Album: Silent Alarm
Artist: Bloc Party
Born: Bethnal Green, London
Released: February 2005
Genre: Indie Rock
Noel Gallagher's criticism of Bloc Party as just a "band off University Challenge" was one of those comments that revealed more about the person saying it (in this case, boorish laddism) than the target. A better focus for Gallagher's ire would have been the increasing number of bands, such as Keane and Razorlight, that were full of talentless posh kids. Kele Okereke's response to the criticism was far more insightful: "[Oasis] have made stupidity hip. They claim to be inspired by The Beatles but, and this so saddens me, they have failed to grasp that The Beatles were about constant change and evolution." Though Oasis quickly got stuck in a rut, they did start out with some of the punk spirit of The Sex Pistols, while Bloc Party were far more aligned with the post-punk of Wire and Gang of Four, using the same "angular" (or staccato) rock guitar riffs, mixed with elements of funk and disco. In this respect, they were similar to Franz Ferdinand, who also had university educations and likewise were confronted with Gallagher's bile (calling them "indie shit"). It was Alex Kapranos, in fact, along with BBC radio DJ Steve Lamacq who, after hearing a demo of Bloc Party's She's Hearing Voices, helped to give Bloc Party their break.
The first time I caught the band live was at London Astoria in early 2007, while they were touring their second album, A Weekend In The City (which didn't have the same density of great songs but much darker themes). London Astoria was one of London's most iconic live venues before it was closed in 2009 to make way for the Crossrail project, and the Bloc Party gig was my last opportunity to walk on its sticky floors. Kele Okereke put on an impressively energetic performance, though he's never struck me as a natural frontman. The band played several songs from Silent Alarm, including Banquet, Like Eating Glass, Blue Light, This Modern Love, Helicopter and Positive Tension, and these hits helped to enliven the set, which was dominated by the heavier material from their second LP. The indie disco feel of Silent Alarm had been replaced by a slower-paced and more complex sound, as the band explored the state of the nation, in much the same way as Blur did with Modern Life Is Rubbish and Parklike. Though the songwriting is sharper on their second record, I still prefer the vitality of Silent Alarm, which sounds like a procession of perfect pop singles. Producer Paul Epworth does a brilliant job of fusing dance music, especially house and techno, with indie guitar rock to create a unique sound. I'd never make the argument that Bloc Party were great innovators, but they certainly helped to inject some life into British indie music in the noughties.
Noel Gallagher's criticism of Bloc Party as just a "band off University Challenge" was one of those comments that revealed more about the person saying it (in this case, boorish laddism) than the target. A better focus for Gallagher's ire would have been the increasing number of bands, such as Keane and Razorlight, that were full of talentless posh kids. Kele Okereke's response to the criticism was far more insightful: "[Oasis] have made stupidity hip. They claim to be inspired by The Beatles but, and this so saddens me, they have failed to grasp that The Beatles were about constant change and evolution." Though Oasis quickly got stuck in a rut, they did start out with some of the punk spirit of The Sex Pistols, while Bloc Party were far more aligned with the post-punk of Wire and Gang of Four, using the same "angular" (or staccato) rock guitar riffs, mixed with elements of funk and disco. In this respect, they were similar to Franz Ferdinand, who also had university educations and likewise were confronted with Gallagher's bile (calling them "indie shit"). It was Alex Kapranos, in fact, along with BBC radio DJ Steve Lamacq who, after hearing a demo of Bloc Party's She's Hearing Voices, helped to give Bloc Party their break.
The first time I caught the band live was at London Astoria in early 2007, while they were touring their second album, A Weekend In The City (which didn't have the same density of great songs but much darker themes). London Astoria was one of London's most iconic live venues before it was closed in 2009 to make way for the Crossrail project, and the Bloc Party gig was my last opportunity to walk on its sticky floors. Kele Okereke put on an impressively energetic performance, though he's never struck me as a natural frontman. The band played several songs from Silent Alarm, including Banquet, Like Eating Glass, Blue Light, This Modern Love, Helicopter and Positive Tension, and these hits helped to enliven the set, which was dominated by the heavier material from their second LP. The indie disco feel of Silent Alarm had been replaced by a slower-paced and more complex sound, as the band explored the state of the nation, in much the same way as Blur did with Modern Life Is Rubbish and Parklike. Though the songwriting is sharper on their second record, I still prefer the vitality of Silent Alarm, which sounds like a procession of perfect pop singles. Producer Paul Epworth does a brilliant job of fusing dance music, especially house and techno, with indie guitar rock to create a unique sound. I'd never make the argument that Bloc Party were great innovators, but they certainly helped to inject some life into British indie music in the noughties.
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