BLOC PARTY – A WEEKEND IN THE CITY (2007)“East London is a vampire, It sucks the joy right out of me”, sings a battle hardened Kele Okereke on the opener “Song For Clay (Disappear Here), a song of discovery, loosely based on Brett Easton Ellis’s novel “Less Than Zero”. For the Bloc Party front man has seen and experienced much, and his perspectives of life in the big city aren’t always joyous. He flatly denies that “A Weekend In The City” is an auto biographical commentary, preferring to relate certain factors that affect a young person’s experience in the metropolis, a tapestry of euphoria to mundane, capturing the view that through the teeming masses of people on the tube and in the club, there is still a desolate sense of loneliness, paranoia, and tension. Post Punk analysis similar to Paul Weller’s “In The Crowd” from “All Mod Cons” isn’t new, and Okereke hates the Post Punk tag anyway, but the connection between the two is that both leave the listener with an impending sense that the content is an attempt to assess the detachment of modern life, and that every expectation of adventure, romance and fulfillment is tainted. Admittedly, there was very much the same amount of embittered angst on their 2005 release “Silent Alarm”, but if one is expecting a re-incarnation of the debut, musically there has been an evolution if not a revolution. Producer Jacknife Lee and the band have took a distinct step away from the signature spiky, intricate rhythms and melodies, and created a more mainstream Rock collection with slow burning verses and soaring, hook filled choruses. That’s not a criticism, in fact it’s great to see that the band is maintaining a will to develop their sound, and it is still, without doubt, un-diluted Bloc Party.Lead off single “The Prayer” is a slow burner, a song of insecurity and self assurance, an attempt to create an aura that is “brighter than the moon”, a scenario familiar to many who spend a Saturday night in preparation for something sensational. If one needs a chemical stimulant to enliven the mood, then the powerful “On” neither criticizes or heralds the use of drugs, just describes the sensation, using lines like “You make my tongue loose, I am hopeful and stutter free, I can charm them all”. Homosexual attraction and promiscuity are confronted head on with the songs “Kreuzberg” and “I Still Remember”, the latter an ode to schoolboy crushes and un-consummated liaisons. Each song is filled with Russell Lissack’s signature riffs and Matt Tong’s outstanding rhythms. The addition of synths on many of the songs makes for a fuller soundscape, less angular but still memorable. The album closes with the sad ballad “SRXT” which is littered with references to suicide and anti-depressants, something that has personally touched Okereke’s life in recent times; it brings the album full circle to the question of aspirations for young lives, the peer pressures, the societal expectations, and ultimate despair. There are some bold uncompromising statements throughout, but through the music there is still a sense of hope coursing through “A Weekend In The City” and Kele Okereke is playing out the role of voyeur. He’s like your wise pal telling you the whole truth, “warts and all”.Social awareness masqueraded in Post Punk Rock may not be new, but at least Bloc Party are cutting their teeth in a new direction, and if stories of disquieting analysis of modern life isn’t your normal musical bait, there remains enough power and conviction in the music to ensure “A Weekend In The City” is still a most memorable experience.8/10"I Still Remember""The Prayer"
Jammy Jeff says
I agree Neill, "Silent Alarm" was truly sensational in my humble opinion. I think this is a great album, probably dampened by the quality of their debut.
Were your expectations high for this ?
Neill says
Very high! You think you would learn after doing this year after year, but no, more often than not you get let down. Then again the odd one that is even better than you expected tastes oh so sweet!
.
(It's still a good album though!)
Jammy Jeff says
The old sophomore slump. Never fails to lead us down the garden path.
Kaiser Chiefs are you reading this ? (I'm kidding, I haven't listened to the album yet).
I've got so much music to catch up on.
Anna says
Song For Clay is my favourite song from this album...
Your title scared me, because I thought they band broke if off. Oh the horror! :)
I liked the new KC album. Yummy.
Have you heard Another Weekend In The City, a collection of b-sides? Some say it's better than A Weekend In The City.
Jammy Jeff says
"Song For Clay" is a good pick Anna, I like it too. Sorry for the little scare. Yeah I've got the new Kaisers album but I haven't listened to it yet, although what I've heard sounds good.
