Premature Evaluation: Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
High Profile Leak weekend was capped with an unexpected treat: Bloc Party! The highly anticipated follow-up to the Brit band's much-adored debut Silent Alarm surfaced yesterday, and if you pinned it down in cyberspace, you probably spent your rainy Monday listening and thinking the same, hyphenated two words: Front-loaded! Even if this is a pre-master (or early, unfinished mix) that the band is inconsolably devestated about leaking (which they are), it's tough not to feel some disappointment with what our iPods are singing.
The question you have to ask going into A Weekend In The City: What element do you wanna see the band play up this time around? Silent Alarm was so loved 'cause it wasn't just a marriage of the "sound of the day" post-punk with OK Computer art guitars; the band pulled off moods as diverse as their looks -- tough, stylish, vulnerable, lovelorn, infuriated, and surreptitiously mushy. But this time around, aside from the opening tracks, the mush factor is high, and the "formula" is becoming more apparent than they'd like.
"Song For Clay (Disappear Here)" is a promising opener; Kele's under his breath and serious, the drums and riffs come in with more outright rock than we're used to from the Bloc, and then we're treated to what makes 'em awesome: well arranged backing vocals, texture guitars, and quick-shifting drum patterns. "Hunting For Witches" is much better on record than it's been live; the electro-glitches and angular, incisive dance-punk guitar lines really do live up to the "bricolage" Kele promised months ago! And "Waiting For The 7.18" is the obvious bridge tune, connecting the band's two albums. Kicking in with "Blue Light"-type guitar swells, moving into that emotional, Bloc Party paydirt that Alarm mined on "So Here We Are" and "Little Thoughts," and featuring the ever-awesome kit manipulation of Matt Tong.
"The Prayer" is the lead single, we guess 'cause it's a little different from the Silent-y tunes and still not, well, boring. "Uniform" is where the breathy and serious-then-banging-and-arty formula begins to wear thin. "On" borrows a melodic phrase from When In Rome's "The Promise" (Napoleon!), but it's slight and quick, and there are some nasty, unexpected chords underlying the established melody during the second verse. So we're still seeing the band pursue great ideas, and Kele's voice still has that seductive blend of vulnerability and poise.
But the bottom line for the remainder: Too much of the second half sounds like "I Still Remember." Totally inoffensive, dropping lyrics like "I would go with you anywhere, I should have kissed you ..." Whaaa? We knew you guys were sensitive, but c'mon! Release that track directly to the soundtrack of whatever hipster teen soap for which it was written. "I still remember," says Kele. We do, too! "I'll love you in the morning," he says on the next track, "Sunday." Guess we will, too - but this is thin fucking ice, Bloc Party.
Somehow we see a lot of people being disappointed by this record, but not enough to leave them ('cause, like us, they'll always heart them), with a net result of the band getting even bigger. It's a shrewd strategy: Make a sophomore record that promises big changes, sprinkle them here and there, but play up the elements that the 14 year old girls would dig while sticking with some nasty beats. If you let the drums be the muscle, you can get away with being surprisingly sappy.
But slow tempo doesn't have to elicit undiscernable mush. Like, "SXRT," the album closer, is slow, sure. But between the synths, the walls of vocals, and texture guitars, it's just fucking massive. Kele's "Walking in the countryside," and for the first time in twenty minutes, we're with him, and we're feeling what he's feeling -- it's emotional, yeah, but it's also entirely authentic.
The record ends with "SXRT"'s pretty tinkling of glockenspiels, and it's fitting; while the balance once tipped towards them being a smoldering post-punk band with heart, Bloc Party is now more of a bleeding-heart band with art guitars, a great drummer, and post-punk influence. It's a move to the middle -- probably not enough to push too many people away, but definitely enough to elicit lots of yawns.
Did you listen? Are you underwhelmed? If not -- tell us what you're loving about it! And for fun, let's postulate on what this record is gonna do for the band. Are they about to blow up (like, for real) this time? Just where do you go from being a Target spokesband?
A Weekend In The City is out 2/7/07 on Vice.
Posted at 6:50 PM in Premature Evaluation
Tags: Bloc Party
we shouldn't expect 15 more helicopters and banquets. it's nice to see the band evolve; i really hope they return to new york sans panic...
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Listened last night and was thoroughly disappointed - for a moment I thought I was listening to Panic At the Disco.
