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bloc party two more years

Bloc Party: Two More Years

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by Mike Diver
Shake the tree too hard and it's not only the fruit that falls from above, but the life-giving leaves and, ultimately, the very branches that comprise the core scaffolding of the entire set up. One feels that, a year after the breakthrough of Silent Alarm, the industry's more omnivorous scavengers have sided up to the source of such post-punk excellence and fought furiously for familiar success; lo, we've endured a slew of sound-alike acts looking to cash in on the fashion for clean guitars and lyrical intelligence, whatever their original honorable intentions.

'Two More Years' sees the cycle go full circle: this is the pioneers reclaiming their birthright from the pretenders that've grown strong in their absence. The song's opening seconds blindside the listener, sounding more like Mansun than any contemporary punks, but the trademark Bloc Party sound - crisply plucked guitars, urgent but unfussy drumming and Kele Okereke's read-them-how-you-wish words - settles soon enough. The format's barely changed since the band's debut, although it does feel a little warmer and compositionally considered, but nevertheless sounds as fresh as the seedlings from which the trees about us grow so tall.

The title's ominous: the carbon-copy chancers will run dry soon enough, and Bloc Party's insistence that it'll only be "two more years, so hold on" may yet prove correct. Like every mass dalliance with fashion, the acts that prize substance and soul above haircuts and hollow r'n'r gestures will prevail; 'Two More Years' is proof positive that Bloc Party are here to stay. Shame they saw fit to end such a song with a poor fade out, though.

  • Bloc Party 8 / 10

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I've been saying it's an 'I can only disappoint u' clone for weeks; nobody has agreed with me until now.
ahh, that's better.


Bloc Party - Two More Years

I agree. it's ripping off Mansun.

I miss Mansun. (probably the only one...)

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No way. I totally miss Mansun. AOTGL and Six were blistering records. Little Kixx was pish though.

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Count me in, I miss Mansun too. Grey Lantern will always be one of those 90sindiesummeroflove-type records.

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Six = one of my top five LPs of all time.

So yes. I miss Mansun.

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i miss mansun. i was just thinking about them on the toilet a few minutes ago...

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me five, Attack... ruled, and still does. Six is mostly amazing, too.

"they're just a vehicle for a lovely voice..."

yeah.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Bloc Party aren't nearly as ambitious and groundbreaking as they and their fans seem to think they are. This single is further proof, if any was needed.

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Here Here - but I think the title relates to how long their 'musical' 'influence' will last on 15-17 year olds or something. Pricks

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I've found that a reliable way of judging my opinion is to read yours and then pick the opposite. Yet again, you don't disappoint.

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What's so ambitious and groundbreaking about Gang Of Fou... er, Bloc Party then?

Re: Bloc Party - Two More Years

What's ambitious and groundbreaking about Oasis?

If you don't like the tunes, man, just say so but otherwise this is a bit of a pot/kettle situation...

(Incidentally I love this tune)

Re: Bloc Party - Two More Years

You've fallen into the counterclaim fallacy (a subdivision of the authority fallacy).

Just because somebody likes something un-original, it doesn't mean their claims that somthing else is unoriginal are false claims.

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Oasis make rock'n'roll pop tunes designed to be sung along to by the masses, and should be judged accordingly. Bloc Party, on the other hand, make grand claims of ambition and originality in their music and, in those terms, they fail.

As it happens, I like quite a few Bloc Party tunes. Mainly the ones that sound like Gang Of Four as opposed to the wet ballady ones.

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Oasis make music for imbeciles, and should be judged accordingly. i.e. the fact they attract a lot of imbeciles means, ultimately, they're rather successful.

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Says the oh-so-clever Bloc Party fan who can't even answer a simple question about what makes Bloc Party so original and groundbreaking. How does it feel to be out thought by an "imbecilic" Oasis fan, you pseudo-intellectual div?

Re: Bloc Party - Two More Years

I can't have been out-thought by you, because that implies cognitive processes on your point, which your fondness for Oasis proves are an impossibility. As to the "answering a simple question", where did I say Bloc Party are orginial and groundbreaking?

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"I've found that a reliable way of judging my opinion is to read yours and then pick the opposite."

As I consider Bloc Party to be neither original nor groundbreaking it stands to reason you think the opposite, which is why I asked you the question. Frankly, your inability to follow this simple logic demonstrates it's your 'cognitive processes' that are in question, not mine.

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Yes, and if you wanted to be pedantic you could just say "I don't like paedophilia", and, by half-wittedly assuming my suggestion was completely lacking any tongue in cheek, that'd leave me in an unfortunate position. Also, your picking up on my quote shows you misunderstand "reliable" as "foolproof", implying that my quote is a bona fide truth. Which is bollocks. Nonetheless, I think Bloc Party are, in actuality, comparatively orginial and groundbreaking in terms of modern successful music, if only for the fact they can do more than one type of song.

