06: Album Review: Silent Alarm/ Bloc Party.

I find this album to be particularly intriguing for picking apart for some odd reason.
Random "little thoughts" Track by Track---

Like Eating Glass 9/10
Taking intangible to new heights, I welcome the stunning rhythm section and vocals, great buildup, and intro to spikiness of band through guitar and drum interplay. Layers pull out all the stops. Obvious Best bass and drum play of new indie crop. Only minus might be derivative Interpol rhythm guitar in chorus, its mixed bad. Confusing ending, but great start to Silent Alarm.

Helicopter 7/10
Common, followed by more common, but back vocals creep in and pushy start/stops delight. Guitar work picks up and you can tell they did their homework. Much more serious than Franz Ferdinand.

Positive Tension 9/10
More clever attitude comes back where opener left off. Brilliant drum track. First memorable lyric and maybe best of album, "something glorious is about to happen", reveals the heart of the band, they simply follow the lead-jolting shakedown of the rhythm section. Guitar solo is no Greenwood, but the next track is another league.

Banquet 10/10
The click-clack retro dancy machine makes its influence known here, and Bloc Party prove they are open for business. Thrilling, hard rock pulsing assault at finish, and then its over. Good timing, guys, no need for exaggeration this time. Great pop never has been that overshadowing.

Blue Light 8/10
A few more delicious moments, and Smiths like pretty chorus, presents longing, melancholy emotions, but just not memorable enough of a song.

She’s Hearing Voices 7/10
Nothing to write home about is the key line in the song. The EP’s version was much more energetic, but I will admit this fits into the sonic palette much better than that version. Juicy, competent ending.

This Modern Love 9/10
Awful, awful middle section, but clinky, jangle of chorus redeems. Anathematic, and some of my favorite vocals on the album at beginning and end. Probably most overall intriguing track on the record, it’s apex is oh, so dazzling, but certain moments make me cringe (jump right, jump left). sometimes too much is just too much.

Pioneers 8/10
First off, this song would probably fit better at the start of the record, it’s not the best, not the worst, but it’s just there to provide ambiance and that’s OK with me. Convincing lyrics.

Price of Gas 7/10
Not very entertaining, and politics on a rock record, rarely does much for me. Still better than the Killers, though.

Little Thoughts 8/10
Like Pinoeers, there’s just nothing that stands out except that Kele’s vocals are excellent throughout.

So Here We Are 10/10
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The only flawless track. So uncomplicated. If entire album were this simple and blissful, the critics would have hailed them as the new Radiohead long ago.

Luno 5/10
Danceable Pop retro with a charging backbeat, nothing more, nothing less.

Plans 5/10
Sleepy beginning, spacey lyrics and echos seem cheesy, however,chorus layers are enjoyable. Kele decides to sound distractedly indifferent, shiny gutar solo at finish, most forgettable song besides (insert song title)…

Compliments 7/10
Apparent right from start it’s the The Kid A song. More Lazy spacy littering, is this the theme of side 2? Maybe a weak choice for the closer, but they never really dig too, too deep in the first place. Kele is forceful enough to get the job done, and move on. They will not get away with going through the motions next time around though.