Bloc Party
A Weekend In The City

THE REVIEW

Anyone who loves Nirvana (just to give an example) knows very well that, besides (obviously) the tragic death of Cobain, what causes the most regret is that the trio from Seattle, at the time of their artistic interruption, gave the impression of being a group in constant growth. Simply put, each album was qualitatively better than the previous one. Those who love Guns N' Roses, to make another example, know, or don't want to admit (come on), that the subsequent albums are trash compared to that stunning blend of melodic energy that was "Appetite For Destruction." Thankfully, Bloc Party proves they belong to the former category by delivering an album at least a notch above their already good debut "Silent Alarm" (which wasn't that "silent" considering the buzz it created), revealing greater maturity (which in this case, contrary to common clichés, doesn't rhyme with dull compositions) and new, unheard influences.

Let the fireworks begin: "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)" already proves to be an astounding track, with Okereke and company seeming to tailor a suit from Muse for the occasion. The song starts with Kele's convincing falsetto accompanied only by a keyboard and delicate guitar touches: then a tight drum punches in, introducing us to a nice decisive and rather unusual riff, considering the sounds proposed on the debut album. We continue with "Hunting For Witches"; the band, tackling a delicate subject like the London metro attack, chooses to revisit the catchy sounds and riffs that well characterized "Silent Alarm" (particularly episodes like "Banquet" and, especially, "Helicopter"). "Waiting For The 7.18" starts as a lullaby, culminating in a chorus typical of the band, and finally, we are treated to the amazing rhythmic entanglements of the sublime drummer Matt Tong, truly a spectacle to behold live. "The Prayer" is the spectacular first single, curiously the most experimental track of the album, unlike the brand-new single "I Still Remember", even excessively radio-friendly for the band's standards. "Uniform" is yet another beautiful song: it starts with a simple six-string arpeggio over which Okereke constructs a beautiful vocal line, then suddenly becomes very fast and reprises a nice solid guitar riff, as in the album's opener. "On" is accompanied by a simple beat and Kele's voice, then Tong comes in to stir things up, although it doesn't quite wake up the slightly flat nature of the track. "Where Is Home" recalls, with its (yet another) frenetic rhythm imposed by Matt, some things proposed in the past by the rock-influenced Chemical Brothers, while "Kreuzberg" is the most melancholic piece on the album. After the aforementioned "I Still Remember", the curtain falls on "Sunday", with an intro directly taken from the drum part of Coldplay's "Speed Of Sound" and a dreamy guitar arpeggio that dominates the entire song, and "SRXT", which closes with an explosion of sounds perfect for bidding farewell to the listener.

The first great album of 2007 along with The Good, The Bad And The Queen; an album that will not fail to engage you, surprise you, and, why not, convince you to hit "play" again for a new weekend in the city. Again so gray, but never so pleasant. Chapeau, Mr. Okereke.