Bloc Party
Silent Alarm
(Vice/Dim Mak)
Bloc Party isn’t as much about its influences as its execution. While the band has been accused of drawing influence from just about every British group that has ever written in a minor key, it’s ultimately the songwriting that makes them worthwhile. Matching aggressive melodies, manic drumming and geometrical guitar work, the group’s debut, Silent Alarm, contains a rare grace in its confusion. The songs on the disc feel well thought-out but are still able to live in the moment, leaving the edges raw and the heart intact. This sound peaks on the song “So Here We Are.” Finding a midpoint between the riffs from Radiohead’s “Let Down” and Sonic Youth’s “Sunday,” the track highlights Bloc Party’s capacity to balance experimentation and beauty.
—Matt Charlton
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