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bloody stupid idiot who thinks music is there to appreciated by 'intellectuals' rather than to be enjoyed as an art form. grow up and get over yourself you immature cretin

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Essentially, I agree with you. I'm just trying to humour the poor chap. He's clearly out of his depth.

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Who says it can't be both? And who says appreciating it as an 'intellectual' is invalid? I think you're the idiot who needs to get over themselves.

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You're not an intellectual. You're a pseud. That's the problem.

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And you're an imbecile! So we're all happy!

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Unless I'm greatly mistaken the subject of this thread is the new Bloc Party single, not Gary Glitter's Greatest Wanks. I would never use the subject of paedophilia to gain cheap points. I'm better than that. Much better.

The simple truth is, I made a comment about Bloc Party and you said you thought the opposite. When I challenged you to tell me why, you chose not to answer. Instead you made a pathetically cheap comment about Oasis fans being imbeciles. Such wit. Oscar Wilde eat your big gay heart out.

As for Bloc Party being able to do more than one kind of song, well, so can Rooster. It's hardly the sign of maverick genius. I'm yet to be convinced Bloc Party are anything other than competent post-punk revivalists.

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I never said you would use paedophilia to gain cheap points, I'm just pointing out how ludicrous your comment was. And Oasis fans ARE imbeciles.

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Yeah, and Bloc Party fans are basically chilled-out entertainers.

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It would normally be wrong to come back on something like this with a cheap jibe about another band, I agree.

BUT. Your objection to certain acts like this one is not the tunes, but the lack of innovation. So you can't be too surprised at the pot/kettle nature of some of the comments...

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Definitely rips off I Can Only Dissapoint U in the verses.

Mansun were great, those first two albums were as good as anyone in the 90s. shame the couldn't keep up that standard and ran out of ideas.

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Yep, too true. Grey Lantern is excellent, but Six is absolutely incredible. I can't speak highly enough of that album, it's one of my favourites ever. They had so many good b-sides too, it's a shame they never recovered from their ill-fated attempt to go for straightforward pop on Little Kix.

PS, the Bloc Party single is pretty good, a real grower...!

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Maybe but whatever you think of Little Kix I still think "I Can Only Disappoint U..." is one of the best pop songs of recent times.

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I agree with you on that one, but the vast majority of the rest of the album falls some way short I Can Only Disappoint U.

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I think you're right. As I recall I got it out of the library to try before buying then never bought it so I obviously wasn't impressed.

Think there was one other good song (second single, forgoten it's name!)

Bloc Party - Two More Years

So, does everybody hate Bloc Party now? Now that more than about 15 people in the country like them? OMG OMG OMG so commercial.

Yeah the song is good, and it is a grower.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

s'alright...

agreed re the fadeout.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I like it for it's tasty drumming. Sounds like about 4 of their other songs though. In fact you can sing 'This could be the last...' over the chorus.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

did anyone see them on tv over the weekend? cd:uk maybe.
was that Russell??!!!

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Rest easy! it wasn't Russell but some dude called Matt who was filling in because Russell was ill. I was slightly confused and a little dismayed as well at first, "What the Hell has happened to Russell's hair? What have they done to him?Helooks normal and that's not right"

Love the single by the way and the banquet remix with Mike Skinner is alright too.

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Rest easy! it wasn't Russell but some dude called Matt who was filling in because Russell was ill. I was slightly confused and a little dismayed as well at first, "What the Hell has happened to Russell's hair? What have they done to him?Helooks normal and that's not right"

Love the single by the way and the banquet remix with Mike Skinner is alright too.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

it's dull AOR, everything bloc party have promised and finally delivered. the post punk styling is exactly that, of no substance. their greatest achievement will be to nail firmly into coffin indie in it's current incarnation as nothing more than a tired retread ok 80's pop-rock.

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I'm glad that people are catching on to how dull and replicated the band actually are, I felt like the only person to have not been impressed by this band. Sure their lyrics might be clever at some point but after watching them at Reading I couldn't see what all the fuss is about.


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I'm not part of the anti-Bloc Party crew (although they bored the feck out of me at Reading last year) I even like about 3/4 of their songs, but this is really one of the most dull singles I have ever heard...

Bloc Party - Two More Years

'One feels that, a year after the breakthrough of Silent Alarm, ...'

/checks Silent Alarm review, release date 14th Feb 2005, so only about 8 months ago?

Still love this song anyway

Bloc Party - Two More Years

God everything about this SONG IS BORING BORING BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!
Video? DULL!
Vocals? FLAT!
B-Sides? EVEN WORSE.

Bloc Party were alright when they were ripping off Les Savy Fav.

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seconded in every way, this is absolutely uninspiring bore-core.

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Glad I'm not alone in noticing the huge debt they owe to Les Savy Fav.

Do like this single though, despite the bent fade out.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Some of the opinion expressed here are bizarre to say the least.

"Not as ground breaking as their fans seem to think they are" - what pish! When was the last time anyone similar broke into the charts?

Tell me because I want those CDs!

Anyone else get a superior feeling to those that reckon this single is dull?

