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| Limited Edition |
release date: Feb. 5, 2007
format: cd + dvd (LTD. 2-disc Edition)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,42]
producer: Jacknife Lee
label: Wichita - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)" (4 / 5) - 3. "Waiting for The 7.18" (5 / 5) (live on Later) - 4. "The Prayer" - 5. "Uniform" (4 / 5) - 7. "Where Is Home?" (4 / 5) - 8. "Kreuzberg" - 10. "Sunday" (4 / 5)
2nd studio album by Bloc Party and what a fine follow-up to the great debut produced by Irish musician and producer Jacknife Lee. My first impression was "The decent and difficult second album to an impressive start." But after a few listens it started growing and unfolding, and I realised it's one of those few releases that people will remember - it's simply great!
I find it strange to read negative or at least unfavourable critics draw attention to 'poor' or 'bad' lyrics. Did this band ever explicitly claim to walk in the [uninspiring] footsteps of Bob Dylan or other critically acclaimed songwriters with more textual matter than musical such? I don't think so. Some people have a notorious point-of-view that music should (always) be measured on poetic grounds, and accounted for its political, existential or whatever motifs. I happen to adore some music for one reason and other musical manifestations for other reasons, AND not rarely for 'shape of sound' or actual musicality - I love the 'form' of music by Joy Division / New Order, Kitchens of Distinction and a whole bunch of others including Bloc Party. So please stop nagging about poor lyrics, these are not ordinary poems!
Catchy lines in songs like "Waiting for the 7.18", "The Prayer" and "Sunday" ['I love you in the morning'], all neat and sweet, and in "Song for Clay", "Uniform", and "Where Is Home?" [with a diabolic Joy Division-like rhythm section => who said "Atrocity Exhibition"?] - all rough, strong and intense. Silent Alarm (2005) was a very strong debut but where its songs seem separate single compositions - not unlike tracks you'd find on a compilation - this album is much more of a whole, with the single titles as pieces that make up the band's statement - their finest work of art, so far, as of 2007.
The Limited 2-disc Edition contains the regular album as disc 1 and a dvd as extra / bonus material featuring the two videos "The Prayer" and "I Still Remember". To me, this is without ant doubt the best album of 2007.
[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]
2007 Favourite releases: 1. Bloc Party A Weekend in the City - 2. Band of Horses Cease to Begin - 3. Natasja I Danmark er jeg født
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