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i've yet to listen, but i think it comes out in 07
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see, i actually enjoyed the second half of the record MORE than the first. but then again, "this modern love" is my favorite track offa silent alarm, so maybe i'm just a big sap!
i will say this though, the record DEF does grow with every listen...a definite slow burner. (;
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"High Profile Leak weekend"...um, what else has surfaced that I should know about?? Am I already that far behind? Help please.
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I feel the same, right around "Uniform" it does slow down a lot, hopefully they will mix the tracks up more, because i dont want to have to skip cds halfway between the album. Not to say that the slower songs are bad, but let's just say they make me sleepy
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thanks for the tip off! it'll be mine in about 28 minutes, and i'll get back with my thoughts - even though i was planning on going to bed...
talk about christmas come early!
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7.5 review from Pitchfork
Band makes lots of singles from it...relatively big in Britain
Completely unnoticed in US
One song will be in a commercial.
That's it.
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this is pretty weak. but i didnt like silent alarm either.
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Is it just me or is the second song's riff a ripoff of Marilyn Manson's version of Sweet Dreams?? I guess it's appropriate as the song is called Hunting For Witches...
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SXRT is a beautiful song.
Night night.
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the second half is just as good, it just isn't as hook filled
uniform is gold in my eyes
silent alarm began more rock and switched slow half way as well
i like this cd
the end
(rant over)
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oh god does this record just suck. nothing to me on 2 listens is promising or catchy. the hard edge is what they needed to play up and not the pussy love songs. the problem too is that the "pussy love songs" on silent alarm are far better than those that appear here. maybe the band should have just taken more time.
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i wasnt that into their first album, but i don't know, guys, I think this is pretty awesome so far. "Where is home?" and "Song for Clay" are tremendous, well thought-out songs. there are few too many mushy slow songs, but overall i really like this. I'd give it an 8.5 out of 10. I dont think there is a US single on it though, but they will be massive in the UK and Europe and have a large indie/hipster following here. I mean they already do. the venues they've come to play in ny recently (Roseland, mccarren pool) are huge.
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Kreuzberg is magical and the slow songs are much more powerful this time around
plus technically speaking the instrumental work is outstanding
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10/10
the first half is stronger but 90% of album do that nowadays. come on this is pretty sweet and it has a lot of interesting atmospherics
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this band is too mediocre to bother downloading, much less discussing
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anybody care to hint at where this leak can be found?
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This new record pisses all over their last one. The songs and production are amazing. As a sophomore record, this is much stronger than any other 2nd album by hip band, who did well on their first record: The Futureheads' News and Tributes, Franz Ferdinand's You Could Have it So Much Better, the Strokes's Room on Fire, the Rapture's new disc, and The Killer's Sam's Town (yawn).
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The first half is much stronger than the second. I prefer Silent Alarm.
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high profile leak weekend?? what else has surfaced?
this album is super, the opening track is very fitting, and i love the ending of the album with sunday and srxt
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The first half of the album is alright if you don't pay attention to the words. Pretty much all of the lyrics to all the songs are atrocious juvenile angsty bullshit. I feel like Bloc Party did us all a favor with the terse lyrics from Silent Alarm...I'd never noticed how hard they'd been trying until now.
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The high profile leak was the new Jay-Z album, which is might be better than the Bloc Party album.
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Brand New also leaked.
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I also leaked this weekend many many times
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I totally agree with the poster who said the record is a grower. I've listened to it multiple times and I'm really getting into it. I absolutely loved Silent Alarm and this record is a damn good follow up. Also, the new Jay-Z record is not better than this. It's pretty mediocre considering it's Jay-Z. Nas and Clipse are about to outshine Hov in all the fouth quarter hip-hop releases.
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Where can I find this leak? Anyone?
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You guys forgot the biggest leak of all this weekend.... TENACIOUS D - THE PICK OF DESTINY OST!!!
As for where you can find Bloc Party it should be all over the torrents by now....
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I was just going to say the same thing about The D. Kicks ass.
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you know, stereogum should really dedicate a post to the leaked Brand New cd. it is a huge leak in terms of its scene, and there is a big debate as to whether the song Jesus Christ is a complete ripoff of Dramamime by Modest Mouse. Not to mention... its a really good album. Hell, if you can enjoy John Mayer than you ought to at least give it a shot.
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I got the album on limewire. So if you have that software its there.
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Where is Matt Tong on this album?
Liking the more glitchy ping pongy guitar solos and such.
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deerhoof leaked, too. it's really fucking good.
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So, do Bloc Party count towards end of year lists?
Cos this is the best record of 2006 (well, 2nd after The Black Angels).
I am having trubble spotting their "crunk" song that Kele's been banging on about though, which one is it?
