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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Styled more along the lines of a revolutionary cell than a band, Bloc Party approach the medium of rock'n'roll with the sort of high seriousness usually reserved for philosophy lectures. Yet on their debut album, Silent Alarm, this "autonomous unit" of smart, wiry London youth don't just succeed in reinvigorating the artform – they come pretty close to reinventing it from the ground up.
Whereas early singles like "She's Hearing Voices" found the band still attempting to chisel their own image out of familiar post-punk reference points – The Fall, Joy Division, and Gang Of Four, to name but three – newer tracks such as "Like Eating Glass" and the prickly "Price Of Gas" find Bloc Party pioneering a freshly-minted template of staccato percussion, expansive soundscapes, and cryptic lyrics that artfully straddle the political and the personal. Russell Lissack has forsaken that overdone hallmark of post-punk, brittle tortured-fretboard skronk, in favour of an effects-laden guitar sound that adds genuine prettiness to Bloc Party's edgy rush. But it's Kele Okereke's vocal that's the band's most flexible facet, morphing from frothing anger to breathless desperation. "Are you hoping for a miracle?" he bays, on "Helicopter". Yes? Well Silent Alarm ably fits the bill. --Louis Pattison
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is astounding music. Energetic but calming, spikey but ethereal.
At it's essence it is pop music, but it has an intelligence to it that cannot be overlooked. And surprisingly for a British guitar band, it isn't a rye, 'knowing' type of intelligence. Yes, Kele Okereke and his band take themselves very seriously, and yes they do look like archetypal students, but this debut is proof that they are making some the most sophisticated guitar pop in music today. The new album has a slightly bigger sound, and the themes are more urban. This album is different, the cover-art captures the shimmeringly austere sounds that are burned onto the disc.
One of my favourite records of the past 5 years.
At it's essence it is pop music, but it has an intelligence to it that cannot be overlooked. And surprisingly for a British guitar band, it isn't a rye, 'knowing' type of intelligence. Yes, Kele Okereke and his band take themselves very seriously, and yes they do look like archetypal students, but this debut is proof that they are making some the most sophisticated guitar pop in music today. The new album has a slightly bigger sound, and the themes are more urban. This album is different, the cover-art captures the shimmeringly austere sounds that are burned onto the disc.
One of my favourite records of the past 5 years.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
i think this album is superlative. it's raw, it's edgy, it's fusion, there are so many influences at work in this album that it's exhilarating to hear - you know that the musicians have listened to a lot of different music, and they have a lot of ideas. it's original, it's interesting, it's honest, it's very very british, seeming to come from that same ska-punk-fusion late 70s-early 80s approach, if not the sound (kele okereke's voice has the 'punk' sound, but the rest of the music crosses boundaries, some of the drumming sounding drum-and-bassish without ever falling into the trap) - there are bits of this album which make me think of kate bush at her finest moments, as strange as it may sound - totally original, thoughtful, serious, dedicated, visionary, idiosyncratic musicianship, never flawless (but who wants flawless?) - an excellent album, on first hearing i felt that a couple of the last tracks were noticeably weaker than the rest of the album, although i love the final track (compliments). the album works as a whole since the more melodic tracks act as relief against the harsher sounding, deep tracks with heavy bass and crazy guitar riffs and drum battering and these keening vocals wailing over the top. i don't listen to hype, i'm not into any one scene, i have a wide variety of tastes and in my opinion this is a great album. and i don't like franz ferdinand.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By T. Miller
Format:Audio CD
I have no hesitation in saying that Bloc Party are the best guitar band since The Smiths. The Smiths' legacy was waiting for a band like this and now, in my view, they have arrived.
They have better riffs than Franz Ferdinand. Their songs are not boring simplicities like Kaiser Chiefs. The album is not a few good singles and then filler, like Maximo Park. In short, Bloc Party are the only real deal.
The reason why I have made the claims above is in the music. Bloc Party have created songs that weave intelligent and musically charming guitar lines in and out, creating a tapestry of sound. The drummer, with drum'n'bass influences no doubt, adds something extra: if ever there was a drummer who wasn't just 'the drummer in that band', Matt Tong is it. He is his own unique part of this incredible four-some. Equally, bassist Gordon Moakes plays an important part as well, not least on album opener Like Eating Glass, with its jumpy rhythic bass riff.
