From the post-post-punk of their early EPs to Silent Alarm's sprawl of sounds and ideas, Bloc Party has never shied away from reinventing their music. They continue to evolve on A Weekend in the City, an unashamedly ambitious, emotional album that builds on where they've been before but still feels like a departure. Silent Alarm's eclecticism was one of its biggest strengths; not knowing exactly which Bloc Party you were going to get from song to song -- arty punks, unabashed romantics, or righteously angry rockers -- made for thrilling listening. They make the earnest, anthemic sound that was on the fringes of Silent Alarm the heart of A Weekend in the City, and it works remarkably well. It helps that the band's feelings are as focused as the music is. A Weekend in the City revolves around Kele Okereke's thoughts on life in 21st century London; in his eyes, it's a few highs and moments of belonging, surrounded by a lot of loneliness and disappointment -- not to mention racism, homophobia, and religious hypocrisy. On A Weekend in the City, Bloc Party is sadder, wiser, and more heart-on-sleeve than ever -- almost embarrassingly so, especially when compared to their aloof post-punk influences. The album's opening salvo, "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)," immediately signals that vulnerable is the new brash: "I am trying to be heroic in an age of modernity," Okereke whispers, backed by tremulous keyboards and guitars. Even when the song unfolds into searing ock, it stays intimate and implosive. Okereke still sings like there's no time to waste, but his songwriting is tempered by experience. He's become a striking lyricist, conveying ambivalence and yearning in remarkably direct terms. Over "Waiting for the 7:18"'s wintry pizzicato strings and glockenspiel, he sings, "If I could do it again, I'd climb more trees/I'd pick and I'd eat more wild blackberries"; on "Kreuzberg," he sums up the hollowness that follows a string of one-night stands: "What is this love? Why can I never hold it? Did it really run out in those strangers' bedrooms?" The hopeful songs at the end of the album are just as eloquent, especially "I Still Remember," which wraps a complex attraction between two schoolboys in a sweet, almost singsong melody: "Every park bench screams your name/I kept your tie." Indeed, A Weekend in the City is often more remarkable for its emotional impact than its actual music, though Jacknife Lee's lush, layered production suits the album's scope (and just happens to be very radio-friendly as well). Many of the songs follow a predictable formula of hushed verses and big choruses, and while Matt Tong's drumming adds some bite to the album's slickness, the riffs throughout A Weekend in the City are distressingly similar to each other (although "Hunting for Witches"' depiction of thoughtless paranoia makes it a standout). A few tracks explore new sonic territory; not surprisingly, they're the ones that convey druggy escapism. "On"'s luminosity blurs the line between being high on drugs or a person, while "The Prayer" distills the ritualistic feel of dancing in a packed club with its massed vocals, heavy drums, and splattered guitars; later, "Where Is Home?" uses these sounds to express mournful anger instead of elation. Bloc Party fans who responded to their dark, angular art-pop might be disappointed, at least at first, with A Weekend in the City. This album isn't as brash or immediate as the band's earlier work, but its gradual move from alienation to connection and hope is just as bold as Silent Alarm, and possibly even more resonant.
--- - |- Grizzly Bear [5:45 p.m.]Photos by Kirstie Shanley Certain things are lost when you coax Grizzly Bear out of the cave-like mid-sized indoor venues they're used to playing. This is a band that thrives on nuance, after all, draping oddly-structured songs in intricate arrangements that really demonstrate the unique contributions of each of the group's four members. One suspects Grizzl...
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While Bloc Party has released The Prayer then I Still Remember I still waiting Kreuzberg to be the next HIT.
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While I'm writing reviews, I should get this one out too. :) I spent last night in Chicago again. Yes, this makes for a long and tiring week. But you do what you have to do. Last night was Bloc Party at the "Congress Theater.":http://www.congresschicago.com/virtualtour.asp The place was huge. I mean, it is one of the largest venues I've ever been in. It was a very old theater that had all...
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Those of you that have been to my MOG in the past will know I get a bit obsessive with songs on occasion. Well, it's happened again. This time, it's a catchy pop tune from Bloc Party's latest release, A Weekend In The City. The track currently on high rotation on Radio Foraggio is Kreuzberg. It's got everything I love in a tune - cool drums (naturally), slightly weird lyrics that make perfect s...
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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 al
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Never will matter what style it is....Our music will always be louder then words and NO one can ever take those sounds away from us. Existing on levels others never will understand. Dont hate them but feel sorry for them.me
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Good job guys. Falling more in love with this album every time I listen to it. Sunday is just a beautiful song along with the rest. Places a comfortable smile on me.me
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i was just getting wound up and ready to burst into a furious rant about how good Bloc Party's new album actually is and how its getting a bum rap off of all of you goddamn buttwipes! then i looked at the previous posts about Bloc Party and it seems Mog is the only place on the whole of the internet that isn't slagging them off. well kudos to the Mogos for showing me why i love all of mog so mu...
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Been listening to Bloc Party now for many years. Seen them countless times across the country. A week late I finally down loaded the new album from iTunes. Very good so far. I like it, brings back the many smiles I have gotten from all the shows and just endless days with Bloc Party playing on my playlist's. So much new music I am running out of time to listen to it all in the daily mix of my l...
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Picked up Bloc Party's latest, A Weekend in the City the other day. Haven't had a chance to really listen to it yet, but it seems promising. Not as much of hard guitar album as Silent Alarm, but it is a progression of style which is good. Still gotta get that new Shins album....
