Bloc Party is one of the newest hype-ridden bands to come over from across the pond. Getting signed with the help of Franz Ferdinand, the band is a mix of many of the influential usual suspects that have penetrated many of this new wave of music, including The Cure, Joy Division, and The Pixies. But unlike most of their contemporaries, they have a great understanding of a pop hook, and use it to great effect. Releasing a couple of high charting singles they have currently begun work on their debut, where anticipation is at feverish levels across the pond. This e.p collects those first couple singles, along with corresponding b-sides, as a means to whet people’s appetites on this side of the Atlantic.
“Banquet” is a great song just waiting to hit college airwaves, and will surely be a big underground hit. Starting with a sparse beat, a commanding guitar riff reminiscent of early Police takes residence inside your head, where it will stay for several hours. Lead singer Kele Okereke’s high vocal will remind people of Damon Alburn when he sings “She’s got such a dirty and it never ever stops/and you don’t taste like her and you never ever will.”
A lot can be discovered about a band by what they release as a b-side. Releasing live tracks or rough demos as essentially filler is usually the norm, but many bands go the extra step and record a cover or a song that is just very different from the rest of their material. In Europe, where the single still thrives, a band’s “b-side” is just as important. Bloc Party comes in this department and really shows their ability as a band. Employing the same corresponding guitar attack on “Banquet”, bassist Gordon Moakes joins in for a dueling vocal delivery on “Staying Fat” that recalls The Knack and the aforementioned Blur.
“She’s hearing voices” is unlike any other song on this e.p, which is odd considering this is the A-side of their first single. Driven by a low-end bass riff and sharp snare sound, the guitar only drops sparingly. It is quite possible to like everything else on the Bloc Party E.P except this track, and vice versa.
The lyrical subject matter is politically tinged with a pretty strong religious undercurrent. “All the Marshals are Dead” contains a tight military beat and sharp repetitious chord like your favorite Gang of Four record with the lyrics “a curse on your houses/rivers run with your son’s blood.” “The Answer” carries the social commentary “We got rules to protect us/Isaac and Ishmael/the magazine says its ok/life as a billboard. “But just like Franz Ferdinand, one does not have to scratch the surface or pay any attention to the lyrics to thoroughly enjoy this music. It is just icing on the cake.
The only disappointment to this e.p is what it excludes. “Little Thoughts” is their highest charting single to date as well as their best chance to cross over here in the states. But if the goal of this e.p is just to create an underground buzz (which seems evident as they are only playing a couple of dates in NY and LA respectively), than it is probably a good strategy to hold off until they can properly promote it. The musical landscape is filled with bands given “next big thing” status from the British press. Eventually, another band will replace Bloc Party from the mantle (check out The Departure), but until then, they are just a band with strong e.p. and limitless potential. As Kele accurately notes on “Banquet,” “Cause you know I’m on fire.”
About Michael Chadwick