Lyrically, on first listen one might be forgiven to think that the lyrics are simply random sentences thrown together. It requires more than a casual listen to really hear and digest the lyrics. It helps, in fact, if you read them on their own: for one thing, the messages hidden within are fairly cryptic, and for another, some of the words sound like something difference (take for instance the 'red pill blue pill' line in She's Hearing Voices. It sounded like 'Don't whack no bleep don't whack no bleep' to me!)
What is quite astonishing about Bloc Party and this album is the shimmering quality throughout. Everyone recognises the singles: Banquet, Helicopter and the delectable So Here We Are.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When i first heard this album, i thought it was massively overrated. After a few listens, i found the album coming back to me during the day. Its amazing, and Playing guitar, Russel Lissacks style interests me hugely. I love Keles voice and lyrics, they are introspective and intelligent yet often anthemic. The drumming is good, particularly on opener "like eating glass". I Love most of the songs on this album. Some of them make you want to move, others are breathtakingly beautiful. Bloc party are a band that take themselves seriously, and they arent a fad. Unlike Kaiserchiefs, they are here to stay. Not in the charts necessarily, but that was never their intention.
This album is not to be missed, but needs a few listens. An awesome debut.
This album is not to be missed, but needs a few listens. An awesome debut.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Mr A S Agg
Format:Audio CD
Its only January and already we have a contender for Album and band of 2005!!!! Silent Alarm is a gem of an album - anyone who loves art-rock or post-punk will surely love this album. They have not just reinvented the wheel; bloc party have rewritten the whole genre in cintilating fashion. They have taken the post-punk/garage rock template and added lots of different soundscapes which are expansive and the songs have many layers and effects; with some very stylish guitar sounds. Kele has one of those voices that is so versatile - one minute he sounds like Damon Albarn only with more venom and vitrol in his voice the next he sounds like Robert Smith from The Cure on some of the more intimate songs like This Modern Love; which is so beautiful it would melt even the coldest of hearts. The lyrics are both political and personal but very intelligent and well thought out. There is so much energy and passion on this album - highlights include Eating Glass; Banquet; This Modern Love and Price of Gas. I havent listened to a band with this much conviction for many a year - If you thought Franz Ferdinand were the future sound of Indie music think again Bloc Party have just stolen their crown!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
secret santa gift
bought for a friend for secret santa last christmas and he was very happy - dont listen to the music personally but he was very happy
Published 5 months ago by kelly
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad at all
A pretty decent effort and at least its a bit differnt. Some memorable tunes and lyrics about alienation in the present. It's not the Jam but is OK. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Paul Gilliatt
4.0 out of 5 stars
I wanted to give it 3 1/2 stars not 4
Very raw with lots of energy but it just lacked somthing which I just can't put my finger on it. I brought this album because of the track So here we are which I thought was... Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by Stephen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent album, music of the 2000's!
When people review what the signature sound of the 2000's is they will surely have to include the electro-indie guitar sounds of Bloc Party who brought fast rythms to fast guitar... Read more
Published on 7 July 2009 by Scarhurzt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Current favourites
I only got into Bloc Party about a year ago, with the release of A Weekend in the City. Before that, I was pretty much unaware of their existence, but thanks to NME magazine, which... Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2008 by curefreak
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flawless? ... i think so....
Put simply this is the most important album to have hit me in years, since its first release to the present day there isn't a single album that is in the mind or CD player ect as... Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2008 by Mr. M. P. Layton
3.0 out of 5 stars
chekit
Bloc Party are an odd band really; they have the whitest ever black guy as a lead singer & a drummer with a better sense of rhythm than most hip hop producers. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2008 by 77
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good indie band?
Preety impressed with this, I think the great thing about Bloc Party is their abilty to impress those who generally don't like Indie, like me. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2007 by Quemeelsol
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favourites
In a word - AWESOME.
Their debut is brilliant and hits all the spots for me. With amazing songs such as Helicopter where you could recognise it anywhere and She's Hearing... Read more
Their debut is brilliant and hits all the spots for me. With amazing songs such as Helicopter where you could recognise it anywhere and She's Hearing... Read more
Published on 14 July 2007 by Smatch
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bad ass mutha
Varied in tone and stylistically uncategorisable, one thing is clear about Bloc Party's debut album: it's bloody brilliant... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2007 by Kevin M. Heery
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