Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (2005)

At first you could be scratching your head wondering what on earth Londoners Bloc Party are at. On the surface they appear to be bashing out an incoherent racket that you’d normally not give a second chance. But if you persist the nuances become clearer as do the gilded shapes of sound. Silent Alarm reveals Bloc Party as a band with 2 distinct guises. Each is equally mesmerising, the periodic switch between the 2 ably refocusing the listener’s attention. On the one hand you’ll encounter a rush of primeval drumming, lightening quick chords and fizzy vocals. Then there’s the studied lush approach, where the melodies are intentional, lithe and downright heart wrenching.

Leading the charge for the frantic, sporadically focused yet alluring tact is the albums opener ‘Like Eating Glass’. It all starts so amiably until Matt Tong delivers his trademark armpit soaking beats. A bass line skulks in the shadows as Kele Okereke’s vocals swab the injuries inflicted by the spiky playing. The raw production continues on ‘Helicopter’, the unstoppable energy sustains the listener as Okereke pleads ‘Are You Hoping For A Miracle’. It’s not until 4 songs in that Silent Alarm takes on an instantly digestible form. ‘Banquet’ is a hot flush of a tune, brimming with attitude, swaggering along like Bez with a new set of maracas. The riffs may be as basic as a rich tea biscuit but the chorus has the attitude and appeal of a whiskey chaser. The words provide added edge, storylining a Friday night encounter.

Things get even more chaotic on ‘She’s Hearing Voices’ where the feisty beats and Ian Curtis like vocals bask in a Cathedral of zigzagging sounds. ‘Positive Tension’ has such a patchwork array of variances it’s easy to be put off. The heavy Cure influence stems from Okereke’s near perfect take on Robert Smith’s early morning drawl. Perhaps drawl is the wrong word as his lyric delivery is oft as nimble as Jack B. To counteract the shredded delivery of tracks like ‘Positive Tension’ and ‘Luno’ there are more measured efforts like ‘Plans’ and ‘Pioneers’ that still bring forth a sprinkling of interesting ideas but don’t hack off your ear in the process.

The other Bloc Party stands up on ‘Blue Light’, as refreshing and sweet as a sorbet. For the first time Tong’s drumming is restrained and Russell Lissack draws a shimmering display from his instrument. ‘This Modern Love’ is achingly beautiful right down to the clean guitars slivers that delicately wrap the phone line vocals. As it sits in a pretty puddle of sound its posture become more athletic colouring the imagination and unclogging stubborn arteries. ‘So Here We Are’ is Bloc Party’s first true classic and will devastate you every time. Suffice to say if all music sounded this powerful there would be no such thing as war.

Silent Alarm is a hugely impressive debut imbued with a fulsome energy and emotional depth. Bloc Party display a degree of flexibility, which bodes well for their future. They have several avenues of progression available to them, each rich in sonic possibilities. Even if they persist with their blend of acrobatic assaults of sound and occasional timid pop jewel they can attract a huge following. For the time being, however, Silent Alarm is a wake up call to other young bands in how to deliver individuality without losing attractive familiarity.

Rating: 8/10


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