Bloc Party – Intimacy Track for Track Review
I'm a huge fan of Silent Alarm and was disapointed by A Weekend in the City. I'm about to press play on their new album and write down my thoughts as the album spins. Here we go...
Ares: This is a great track if you like to get yelled at with shallow lyrics. The line “Get fucked up!” repeated over and over might take over where Weezer’s “We’re all on drugs” left off. The song has one promising moment when everything drops out (2:17) and a beautiful melody begins. This is quickly ruined by “in 98” followed by a collection of ugly sounds pilled on top of each other.
Mercury: I will say that I’m not a big fan of this song…however, at least it’s something that takes chances…it feels fresh on this album of yawns.
Halo: Here we go. Upbeat. Yes. This, my friends is Bloc Party. Here is the secret to to Bloc Party: when the guitars are king, the tracks kills…when they’re stored away in the background, the sound falls apart. This is the first track I like on this album. Good work guys.
Biko: “For my sweetheart the melancholy.” What the fuck does that mean? Hell, we could write these lyrics…try it, put the first three words that come to your head together…”Potato Jet Hamster.” Perfect. It can’t get any more pretentious than this song…soft vocals with once again, SPOKEN WORD, sprinkled in the background. I want an upbeat guitar riff…I want Banquet…give me one track here guys.
Trojan Horse: Cool melody. More of the Bloc Party sound I enjoy. I approve.
Signs: Cool opening. I’m into it so far. Bringing in an electronic beat…this could be a great track. Another soft set of vocals, but the background sound is so fascinating, I’m still hooked. Need a build here soon. Nope, leveled off again. Well, it wasn’t that bad, but the potential for a great track was not realized.
One Month Off: This sounds like that bad Hot Topic pop-punk band track, circa New Found Glory. Nothing special once again…I wouldn’t care if didn’t know this band can write some fucking great songs. Another weak ass chorus. I’m frustrated.
Zepherus: The pretension is back. Shallow vocals that are slowly spoken, sing, you’re not a chant band…or maybe you are and should change.
Better Than Heaven: Spoken word…lose it. Catchy drumbeat, would like this song if it wasn’t for the deadpan lyrics/vocals. I’m not sure if the chorus really changes much from the opening verse…I’m board…itching already to abandon this record and put on Silent Alarm…is this the same band?
Ion Square: Interesting piano opening. I’m intrigued. Oh, he’s whining again. Come on. This song has to explode soon…come on guys, grow a pair. Nope, leveled off just like the first three tracks. I’m sure it will explode later on, but in the last fifty seconds. This track has lost me, simple synth repeated…there is nothing here.
Overall, very disappointed. Decided since there are only ten tracks, I would give each track the potential of gaining a point. Halo definitely deserves a point, Trojan Horse, Mercury, and a half of a point for Signs. That my friends is not a great score. I want my old Bloc Party back.
Buddy, the reason why every other track is poor is because every other track is produced by the once mighty Jacknife Lee. Look at the mess he did to the back end of AWITC. The other songs are produced by Paul Epworth who produced the first album which is why those songs have the more punky edge. You CAN NOT Blame BP for the crappy electro songs. They are obviously Lee's ideas. Come back to this album in a few weeks though when the physical release is out and you get the "bonus" tracks. Let it grow on you. After some intense listening today, I have to say it is a lot better than AWITC
ReplyDeleteI love how every Bloc Party album is different. I'm really enjoying this one.
ReplyDeleteI not suprised that you dont like this album when all you do is compare it too Silent Alarm! Like A Weekend in the city, you need patience with this album. Bloc Party are evolving and moving forward. What kind of band would they be if they didn't experiment? Good on them for not sticking to "formulas"
ReplyDeleteI've got to agree with this review. It doesn't do a thing for me and to be honest I feel like after an astounding debut album, a remix album (that was good unto itself), and a very well developed second album( including a very catchy, out of left field single in flux) Bloc Party was a better band than this. When I first heard the single 'Mercury' my only thought was that the song was thrown together in a cut and paste session that lasted twenty minutes. At least with A weekend in the city we got a more mature, full album. What makes this album different from AWITC is that in AWITC there is definitely a lot of build up but then you are rewarded with the bloc party sound we grew to love in 'Silent Alarm' making it an example of the sum being greater than it's parts. To me ,and most likely to no one else, it seems like the guys bought a bunch of midi keyboards and Moog synthesizers and instead of making an album they recorded themselves fucking around. This can either lead to two things, the band comes crashing down like a JUNO being thrown off of a bridge or they find a way to incorporate this new sound, which they unsuccessfully attempted, into what we've come to admire and appreciate. Now before any of you say "What's wrong with trying new things? It's their songs let them do what they want." Let me just say that what i like about Bloc party is that it seems like they really do thrive to become better song writers. In just two albums they made an uncompromising jump that takes most other bands three or four albums. This album, this Intimacy, Is not a jump, it a stumble. Instead of putting a decent product they put out an uninspired 10 songs. Ok, maybe 8 song. There's a couple that are cool. Just not ten bucks cool.
