Bloc Party - Four
Sometimes it's like Bloc Party have accidentally made a Biffy Clyro album, but for the most part it's good. Very good.
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Idealism
In between reloading and aiming, I took the time to read this review… As my eyes scanned increasingly quickly, I note that the name of genre-defining visionaries is taken firmly in vain. When describing a band’s sound, I feel it best to describe THE SOUND OF THE RECORDS, rather than the appearance of the singer; Taught and wiry Texans do not necessarily begat taught and wiry music. With equal vigor, my eyes rested on the line “Sometimes it's like they've accidentally made a Biffy Clyro album”. The words either especially bold or quite mad, given the esteem and good feeling held for that band on this site. Perhaps it would be politely suggested to the writer that he should take the time to remember the halcyon days of ‘The Vertigo of Bliss’… One would proffer that the writer has never heard either of those bands but references them so that the review will appear in Google searches and the like
All this is nit-picking irrelevance, prevaricating around the essential premise that I have become what I despise; a producer of unnecessarily cruel and entirely unrequired content.
Much like Bloc Party.
a guy has reviewed this in the forum, reviewing each track liveblog style
his review is very pleasant to read
Pragmatism
Thanks for the tip-off. I have found the 'liveblogging style' of which you write…
http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4382253
I did not enjoy it completely but I did not hate it entirely. I feel enervated but, with the last of my energy, I’m not entirely sure I agree with the concept of a live-blogged album review. No, on consideration, actually, I do agree with it because I respect the concept as an enormous challenge to an objective and creative writer. Alas, the gentleman/woman is neither of those things (but has the good grace not to pretend to be either). To me, horrendous cnut that I am, I don’t want initial, unfocused and unprocessed views. I want considered, educated and eloquent opinion and I want the author to have the time to construct such things. I don’t want a list of previous examples/sound-alikes (unless they’re being offered as evidence for laziness) because I’m not just the sort of person who buys a Bloc Party record, I’m the person who buys all kinds of records. This isn’t a lifestyle blog and nor is it the release of a Radiohead record (what an AWFUL DAY that was…).
There’s the other side of me that feels glad, because music still has the power to inspire: be it social change or, as in this case, a person openly pleasuring themselves whilst coming up with tired similes to pre-existing media. If the sound of skin-on-skin wasn’t so prevalent, I would half-suggest that it’s a spoof account from a person who actively hates Bloc Party. At least they were granted the energy to do SOMETHING. Anyway, the unpretentious language has won fans so, hopefully, the writer will continue to take the time to write but will take the time, rather than not.
Well
I really like Octopus, and with just about everyone saying that it's the weak point of the record, I am rather looking forward to receiving my copy.
I didn't fancy doing a dissertation like blokealex, this will have to do.
You can now stream the album over at
http://four.blocparty.com/
lolz
Sorry man ;-)
This album's pretty good.
In fact, it's very good.
Impressed
by the first listen. It certainly has a rougher sound, and feels more like the logical follow up to silent alarm. Kele's voice is the best it has been, certainly hitting the notes with less strain.it is altogether more coherent than intimacy, which felt like a Radiohead tribute album in places. This is more punky and rocking. The filler parts are pointless though, just give me songs!
Octopus has grown on me
especially hearing it in the context of the album. It's still far from the best track on the album, but it's definitely no weak (and the album does have a couple of weak tracks).
Sounds like they rather enjoyed their tour with Grammatics to me.
Especially in Kele's vocal style.
Probably their best record in years
Loving the slabs of muscular guitar. Poor old Russel Lissack probably finally had enough of being submerged in Kele's electronic bleeps and squelches. Can't wait to get this record.
Who was it that taught At The Drive-In?
And what exactly did they teach them?
Ross Robinson
Consistency? I don't know how he did it but RoC is much tighter than their previous.
Hold on... Alex Newport...
of Fudge Tunnel/Nailbomb fame produced this!?!? Blimey. That should kick 'em into shape.
I've never got into Bloc Party, and find it very hard to forgive Kele for "Tenderoni", one of the worst bits of music of recent times.
Octopus reminds me of later period Fugazi
It's bloody awesome as is the rest of the album.
This is good.
But Intimacy and Silent Alarm are both better.