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I think the album blows the first one out of the water, and I've been listening since yesterday. I'm with a few other posters who've said while the first half is stronger, I think the second half shows a side of Bloc Party we haven't seen much of, and I quite like it. Obviously if it's not been fully mastered then we have a lot more to look forward to on this.
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I'm really enjoying this album, sure its nothing groundbreaking, and more of a continuation of Silent Alarm, but there are some massive songs on here... "Uniform", "SXRT", come on! I have a feeling that I will be listening to this over and over for a while.
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"Waiting for the 7:18" has been on replay on my ipod for like 6 hours. Im totally digging the cd though, a definite slow burner.
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I haven't even listened to the whole thing once yet (and for the record I love Silent Alarm), but when I first put on that opening track I was like, "what is this?" and immediately assumed it was a case of someone allegedly posting a "leak" and having it actually be an album by some other band.
(I don't intend for that to be a positive or a negative comment, just an observation.)
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this shit sounds like a christian rock record
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although i'm not positive... the only song that sounds remotely like it has a 'crunk' beat would have to be 'prayer', but that's a stretch if you ask me.
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really upsetat new album....1st acouple songs are good....except that "hunting for witches" sounds similiar to "staying fat" but besides that I think uniform is one of the best songs on the LP......the 2nd half od the LP , Kele just sounds like he has the same voice melody for every song......I was really anxious to hear it and it dind't live up to my expectations
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really upsetat new album....1st acouple songs are good....except that "hunting for witches" sounds similiar to "staying fat" but besides that I think uniform is one of the best songs on the LP......the 2nd half od the LP , Kele just sounds like he has the same voice melody for every song......I was really anxious to hear it and it dind't live up to my expectations
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really upsetat new album....1st acouple songs are good....except that "hunting for witches" sounds similiar to "staying fat" but besides that I think uniform is one of the best songs on the LP......the 2nd half od the LP , Kele just sounds like he has the same voice melody for every song......I was really anxious to hear it and it dind't live up to my expectations
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is it just me or is this a very low quality leak
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is there more than one leak because the one i have sounds very low quality
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this leak is incredibly low quality
and may not even be mastered
On and Kreuzberg rock though (in a quiet beautiful way) and Uniform is MASSIVE!!
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I agree with the poster who asked where Matt Tong is. For me, the best thing about Bloc Party is how he pushes the whole band with his killer drumming. For whatever reason that seems to be largely absent on this record. And there are a lot of drum machines...why the fuck would you use drum machines with a guy like that in the band??
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the leak is of low quality, the first half has great sound quality, but towards the end you can till it is unfinished....but sound quality aside, it's a quiet loud that i'm willing to take for a sophomore album from a band that a lot are hoping to do well, because silent alarm was an AMAZING first album....oh yeah, matt tong is missing....
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Am I the only one who thinks that where is home is great! I totally understand his dilemma of not knowing where you truly belong. I thought was a very tounching song. But I really don't like the last three songs. I have to agree they all sound the same.
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you have no idea you bunch of idiots.
crying like babies cus a band have decided to take a leap artistically.
in 6 months when the consensus is that its one of the records of the decade you will be pretending you loved it all along.
its a great record much better than the first but it requires a couple of listens to really get to grips with it.
the slow songs on side b are actually the stand out tracks if you are not 14 and wanting to stand in the moshpit.
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relax blue fin, its a decent album, but just not great and loses all of the rawness and balls that silent alarm had. its decent don't get me wrong, but i'm a little disappointed. don't get me wrong, i'll end up listening to it a lot i'm sure, but all in all, meh. No way in hell anyone will say this is one of the best albums of the decade, if you really think that then you are a mental midget.
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Who tamed Kele??? Its like he's whispering on the whole album! Good tunes, but no revolutionary riffs and no Kele's crazy voice! Guess they need this album to realize they need to get back to what works, no worries, this band is not going anywhere.
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Lets remember Silent Alaram really was a Bench mark, after 1 listen I think the Bloc have branched out slightly. I was never going to be a replica of silent alarm but lets hope it is a grower. One thing is for sure, 'hunting for witches' will be an absolute floor filler! It will go off!!
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I loved it, even though there are parts where it is waaay over-produced. Some of the songs are better on album (Hunting for Witches) then they are live. Some are better live and are missing the intensity and urgency that was so beautifully displayed on stage (Uniform). Too overproduced, but still some great songs. A grower. I say 8.3 on Pitchfork. Hopefully they'll tone down the production slightly by the time it comes out. And if they don't? It's still probably better than anything else that'll come out in 2007 (except for The Shins' Wincing).