I haven't heard the B side collection, I'll have to give it a try.
Jeff
Moony says
Um, am I the only one wondering where the "homosexuality" comes in on Kruezberg and I Still Remember?
Nothing against that sort of thing, so don't get me wrong, but I fail to see OR hear it at all. Find the lyrics and read through. Nothing jumps out at me as being homosexual at all. In fact, the picture I see while listening is far from homosexual.
So, unless you have some source from Kele himself or something about the ideas behind those songs, I would have to conclude that the only thing going on is that you need to be honest with yourself Jeff :-P
Jammy Jeff says
In addition my review states
'Homosexual attraction and promiscuity are confronted head on with the songs “Kreuzberg” and “I Still Remember”, the latter an ode to schoolboy crushes and un-consummated liaisons."
Homosexual attraction and promiscuity are written as two different subjects. If I'd have meant to write about homosexual promiscuity I would have stated "Homosexual promiscuity"
Perhaps I should have made it clearer to you and written "heterosexual promiscuity".
BLOC PARTY – A WEEKEND IN THE CITY (2007)“East London is a vampire, It sucks the joy right out of me”, sings a battle hardened Kele Okereke on the opener “Song For Clay (Disappear Here), a song of discovery, loosely based on Brett Easton Ellis’s novel “Less Than Zero”. For the Bloc Party front man has seen and experienced much, and his perspectives of life in the big city aren’t always joyous. He flatly denies that “A Weekend In The City” is an auto biographical commentary, preferring to relate certain factors that affect a young person’s experience in the metropolis, a tapestry of euphoria to mundane, capturing the view that through the teeming masses of people on the tube and in the club, there is still a desolate sense of loneliness, paranoia, and tension. Post Punk analysis similar to Paul Weller’s “In The Crowd” from “All Mod Cons” isn’t new, and Okereke hates the Post Punk tag anyway, but the connection between the two is that both leave the listener with an impending sense that the content is an attempt to assess the detachment of modern life, and that every expectation of adventure, romance and fulfillment is tainted. Admittedly, there was very much the same amount of embittered angst on their 2005 release “Silent Alarm”, but if one is expecting a re-incarnation of the debut, musically there has been an evolution if not a revolution. Producer Jacknife Lee and the band have took a distinct step away from the signature spiky, intricate rhythms and melodies, and created a more mainstream Rock collection with slow burning verses and soaring, hook filled choruses. That’s not a criticism, in fact it’s great to see that the band is maintaining a will to develop their sound, and it is still, without doubt, un-diluted Bloc Party.Lead off single “The Prayer” is a slow burner, a song of insecurity and self assurance, an attempt to create an aura that is “brighter than the moon”, a scenario familiar to many who spend a Saturday night in preparation for something sensational. If one needs a chemical stimulant to enliven the mood, then the powerful “On” neither criticizes or heralds the use of drugs, just describes the sensation, using lines like “You make my tongue loose, I am hopeful and stutter free, I can charm them all”. Homosexual attraction and promiscuity are confronted head on with the songs “Kreuzberg” and “I Still Remember”, the latter an ode to schoolboy crushes and un-consummated liaisons. Each song is filled with Russell Lissack’s signature riffs and Matt Tong’s outstanding rhythms. The addition of synths on many of the songs makes for a fuller soundscape, less angular but still memorable. The album closes with the sad ballad “SRXT” which is littered with references to suicide and anti-depressants, something that has personally touched Okereke’s life in recent times; it brings the album full circle to the question of aspirations for young lives, the peer pressures, the societal expectations, and ultimate despair. There are some bold uncompromising statements throughout, but through the music there is still a sense of hope coursing through “A Weekend In The City” and Kele Okereke is playing out the role of voyeur. He’s like your wise pal telling you the whole truth, “warts and all”.Social awareness masqueraded in Post Punk Rock may not be new, but at least Bloc Party are cutting their teeth in a new direction, and if stories of disquieting analysis of modern life isn’t your normal musical bait, there remains enough power and conviction in the music to ensure “A Weekend In The City” is still a most memorable experience.8/10"I Still Remember""The Prayer"
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