Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

'Silent Alarm' is Bloc Party's debut studio release and was released through Wichita Records in early 2005. It's a thirteen track album of indie rock and the run time of this album release from the band is just over 50 minutes. Before I opted to give this album a listen I remember that there was a lot of hype surrounding this release, Bloc Party's 'Silent Alarm' album was one which was loved by many when it was released; the album also has its haters ...
...from Bloc Party is a bit of a Marmite album in that you'll probably either love it or you hate it. Personally, I find the album really quite average. The tracks are pretty good, they all follow the same indie rock formula however and by the times you reach the end of the album you've ultimately listened to the same track thirteen times over. There are some tracks that are a little better than others, the variation is distinctly lacking however and ...

RazzaLazza 11.07.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...release of their debut album Silent Alarm I was eagerly waiting, buying it on the Monday it was released, and I'm aware that these days that's a risky business, given the rate that record companies pump out 'Special Edition' versions of good albums, but as of yet, Bloc Party have yet to disappoint. Now, I deliberately put off finishing this review until I saw the band live, why? I'm not sure, but I just felt it might sort of enhance my appreciation ...
...there is one thing about Silent Alarm that needs pointed out, it's that it isn't the knee to the balls of rapid fire guitars like Helicopter, and it certainly took me a couple of listens to really get into it. However, since I did get into it, the album has been a fixture on my ipod, and it doesn't look like losing any of it's staying power on it any time soon. Another reason it took me so long to put up, was because I was waiting to see if it would ...

Flash-Hammer 17.11.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...release of their debut album, Silent Alarm, I’m now actually quite keen to see them live and thankfully they are playing this years festival. The band from North London formed back in 1998 when guitarist and lead singer Kele OKereke met fellow guitarist Russell Lissack. They then placed adverts in the British music press and were soon joined by Gordon (Bass) and Matt (Drums). They had all grown up listening to the same sort of stuff and decided ...
...release of the debut album, Silent alarm, Bloc Party have come a long way and it looks like they’ll be around for a while. Upon release of this debut effort, the inevitable comparisons to last years new bands like Franz Ferdinand and The Killers were bound to emerge. This seems a little unjust to me as Bloc Party seem to offer an album that isn’t comparable to anything released recently. Within their music they boast a new edge that was evident ...

Andy.mack 26.03.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Bloc Party's debut album, 'Silent Alarm' arrived in mid Feb 2005 to critical acclaim as the possible answer for the next Joy Division, and it's clear to see why. The first thing you can note is the 'indie' feel, and the drum beats that are reminiscent of Joy Division at their brief yet best time. The guitars seemed to have picked up their own unique sound as well, and Kele Okereke's vocals are strong, and something Damon Albarn-like about them. ...
...starting point, and could quite easily be a single at some point. The musical elements here are an excellent indication of what is to follow throughout the album. 'Helicopter' is one of the albums highlights, and proof of some of the catchy and exciting guitar riffs on the album. Released as a single, it is certainly a song that will catch anyone's attention and draw them to Bloc Party if they weren't aware of them. 'Positive Tension' is thought ...

CarlMcQ 05.04.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Although I really dont like Bloc Party, I can appreciate this album on its merits. It's weighty with influences from much better bands like Joy Division, Sonic Youth and The Cure and therefore feels familiar and ok to listen to. The east london art-punkers definitely have a charming and down to earth feel both in their vocals and their lyrics. Songs like 'Like eating glass' and 'This modern love' earn this album the respect that I think it does deserves ...
...Hard-Fi. Lyrically and musically 'This modern love' puts them in the same league as great bands like The Rakes that still manage to say something new when so many things have been said and done before. To summarize, there is something sincere and convincing about this band lyrically and vocally and if like me you dont much like them, I can safely suggest giving at least this album a bit of playing time because it is certainly their best. Summary: ...

SpookyMoon 29.05.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...favourites for being different. Silent Alarm is one of the most different rock albums I have heard in a long time, and Bloc Partys style has been widley accepted and they are hailed by Zane Lowe, NME and MTV2. Buy this album if you are into the general rock/indie thing and easily embrace something different. Even if you don't, this album will grow on you. ...

mr_kipling 24.03.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...to criticise a song on Silent Alarm. "Price Of Gas" is probably my least favourite track but even it is a fantastic piece of music, with sublime lyrics. I know someone who would definitely call it their favourite Bloc Party song, it's definitely just tastes here. "So Here We Are" is the dancey single that got me hooked on Bloc Party. It is apparantly about Ecstacy, but don't let that put you off... It has one of the best videos I've seen, you have ...
...such is the quality of Silent Alarm, it's always changing. "Wake up sleepy head it's happening without you" is one of my favourite lyrics on the album. The last song on the album is "Compliments" another quiet and, I really dislike the word but, "nice" song. It's a fitting end to the album, it's a quite hypnotic song, fantastic to calm you down. Kele's voice sounds great on this song, as do Russell's guitar parts. I really don't think this is a ...

