, whose admonitions were once vague, proves blazingly skilled when he gets specific: Silent Alarm could be excused and enjoyed as a party-starter, but Weekend steels itself for deeper stuff, and the lyrics—about love, sex, death, fame, conformity, the rigors of modern city living, racism, and other topics easy to render badly—nearly always hit home. Coupled with a newfound sense of musical adventurousness (aided by producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee, who's worked with U2, Snow Patrol, and Björk), his dour, thoughtful phrases ring remarkably true.

The album-opener, "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)," serves as a statement of purpose, both musically and lyrically, matching roomy, bombastic production with nods to Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero. It also sets a thematic tone of Radiohead-like unease that carries through to "Hunting For Witches" (a sinister thumper about the media and Islamophobia), "Uniform" (a pretty mini-epic that begins and ends with "There was a sense of disappointment as we left the mall / All the young people looked the same"), and "Where Is Home?", which tackles racism with a potent combination of sadness, resignation, and anger. It all sounds desperately over-serious, and it is, but Weekend isn't joyless or difficult: The synth-hummer "On" offers blessed relief, and "The Prayer" bursts with martial energy that feels like an unshackled nod to TV On The Radio. "SRXT"—named for Seroxat, a.k.a. Paxil—sums up Weekend's disparate sides perfectly: It's a wandering suicide note that builds to a sunny orchestral climax, and manages to honor both the depths and heights equally.
GRADE: A


^ that about sums it up for me.

[banet2001]

Bloc Party
A Weekend in the City
[Vice; 2007]
Rating: 7.5

Of all the big British rock bands of the moment, Bloc Party are probably the guys who take themselves the most seriously. As smart people go, they're surprisingly convinced of their own capacity to say something meaningful. They're just as serious about the possibilities of grand, ambitious pop/rock. Whether it's the messianic hooks of U2, the far-reaching drama of Radiohead, or the grandiose sensitivity of Coldplay, most indie rockers approach stepping lightly and sounding self-conscious; Bloc Party come at them with a sincerity that can seem almost naïve, almost teenaged. And with music and image both totally free of the attitude we expect from young, clever bands-- there's no humor, irony, cynicism, or snot, and never a trace of cool-guy apathy-- they seem as earnest and serious-minded as seminarians or door-to-door campaign volunteers.

All of this could have led them down the path to an absolutely dreadful second album: pompous, preachy, overreaching, and still dull. But then there's the other side of their seriousness. Judging by their records, Bloc Party are awfully dedicated to the craft and the details of making this stuff: From their first songs onward, they've been cruising through big tricks with a studied ease that makes you wonder why other bands find it so difficult. If they have the demeanor of rock's teacher's pets, they have the talent and the work ethic, too-- they're attentive, conscientious, and good at what they do. And this keeps them … well, convincing.

And so when A Weekend in the City comes bursting out at you with a gaggle of second-album upgrades-- new tricks, new scope, new arrangements-- the bulk of them sound like good ideas: They've been executed by hard-working professionals. The opener has singer Kele Okerere trying on a sly, potentially embarrassing falsetto, but within a minute the band's starting to kick up dust, on its way to a chorus hook that's loose, energetic, and honestly thrilling: It's the kind of craftsmanship that would sound good coming from nearly anyone. "Hunting for Witches" fakes you out with a sample collage at the top, then takes on xenophobia in a dutiful re-take on the band's first hit, "Banquet". And then there's "Waiting for the 7:18", the best summary yet of the band's personality: unfashionably starry-eyed at the start, then running its way up to huge hooks and guitar heroism that feel a lot more fierce and weighty than you'd think. Through it all, they're upping the technical ante, too-- Matt Tong drumming tricksy rhythms alongside computer programs, Russell Lissack stepping out from between synthesizer choirs with a string of squalling guitar leads. It's darker, broader, and more desperate than their debut, and through its first half-- when they're front-loading the hooks and energy-- it's difficult to imagine what they might have done better.

Okerere's lyrics reach a lot farther, too, which both helps and hurts. Looked at line by line, there's plenty of clumsiness, and the words don't do much to dispel the band's earnest-undergraduate feel. The subject matter and the sentiments, though, are starting to shine brighter, and not on the Big Topics. A pair of rather complicated songs-- "The Prayer" and "On"-- are spent begging both drugs and the powers that be for the power to live out nightlife fantasies: "Tonight make me unstoppable/ And I will charm, I will slice/ I will dazzle them with my wit." Elsewhere, Okerere starts to sing about his own sexuality and love life: This may be the moment where the earnest undergrad, always more comfortable writing about Issues, starts learning to reveal.

But of course there's always the part where it all starts to drag. Bloc Party's sound may have a lot to do with the many bands these days that have been influenced by post-punk, but the truth is that-- sincere young men that they are-- they have none of the punk-bred skepticism or self-censorship of the average indie act. This is, without doubt, a good thing, and a nice change. But at times it really does let the band get pompous and dull: When they go wrong, it almost always comes in the form of easy drama or their visile sappy streak, two things they turn out not to be as skilled with as you'd think. Maybe it's just that the hooks aren't working, but "Uniform", the longest song on the record-- spent taking the kids to task for their "masks of cool and indifference"-- is a chore: Self-serious, schoolmarmish, convinced it's being dramatic when it's mostly just being boring. And the second half of A Weekend in the City keeps falling into similar traps: Drama that's more ponderous than ominous, and ballads that shoot for slick, sensitive pop-chart appeal, but come off fluffy, underinspired, or strangely retro-- stuff that would have felt heavy in 1995, but seems too doe-eyed and green today.