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i just want to hear the better quality version, this low quality stuff dampers my enjoyment towards it.
but other wise best album of 2007, i can feel it, i cant wait to buy this.
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I like as much or better than the first one - I can't stop listening to it. I can't wait to buy the official release to hear it in high quality.
Great job Bloc Party.
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I like as much or better than the first one - I can't stop listening to it. I can't wait to buy the official release to hear it in high quality.
Great job Bloc Party.
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i'm mindblown people are actually saying they don't like this. i find it hard to believe that anyone who liked silent alarm doesn't think this is a good follow-up. on one hand i'm glad i can listen to this before it comes out, but on the other i feel bad for bloc party that this leaked months before the street date, much like silent alarm. either way, this record is getting heavy rotation in my tiny south philly bedroom.
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i'm mindblown people are actually saying they don't like this. i find it hard to believe that anyone who liked silent alarm doesn't think this is a good follow-up. on one hand i'm glad i can listen to this before it comes out, but on the other i feel bad for bloc party that this leaked months before the street date, much like silent alarm. either way, this record is getting heavy rotation in my tiny south philly bedroom.
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brilliant album, once again every song is good in its own right, my only gripe is the way the track listing is arranged as kreuzberg, i still remember and sunday should not follow each other.
uniform has to be one of the best songs i've heard in years
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brilliant album, once again every song is good in its own right, my only gripe is the way the track listing is arranged as kreuzberg, i still remember and sunday should not follow each other.
uniform has to be one of the best songs i've heard in years
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brilliant album, once again every song is good in its own right, my only gripe is the way the track listing is arranged as kreuzberg, i still remember and sunday should not follow each other.
uniform has to be one of the best songs i've heard in years
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"I Still Remember" is so beautiful...
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''I STILL REMEMEBR'' IS BLOC PARTY NEW HIT
THIS NEW SONG WILL BE THEIR NEW BANQUET.NO QUESTION
IT PULLS AT UR HEART AND DOESNT LET GO UNTILL ITS OVER. GREAT GREAT GREAT SONG.ID BUY THE ALBUM JUST FOR THIS ONE SONG ITS VERY POWERFULL
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''I STILL REMEMEBR'' IS BLOC PARTY NEW HIT
THIS NEW SONG WILL BE THEIR NEW BANQUET.NO QUESTION
IT PULLS AT UR HEART AND DOESNT LET GO UNTILL ITS OVER. GREAT GREAT GREAT SONG.ID BUY THE ALBUM JUST FOR THIS ONE SONG ITS VERY POWERFULL
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agreed! i still remember is really, really good.
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SXRT is massive! Song for clay is a great opener, and i think the album has a great blend of both laid back emotional songs and upfront floor fillers. The prayer will be a great single and Uniform is stunning! Fantastic 2nd album! Name one band in the last year that have followed up so well. The futureheads disapointed, as did the killers. Great album, nuff said!
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I want to like it, I really do -- but my brain just keeps screaming TV On The Radio.
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Some of the lyrics distract from the overall effect, plus I cringe when he sings "sudoku." However, it's really strong and I appreciate the tinkering with what was an already successful formula. But, I've only heard it twice.
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I'm currently dll'ing it from pirate bay, v fast, seems to be only site that still has it. Sounds worryingly like they've gone emo, but remember Plans and Compliments at the end of SA? And then they turned out to be very listenable, so it's gonna have to be a grower, I'm sure. And the Futureheads 2nd album rocked, though I would agree the Killers' wasn't great; listened to it once and never again. If this is bad, I'll download it again when it's released and maybe buy it, can't base judgements off a prerelease leak.
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amazing album, although track order is a tad questionable as it lags in the middle, but would it be right to stick all the good songs first?
the intro to 'i still remember' is fantastic, sounds almost 'smiths-esque'
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Amazing follow up from silent alarm even though less songs defanetly doesn't feel like it. Stand out tune so far although there are many for me is 'waiting for the 7:18' simillar to 'like eating glass' with its slowish build up and then sudden explosion sound.
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The Best Album of 2007 by far... in fact i would go as far as saying this is the finest album ever to be written by a human being, peaks and troughs thats all im going to say... Bloc Party dont need to worry about bootleged albums, any die hard fan will realise they deserve every penny they get, as for the knobjockey at the top... he deserves to die.... lets drive to Brighton on the weekend? why not....