Ain't it nice to be able to appreciate subtle records?


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i'm not sure that breaking into the charts is a significant musical achievement, just a financial one...
and is there any real difference between sounding like a bunch of bands from 30 years ago and sounding like a bunch of bands from 3 years ago?

so no, not breaking new ground...

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BUT THEY DON'T SOUND LIKE ANY OTHER BAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
okay, they have influences, but their sound is a particularly subtle recycling of the post-punk sound. and it's not as if it stops there...
i'm not saying that my sensibilities are the most acute in the entire world, but i'm sick and tired of fuckheads slagging off bloc party because they're either too lazy or too brain-dead to see the greatness in their music. or these pretentious cunts with the musical perception of a slug that think the band are too commercial. really shut up - we've heard your opinion before... and it's shit.

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I don't think it's to commercial. I'm not "too lazy or too braindead" to see the greatness.

I just get bored listening to them.

True, they don't sound too much like anyone else. True, they have a few quite good songs - specifically "Staying Fat", "She's Hearing Voices", "Helicopter", "Banquet", "Pioneers" and the ballady one I've forgotten the name of but the more I listen to/watch/read about Bloc Party the more I'm reminded of the story of the Emperor's New Clothes.

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You're obviously a fan of BP, like over the top, near obsessive and probably have photos of a half naked sweaty Matt Tong in mid drum near your bed, however saying..

"really shut up - we've heard your opinion before... and it's shit. "

Is narrow minded, actually quite rude and seriously, who gives a fucking shit what you have to say anyway?

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no i only have half naked sweaty photos of Russell actually...
although Matt Tong is soo hot right now...

i do actually have a picture of Russell on my phone...I saw him at FROG on a saturday night and was too chicken to speak to him. but photos are soooo the autograph of the 21st century! Despite this scary piece of news, i am NOT an obssessive. just annoyed with shit-pieces who give no respect where it's due...

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You have a point.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Someone on my message board said that Bloc Party were more influencial than Iron Maiden.

So I banned him. (After checking to make sure he wasn't being ironic)

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they influence more suicides at least.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Iron Maiden RRRRoooooccccckkkkkk.
Bloc party don't, they is wet like fish.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I dont think bloc party ever claimed to rrrrooooookkkk like maiden.
They may be a little damp on occasion, but they smell much nicer than fish.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I think its crap this.

Love Bloc Party, but unlike, well, every single one on Silent Alarm, its not got any interesting hooks in melody.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

This song is pretty rubbish, the vocals are bland, the drums are all that would keep anyone interested.

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Like omg Bloc Party are whores they still sound quite similar eight months on and now other people who don't wear scarves like them so we should all just stop listening to them and discuss how great bands which rip Gang Of Four in exactly the same way are but are better because they're still playing to two guys and a dog or or or or failing that why don't we just get down on all fours open our mouths and PRETEND MANSUN WERE GOOD

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meh? u wat? i like gang of four especially to hell with poverty!

I dunno what to hink bout this song but must admit that it's a grower.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I like Bloc Party. But this still sounds like Mansun.

They should have just re-released little thoughts. It had energy at least... This one is just really flaccid.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

Yeah,its a catchy enough song but it seems a very strange choice for single when what they do best is energetic songs where you can actually hear the guitars in the mix.. this is well over produced.

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Agreed, it's just a bunch of fuzzy swirly noise.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

are they really peoples big favourite band at the moment?

I thought they where more written about than liked but there seems to be some strong reactions here. (obvioisly sales where big and stuff but so where Jet's)

I am out of the loop I am, I prefer Mistys Big Adventure and that...

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I like this song.

A more considered single feels right.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I can't believe no-one has mentioned Closed for Business. Surely one of the best non-album singles ever.

Mansun were absolutely massive live as well.

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god yeah, Closed For Business was superb, as was the b-side Everyone Must Win.

live they were awesome, I saw them 5 times and they always pulled it off. Take It Easy Chicken and Taxloss were immense live.

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Closed for business was brilliant... I always heard great things about Mansun live, and the few bootlegs I've heard are great, but the only time I ever saw them live was in Manchester on their last ever tour, and they were really poor. Really half-arsed, and they only played about 10 songs. To make matters worse, Athlete supported.

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I hate Athlete. I don't think it's an irrational hatred either.

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It's not. It's right on.

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*phew*

I was starting to worry.

Bloc Party - Two More Years

I wish prole-art-wanker would die. He is such a fucking cunt. "What do on my list - say Bloc Party are shit. My 20 something life is so boring, weren't Mansun great". I know you're job's shit, but there's no need to try to be down with the kids and insult every indie band. We don't hate them all. Hope you get hit by a car when you cross the street next. : )

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Seems a little harsh just because he didn't like the Bloc Party single. Personally I think it's great but I'm not going to start wishing sexual diseases or misfortunes with vehicles on anyone that disagrees with me. Prole-art-whatshisface's list of bands he likes seems pretty solid to me