Bloc Party: Four – review

# Bloc Party

# Indie

# Pop and rock

(Frenchkiss)

After the mixed reception afforded 2008's Intimacy, London four-piece Bloc Party went on sabbatical for two years. On the evidence of Four, the break did them good: from the off there's an urgency – and an aggression – to their post-punk shapes that hadn't been evident since their bravura debut, Silent Alarm. 3x3 and We Are Not Good People are propelled by a ferocious intensity, while Kettling recreates Smashing Pumpkins' monumental guitar sound to fine effect. It's not completely without its longueurs – the lightweight VALIS is remarkable only for its blandness – but at its best this is the sound of a band rediscovering what made them so special in the first place.

Contributor

Phil Mongredien

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Bloc Party: 'A break has given us a renewed sense of vigour'
Last year indie-rockers Bloc Party appeared to be splitting, now they're back with a No 1 album. Lead singer Kele Okereke tells Luke Bainbridge why he didn't tell the whole truth…

Luke Bainbridge

25, Aug, 2012 @11:05 PM

Bloc Party: Four – review
Bloc Party make a show of returning to their live, rocking roots, but can't always keep the pace going, writes Maddy Costa

Maddy Costa

16, Aug, 2012 @8:00 PM

Article image
Bloc Party: Hymns review – a brave and successful reinvention
Kele Okereke’s band swap angst for joy on their spiritual new album

Phil Mongredien

31, Jan, 2016 @8:00 AM

Bloc Party – review

Kele has bulked up, Russell has spiritually transformed into a Viking warrior and Bloc Party are back with a lot of boxing metaphors, writes Dave Simpson

Dave Simpson

14, Oct, 2012 @3:34 PM

Article image
Kele Okereke: 'Being in Bloc Party isn't always easy'
The lead singer and guitarist tells Laura Barnett about being bold and life beyond the band – including DJing and writing a novel

Laura Barnett

13, Jul, 2013 @11:05 PM

Article image
Bloc Party to go on hiatus?
Drummer Matt Tong has cast doubt on the future of the band, saying they may take time out to work on solo projects

Sean Michaels

19, Oct, 2009 @11:02 AM

Article image
Bloc Party: Hymns review – modernised sound marred by ham-fisted sensuality
Bloc Party’s first album in four years updates its sound and its lyrical references, but the compelling unease of old is gone

Kate Hutchinson

28, Jan, 2016 @10:00 PM

Article image
Lion attacks Bloc Party guitarist
Cuddly cub took a nibble of Russell Lissack during Ash tour of South Africa

Sean Michaels

01, Oct, 2010 @9:33 AM

Review: Bloc Party

8.5 out of 10: Reading, Saturday, 6.25pm. This is where singer Kele Okereke and lead guitarist Russell Lissack first met; the crowd are hugely up for their return.

Rosie Swash

25, Aug, 2007 @8:20 PM

Article image
Music Weekly podcast: Kele from Bloc Party and Ghostpoet

Kele Okereke pops in to tell us about what life is like for Bloc Party right now, Ghostpoet unveils the follow-up to his Mercury-nominated debut album, plus Justin Timberlake lyric shocker

Presented by Alexis Petridis and Kieran Yates. Produced by Simon Barnard

14, Mar, 2013 @4:45 PM