release date: Aug. 20, 2012
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Alex Newport
label: Frenchkiss Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "So He Begins to Lie" (4 / 5) (live in Sydney) - 2. "3x3" (live) - 3. "Octopus" - 4. "Real Talk" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Kettling" (5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Day Four" (live) - 8. "V.A.L.I.S." - 10. "Truth" - 11. "The Healing" - 14. "Leaf Skeleton" (Bonus Track)
4th studio album release by Bloc Party precisely four years after Intimacy (2008) welcomes noise rock and grindcore producer Alex Newport. Now, Bloc party has sent out a new "remix" album after each new studio album, so the easy title here simply refers to their full length studio efforts. Since the predecessor, rumours have suggested that the band had come to an end, that they were left with no record contract, that all but the lead vocalist would start a new band, etc. What remains is that the band members have spent time working with other artists, and vocalist Kele Okereke has had time to release his fine solo debut album, The Boxer (2010) and an ep, The Hunter (2011).
Time has passed but the style is still alt. dance and alt. rock. It's not a move back to their initial post-punk but several tracks have a more hard rock attitude than heard before, and it suits them well. You really have to hand it to these guys: they are blasting instrumentalists, wow! I still love their soundscape - the way they are able to build up a wall of sound that takes you in all directions before throwing itself off the cliffs at Land's End. Despite their play with synth and alt. dance, Russell Lissack's guitar has still a very prominent place in their sound, which makes me think of inspiration in John Frusciante ("Real Talk"), Smashing Pumpkins ("Kettling"), and Deftones ("We Are Not Good People"). I sometimes wish they would spent a bit more energy on the sound they stumble on / end up finding and producing, but they're always on the go to something and somewhere else. So what's next? For all I know, it can't be bad. Bloc Party has often made surprising moves and released singles, I didn't enjoy all that much, but their studio albums has not yet disappointed!
The Limited Edition offers two bonus tracks and 'an extensive 32 pages booklet.' They have made it a tradition of theirs to make these Limited Edition releases issued simultaneously as regular versions - and yes, they may just offer another two tracks, but very often at the same price as normal issues, so I always purchase these.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Observer, Drowned in Sound 4 / 5, Slant 2,5 / 5 stars ]