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As a huge fan of Silent Alarm, it would be an understatement to say that I was totally stoked to buy Bloc Party's new release, A Weekend In the City, yesterday. With repeat listens, my overall opinion might change, but here are a few brief thoughts on the album:1. It still sounds distinctively like Bloc Party, but it's not Silent Alarm: Part Deux. If you are expecting that, prepare to be disapp...
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The new Bloc Party album that is. Lots of sampling, reverb, mixing, back-up vocals (track 5!) and keyboards(?). Thus far, sounds good. It is less pop-y then their debut album with what appears to be a focus on story-telling lyrics. Sometimes those lyrics sound like they are being forced into measures, which I believe only Dylan was allowed to do.
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Anyone else pick up the new bloc party?? I like it a lot... It seems like a more complete album then the last and it flows and sounds amazing... the first song (song for clay) is awesome... what does everybody else think?
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Bloc Party It is commonly thought that this British Art Rock foursome's sound is an homage to Post Punk bands like Gang Of Four. In truth, they had never actually heard of them. They released their debut, Silent Alarm in 2005 to critical acclaim, including NME's Album of the Year for 2005. The much-anticipated follow-up, Weekend In The City is released this week with The Prayer as the lead ...
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Alright, so my last entry was a rant on how pissed i was walmart edited the shins cd. actually i dont think they did, because a fellow my fellow moggster wegz said her cd was like that, and she got her from sub pop...so i am a happy girl now, and it's back to churning out enteries of musical splendor once again!so, the new shins cd...in other words, pure brilliance.i placed in delicately into m...
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So, I was minding my own business in the grocery store this afternoon. I had just finished an especially vigorous workout at the gym and was still coming down from that, and had left the iPod running, the better the keep enjoying the music.Then ... what is the leaky discharge coming from my eyes? Why am I thisclose to blubbering over the canned goods and produce?I blame the iPod; it's occasiona...
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Bloc Party is heading out on their ninth American tour. The circuit, following a summer’s worth of worldwide festival stops, kicks off September 7th in Chicago. Deerhoof and Smoosh will open up differnt legs of the tour, which includes a stop at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The band is also asking fans to make a new video for their track "The Prayer," which will go on to be featured on.
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If you can't get enough of Bloc Party, the "The Remix Artist Collective":RE have got your number. RAC recently added their version of Bloc Party's "Hunting For Witches" to their website. Bloc Party, the English four piece Indie band are currently on tour in Europe to support their 2006 release, "A Weekend in the City"(Vice) and are scheduled to be back to North America in late May. For tour upd...
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Bloc Party at the Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia05 August 2008, 9:55 PM "It is so wrong...to want more than what is given to you?"Hrm. Thought for the day.[EDIT: The Philadelphia Inquirer liked it, too. Liked it muchly.]
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where was my invite hey? LOL
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I'm trying to dutifully browse through the mogosphere, but my mind is elsewhere. In a mere 7 hours, I will be driving six hours away to college. I'm nervous. Not in a scared way, but anxious. I've been looking forward to this day since my first year in high school, and now that it's finally here it doesn't seem real. My car is packed, my closet is emptied, my Beatles, Clash and Springsteen...
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See the new Bloc Party single 'The Prayer' here;http://www.indielondon.co.uk/AV-Music/av-room-music
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I'm not sorry that has been my favorite thing for a long long time.
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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 al
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Going over the nine lists of albums and tracks. I just could not get rid Bloc Party of my head. Even A Weekend In The City is not as instantly memorable as Silent Alarm, i still feel they are worthy to be my top of the list 2007 - an amazing track for an amazingly shitty year. Taking a good care & Happy New Year, Fellow Moggers.
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well sometimes you are as numb as an icicle and sometimes you hear 11 words put t ogether in such a way , you immediately gravitate towards the source.....GDdamn Bloc Party........I was already in love with Interpol......dont make it worse."after the sex-the bitter taste-been fooled again-the search continues"oi! its like some bands just know how to really twist the hot knife.............
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While I'm writing reviews, I should get this one out too. :) I spent last night in Chicago again. Yes, this makes for a long and tiring week. But you do what you have to do. Last night was Bloc Party at the "Congress Theater.":http://www.congresschicago.com/virtualtour.asp The place was huge. I mean, it is one of the largest venues I've ever been in. It was a very old theater that had all...
More >
While Bloc Party has released The Prayer then I Still Remember I still waiting Kreuzberg to be the next HIT.
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When Intimacy rush-released a few weeks ago, most of us agreed it's better than A Weekend In The City. (Also most of us agreed that wasn't saying very much.) Well here's more new music which you can sound off upon. "Talons" is the band's next single, recorded during the Intimacy sessions but saved as a non-album track for bonus publicity an exciting surprise to fans. If you purchased the digita...
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this album is soooo goood. such a leap forward from the first one. i heard someone compare it to the leap between pablo honey and the bends. i might have to agree.
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Song For Clay (Disappear Here) |
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| 2 Hunting For Witches |
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| 3 Waiting For The 7.18 |
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| 4 The Prayer |
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| 5 Uniform |
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| 6 On |
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| 7 Where Is Home? |
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| 8 Kreuzberg |
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| 9 I Still Remember |
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| 10 Flux |
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| 11 Sunday |
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| 12 SRXT |
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| 13 Selfish Son (Bonus Album Version) |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "A Weekend in the City")