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weak album, no hits, nothing memorable, its all very much a watered down version of a couple of tracks from the debut played on a loop and attempting to sound epic (leave it to mogwai). dreadful lyrics, alot about heroes. id go as far as to say its the worst follow up since the futureheads news and tributes. takes aboyut a weak to really care for any songs and then u'll stop listening to it. NOT A PATCH ON SILENT ALARM
waiting for the 7 18 is the best track on the album. and thats only because its bloc party ripping off their back catalogue
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weak album, no hits, nothing memorable, its all very much a watered down version of a couple of tracks from the debut played on a loop and attempting to sound epic and panoramic (leave it to mogwai). dreadful lyrics, alot about heroes. id go as far as to say its the worst follow up since the futureheads news and tributes. takes aboyut a weak to really care for any songs and then u'll stop listening to it. NOT A PATCH ON SILENT ALARM
waiting for the 7 18 is the best track on the album. and thats only because its bloc party ripping off their back catalogue
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What You Have To Remember Is That This Is Just A Leak. When The Album Finally Comes Out, It'll Sound A Hell Of A Lot Better. And Where The Fuck Is Matt's Awesome Drumming On This? The Crazy Drums In 'Helicopter' And 'Luno' On Silent Alarm Made Him My Fave Drummer Of All Time.
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This cd is obviously not gonna be the next Silent Alarm, that cd was just too groundbreaking in my eyes. I do agree some of the songs on here are pretty weak but only 1 or 2. SXRT is one of the most ridiculous songs I've ever heard from them as well as Kreuzberg; but overall I think the real showcase for this album is Keles vocals which really take off and take center stage with Matt Tongs drumming. I mean he gave flashes of his vocal depth in songs like Banquet but on this one its a lot better. Hopefully they bring everything together with some sick guitar riffs and demolish with their 3rd album, but then again this album isnt even "out" yet so thats a little presumptuous. End of story = i have still looped this cd on my playlist about 18 times this weekend alone so its not bad at all.
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are fucking kidding?
im astonished by how many bloc party fans here are saying that A Weekend In The City isnt anything less than amazing. It Changes, Moves, and totally warms your heart with the overwelming feeling that mabe the music of the future isnt getting worse after all. Its honestly one of the best albums ive ever heard. and i can totally imagine them getting bigger and bigger. Im into punk but dahm this album is soooo fucking amazing.
I dont expect anything less from bloc party. definetley one of the greatest bands of the new millenium and one of my all time favorite bands.
i give it an 11 out of 10
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are fucking kidding?
im astonished by how many bloc party fans here are saying that A Weekend In The City isnt anything less than amazing. It Changes, Moves, and totally warms your heart with the overwelming feeling that mabe the music of the future isnt getting worse after all. Its honestly one of the best albums ive ever heard. and i can totally imagine them getting bigger and bigger. Im into punk but dahm this album is soooo fucking amazing.
I dont expect anything less from bloc party. definetley one of the greatest bands of the new millenium and one of my all time favorite bands.
i give it an 11 out of 10
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are fucking kidding?
im astonished by how many bloc party fans here are saying that A Weekend In The City isnt anything less than amazing. It Changes, Moves, and totally warms your heart with the overwelming feeling that mabe the music of the future isnt getting worse after all. Its honestly one of the best albums ive ever heard. and i can totally imagine them getting bigger and bigger. Im into punk but dahm this album is soooo fucking amazing.
I dont expect anything less from bloc party. definetley one of the greatest bands of the new millenium and one of my all time favorite bands.
i give it an 11 out of 10
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are fucking kidding?
im astonished by how many bloc party fans here are saying that A Weekend In The City isnt anything less than amazing. It Changes, Moves, and totally warms your heart with the overwelming feeling that mabe the music of the future isnt getting worse after all. Its honestly one of the best albums ive ever heard. and i can totally imagine them getting bigger and bigger. Im into punk but dahm this album is soooo fucking amazing.
I dont expect anything less from bloc party. definetley one of the greatest bands of the new millenium and one of my all time favorite bands.
i give it an 11 out of 10
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are fucking kidding?
im astonished by how many bloc party fans here are saying that A Weekend In The City isnt anything less than amazing. It Changes, Moves, and totally warms your heart with the overwelming feeling that mabe the music of the future isnt getting worse after all. Its honestly one of the best albums ive ever heard. and i can totally imagine them getting bigger and bigger. Im into punk but dahm this album is soooo fucking amazing.
I dont expect anything less from bloc party. definetley one of the greatest bands of the new millenium and one of my all time favorite bands.
i give it an 11 out of 10
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