Bloc Party's highly anticipated album was released this morning and I've woken up extra early to get the first listen in, although I'm very aware that iTunes had it yesterday and that they were streaming it before release, nonetheless, it's now in my possession and my thoughts are as follows:
From the very first track, So He Begins To Lie, you know that they're back and in full force. They manage to create a grungy feel to a track that is still undeniably theirs ... Kele frequently shows us why he is one of the voices of the Indie generation and this has a somewhat Horrors-esque quality to it in how powerfully hungry it is.
Following suit is 3 X 3. Kele Okereke is a manic being on this track with whispered lyrics being quickly overcome moments later with a scream and shout. The music is quite the same though (although twangs of 30 Seconds To Mars Are audible) and is something you can't quite be prepared for ... It's still fantastic though and I'm not over that they're back!! Kettling also seems to take this formula further on within the album. Bloc Party have really focussed their energy's on creating monstrous bass riffs and relatively heavy rock for this album ... with incredible results.
A bit of a change comes in the form of Octopus, and my thoughts on it are that it is a brilliant comeback single and I was actually very happy that it shunned some of the limelight from The Killers - it's a better single than Runaways and adequately put their audience into perspective on what they're doing ... in a gentle way comparatively.
Another change of pace and personality comes in the form of Real Talk. The clashing drums and cagey guitars have been replaced with a simple riff and rhythmic drum-beat whilst the vocal is not overbearing in the slightest. This is one for when you need to calm after the storm and, could have been the finale track of the album quite comfortably. Day Four, which is track 6, and Truth (track 10) both manage to do quite the same thing, though, there is an element of The XX's influence in there Day Four, and a reminiscent flow of previous work in the latter - whilst, in both, the vocal is undeniably part of this band.
Coliseum strides in as though the other three types of personality already available on the album have been missing him. An unquestionably wild-western tune is the foundation for the track and a particularly compressed vocal makes up the beginning, but before you know it, the, quite frankly, crazy guitars and drums smash in together and the face of Bloc Party are dominant.
V.A.L.I.S. is quite like Octopus in how it is created - It's a single track. This is noteable because you can see yourself dancing along to it but it's not powerful enough for you to want to cower away from it like a few of the songs on this definitive album. There's a calmness to this one, like some of their previous work, but a brilliant way in which it can compare to the latest single.
The next track, Team A, has a similar feel to that of V.A.L.I.S. ... whilst managing very much to be a real powerhouse in its own right too. It still has qualities of being a single, but the four bar guitar riff is almost the same as the leading single and presents the chosen formula.
Backing down now when towards the end is The Healing. Like the name suggests, this track falls into place with the likes of Real Talk, Day Four and Truth. It has an incredible likeness to The XX in its musicality and is a truly wonderful piece of work in how it allows you to sit back and be calmed down to the point of sheer relaxation.
The finale does not disappoint, though, it is a little funny really. When you've gradually slowed down the album to a point at which you could fall asleep and really enjoy a setting sun, Bloc Party chuck in We Are Not Good People. A track that is quite possibly the most outrageous on Four. Kele physically shrieks within and claims one of the biggest exit bangs of all time - a very grungy end to an incredible return.
Grunge: So He Begins To Lie, 3 X 3, Kettling, We Are Not Good People.
Calm: Real Talk, Day Four, Truth, The Healing.
Singles: Octopus, V.A.L.I.S., Team A.
Wild West: Coliseum.
And that has made me believe that this album is even more ingenious than I previously suspected. All in all, if I had to rate it, four stars would be quite the choice I'd make and for you not to buy this album, would be an idiotic decision.
Paul.