Still, one can't help but be impressed by these guys. They're a rare rock band, after all-- such skilled craftsmen that they can hang on to indie fans even as they aim, with striking earnestness, to be the kind of band who show up on "first album I ever bought" lists.

www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/40927/Bloc_Party_A_Weekend_in_the_City

[joker]

From the HITS rumor mill:

U.K. critical faves Bloc Party are eyeing a first-week total ranging from 45-50k

Very good numbers, possibly even a top 10 debut!

[oscillations.]

between these blogs you should be able to recover all 12+ "bonus tracks" from AWITC

asthecryflows.blogspot.com/2007/02/moar-bloc-party.html
www2.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=16241244&postID=5266226202724718692
neileslife.blogspot.com/2007/02/foot-in-mouth.html

[friend]

I remember listening to Bloc Party's "The Pioneers" and really liking it!

"If it could be broke, then it could be fixed...
All we need is...time. All we need is time."

Awesome song!

[oscillations.]

ugh
these b-sides are excellent
you can find the Clay and Witches demos in those links, too
and some remixes

[joker]

First-week sales according to the HITS thread:

-- 19 BLOC PARTY VICE ATLANTIC 35,346 --
WEEKEND IN THE CITY

[joker]

Gigwise Review

Bloc Party - 'A Weekend In The City'


The shadow of the debut will eternally loom over its successor, regardless of the timing, quality or innovation of the follow up. Once the benchmark has been set, the band in question must deliver a superlative sequel. Many have fallen by the wayside of the dreaded ‘second album syndrome’, yet Bloc Party are well versed in the expectation game. After riding in on a wave of intense hype first time round, they had enough nous to bide their time, watch the wave break, and emerge comprehensively victorious with a sublime debut.

Dealing with expectation is one thing, delivering upon its promise is another. Who needs foresight? Stepping out of the shadow of 'Silent Alarm' should have proved to be impossible, yet Bloc Party haven’t tentatively stepped out on their return, they've confidently strode.

There's no escaping 'A Weekend in the City' is decidedly more downbeat than its predecessor. 'Kreuzberg' and 'SXRT' draw heavily on the shimmering blueprint of 'Plans' and 'So Here We Are' accentuating their already elaborate effect and as such, the legacy of 'Silent Alarm' is poignantly prevalent. Much in the same way their debut wasn’t an album of brimming with staccato guitar bursts or 10 or so different variations of 'Helicopter', 'A Weekend...' entirely dispenses with the flailing, immediate, three minute guitar dynamic and draws on an introspective listen.

Taking the same downbeat dynamic, it emerges as much of a slow burning success as Silent Alarm. There's progression here also, with the stammering tempo and monotone cathedral chant of 'The Prayer' a cheeky red herring of album expectation. It’s as far removed from anything they’ve ever done and aspects of it – like the monk chanting and ethereal vocals - straddle most of the album.

'Song for Clay (Disappear Here)' sets a foreboding tone as Kele barks "East London is a Vampire, it sucks the joy right out of me" as they outline an ominous sounding mean streak. While 'Song For Clay' bares its teeth, the Aphex Twin style glitch of 'Hunting For Witches’ itches with truncated sound clips and morphing, staggered guitar before gradually evolving into the albums first restless indie disco filler.

'Waiting for the 7.18' sounds positively forlorn in the company of the opening two songs and is the first sign of the albums softer underbelly. Xylophone adds a touch of sweetness before the guitar tumbles and melts into the soft, rising number we're accustomed to. 'Uniform' continues in a similarly rich vein with delicate guitar melodies skirting around Kele's vocals before they abandon any sense of understatement and launch into a riff rife with power chord defiance and a searing, near tooth picked solo.

'On' and 'Where is Home?' allow for some recovery time and slow the tempo down. Strings and typically fidgety but somewhat understated drumming from Matt Tong carry the song, while Kele's vocals take on an ethereal quality and a howling at the moon falsetto shakes 'Where is Home?' into awkward life.

There’s a luxurious quality to the album. The melodies linger that bit longer; the vocals are afforded those extra seconds to resonate and Kele’s divine ability to deliver lines like no one else remains wonderfully dramatic. Unabashed lines like: "I'll love you in the morning/when you're still hungover" and "Let's drive to Brighton on the weekend" highlight his ability to capture simple sentiments perfectly and as Kele howls "Tonight I crave what's mine," on 'The Prayer' you cant help but feel there's a new statement of intent.

It seems Bloc Party have got their art down to a science - engineering and nurturing swelling mini masterpieces. 'Kreuzberg' and closer 'SXRT' display a polish and maturity that's a far cry from the blaze of belligerent guitar tracks they used to announce themselves to the world. That they've been prepared to distance themselves from them so soon is a sign of progression in itself.

You might be thinking that it all sounds like a bit of history repeated but Bloc Party set quite a landmark first time round. Who knows, maybe the third album will be the floor filler that some initially craved? Critically, that argument is already redundant because Bloc Party have hit upon the realisation they can, and should become, the biggest band in the world. And if they haven’t yet...no doubt the rest of the world will do it for them.