ReplyDeleteThink it's a great album. It has their touches but with slightly different sound.It could be because I like hip hop, drum and bass, grime and other dance music that I'm loving this album.
ReplyDeleteMercury to me was such a banger that I've had it on repeat (I felt the same with Positive Tension and The Prayer. The way the tune builds and gets layered over the repeated drum pattern is absolutely first class
For me it wasn't such a departure from what they've been doing because I've identified these beats and melodies with this group, maybe in different proportions but it's always been there.
The record might not seem like break up record to some people because it wasn't meant to sound cliched.
I think you're a bit harsh with the critism of the lyrics because I don't feel they are any more or less pretentious then any of their other records. What's the point of mocking by saying put any three words together because anybody can write lyrics like that. You're right you probably could do better. That potatoe jet thing is genius.
Thanks for all the comments. I want everyone to remember that this is just a one time listen review. Albums tend to grow on me and I'm giving it another spin.
ReplyDeleteyeah but we shouldn't review an album with a one-time listen.
ReplyDeletethose guys are continuously evolving,they don't intend to write another "silent alarm" album so that most of us would love it.
By this way they do care to save and unfold music,and open up our minds as well.
Using synths combined with cool guitar riffs is a great thing in their case.The album's opening couldn't be better.
As said above,they don't stick to formulas.They could do it,but it would be just to amaze their "silent alarm" fans.
yeah but we shouldn't review an album with a one-time listen.
ReplyDeletethose guys are continuously evolving,they don't intend to write another "silent alarm" album so that most of us would love it.
By this way they do care to save and unfold music,and open up our minds as well.
Using synths combined with cool guitar riffs is a great thing in their case.The album's opening couldn't be better.
As said above,they don't stick to formulas.They could do it,but it would be just to amaze their "silent alarm" fans.
this is by far the best bloc party album. making an album of 10 banquets may appease this reviewer but it would be dull and monotonous in context. the album is kele's thoughts on a relationship and break-up and he and chronicles and emotes the topic brilliantly. lyrically and musically, highs and lows, bloc party realise the essence of love. upbeat, downbeat, anger, pain and- most importantly- variety capture the rawness of silent arlarm and the worldly experience of AWITC whilst vast improvements are made in the band's playing and the producers' mixing. a classic.
ReplyDeleteand also while im at it- you mock 'for my sweetheart the melancholy' on biko. its actually 'melancholic' and the juxtapostioning of of 'sweet'heart with melancholy is actually very clever
ReplyDeleteI agree with the last couple of comments, the track by track review is very harsh, I probably didn't think too differently from it on my 1st listen but the slower tracks grow on you like 'kreuzberg' from AWITC. a well balanced album and great lyricly with its theme of intimacy. As for all that are saying they want another Silent Alarm, who doesn't? but i think Halo, One Month Off and Trojan Horse could easily be put alongside all the riff-filled tunes on their debut. Great album - Talons also backs up these 10 tracks
ReplyDeleteI'm mystfied at the amount of fire this album has drawn. I'll admit it takes a bit of listening - I hated Ares and Mercury on the first run through, and I still can't bear Ares more than a couple of times in one day - but so did AWITC. Still, what do I know? I'm a writer; lyrics make or break a song for me because I'm damned if I know much about the musical side. Aside from Ares, none of the lyrics on this album felt trite or pretentious. And while we're on the subject - and I realise, this is crazy to suggest - maybe the prentension inherent in Dissappear Here back on AWITC was (brace yourself, this might sound insane) completely deliberate given the lyrical context?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, nuts to this comparative nonsense. If I want another Silent Alarm, I'll listen to Silent Alarm. Onwards and upwards, eh?
dude. bloc party are geniuses. the fact that each album sounds different is what's so great about them. the truth of the matter is that intimacy IS bloc party... NOT silent alarm. most of them love older pop, with big beats and dance grooves...but indie-rock. silent alarm is great...but it's not who they are. silent alarm is more true to their sound. you just don't like it because it doesn't have all 3 guitars playing the same chords with cock-rock melodies and riffs
ReplyDelete