Adam2708 09.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

For a few months i've really been getting into indie music. I started off with the now tame Keane and Snow Patrol and then moved on the the more exciting stuff. I bought this album a couple of months ago and it sat on the shelf for a couple of weeks. I then picked it up and began to listen to it. I heard "like eating glass" and really got into the song when it picked up in pace. I played it throught and realised that this was an awesome album. The ...
...breaks the boundaries previously set by other bands in the genre who always seem to have a selection of slower songs on their albums. Bloc Party have a couple of songs that start with a slow beat but then pick up. Every song on the album is of good enough quality in my opinion to be realeased as a single. The members of the band are: Kele Okereke on vocals and guitar, Gordon Moakes on bass, Russel Lissack on guitar and Matt Tong. Each member of ...

benlewis1988 07.05.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Although this album came out in February 2006, over a year ago, I still find myself listening to it to this day. Whether it's Kele's screeching vocals, the infectious drum beats and riffs or the sheer indie electro-ness of some of the tracks here, there's definitely something here that stands out from the rest. A good majority of these tracks, including 'Helicopter' and 'She's Hearing Voices', will just have you clicking repeat again and again, and ...
...this isn't for everyone. Bloc Party aren't an instantly likeable pop band. Thier songs can be quite 'out there' and may take some listening to really attach to. But it's very rewarding when you do. So, for all you fans of downloading out there, lets go through each tracks and decide whether it's worth downloading off of Limewire. I er mean, purchase legally from a reputable music outlet. 'Like Eating Glass' is wonderfully introductive, and gives ...

newdeadstar 22.06.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Going into a music store, it may have been quite easy to skip over this album as easily as any other on the shelfs. For several reasons 1. 'Silent Alarm' is not a name that jumps out at you to look at it. It doesn't really draw attention to the CD 2. Neither does the cover art. An almost entirely white cover with no indication of who, or what the band are, where they come from, or what music they play. An undeserved Parental Guidence sticker on ...
...Bloc Party only use the f-word once or twice and thats it. Despite that, the music is pretty damned good. The new genre of music that is sweeping the nation seems to have found another foothold in Bloc Party. Good examples of this are The Killers and Interpol. Thats not to say that Bloc Party are unoriginal. Quite the conterary in fact. They have a solid techno feel, with interesting guitars, strong vocals and even more interesting and above average ...

jeliman 10.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...Bloc Party have not padded Silent Alarm out with mediocre tracks and interludes to give an illusion of value for money. This album has 13 good tracks. You could happily set this album playing and not feel temped to skip a track because its all well worth listening to. Tracks like Banquet, Helicopter and Positive Tension will be in your ipods top 25 most played forever because of their addictive replay ability. The closest bands to Bloc Party in ...
...of their origins and attitudes but still this album is refreshingly original. This is shown in their very individual lyrics which are definitely thought-provoking, each time you hear a song like blue light you will see it from a slightly different perspective as you focus on different lyrics or themes. I would definitely rate this alongside both Franz Ferdinand's and Keane's latest albums, if not slightly above, and would without a doubt recommend ...

sexy_mommy 20.09.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

It’s probably best to get it out of the way now and mention that this band have been dubbed the ‘new Franz Ferdinand’, a label they’ve been given in countless end of year polls looking for the ‘next big thing’. So it’s also probably best to shatter that myth as quickly as possible. The similarities are there in theory- they’re a bit ‘arty’ (they all met at art school, as did Franz), they’ve read a few books, make music that you can dance to, etc, ...
...comparisons such as those though. They’ve already proved capable of breaking into the mainstream as Franz have, reaching the Top Five with single ‘So Here We Are’, and this album having reached Number Three in the album chart. There’s nothing as catchy or immediate as ‘Take Me Out’ or ‘Matinee’ on here, but they’re not that sort of band. In many cases the songs are decidedly darker and more complex, but having said that, they still know their way ...

rich119uk 31.03.2005 (03.04.2005) · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

...way. Their debut album, Silent Alarm, was a blend of high-tempo, fast paced music with a new sort of sound and most notably 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter' fast became cult hits and are recognizable to this day, even to those who may not even know of the band directly. The album has it's fair share of powerful drum and speedy guitar solos and combination's, but other songs on the album show that the band can create songs which have a calmer or sadder ...
...The lyrical work of lead singer Kele Okereke is energetic and enigmatic and provides a uniqueness to the band with the rareness of having a black person in a band of the genre or genres that Bloc Party fall into. Although feelings on Bloc Party and their music are quite strongly divided among people, some labeling the music as 'mediocre' or the band members themselves as 'dull', 'boring' or 'grumpy', I think this just goes to show the experience ...

FlyNebula 24.06.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Lots of frantic scratchy guitars, a singer who sounds like he's singing in the midst of a bout of hiccups, and an overall ambience of repressed isolation, yes folks the post punk revival continues unabated. On the evidence of much of what I've heard -The excellent Interpol and some of the Franz Ferdinand's and Bravery albums -that s not altogether a bad thing .But unless some of these bands, and of all the ones I've heard The Bloc Party are the most ...
...be one revival that will fizzle out quicker than a budget firework. Four very good songs apart this is a pretty good, but not great album. They start off well with the smooth post-punker "Like Eating Glass," with sharp chords and Matt Tong's mile-a-minute drumming, as Kele Okereke yowls over it all. And "Helicopter" wins the prize for one of the most fun, catchy pop songs thus far this year -- it's almost impossible to sit still to this. However, ...

smegy 18.05.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Bloc party, the multi-cultural London based band have managed to gain a name for themselves very quickly in the world of music, their album "silent alarm" is proof that their fame is well deserved, of the 13 songs on the album including releases such as "banquet", none are bad, with the exception of one or two all are excellent, this is much better than the albums of much bigger name stars whose albums usually contain more awful tracks and fewer ...
...and smooth vocals played against a backdrop of memerable guitar play, fast paced drumming and catchy choruses, needless to say they are some of my most replayed songs that currently posses. Heralded by many music publications as 2005 answer to Franz Ferdinand and with upcoming tours of America and Britain, i am certain that Bloc-Party will soon gain internation stardom. The album has 13 tracks and is currently being sold for around the price of 7-10 ...

Gr39 21.09.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Silent Alarm - Bloc Party