Bloc Party - Four

To say Intimacy divided critics would be like saying that Nero didn't react to Rome burning with urgency. To say The Boxer wasn't very good would be like saying Avatar wasn't very good. The believed reigning gods of the British post-punk scene had fallen into a deep ravine of hiatuses, electronic fusions and half-hearted experimental sides that never really had time to settle and for a good record.

Their fourth (!!!!) record comes, then, with a great many expectations and hopes; would Okereke & Co. manage to resurrect some formidably listenable anthems in the same vein as Banquet, Helicopter or even one as wonderfully pretty as I Still Remember?

I do not approve of that fucking t-shirt

In tying with their slightly cryptic, slightly tedious promotional videos the opening to 'So He Begins to Lie' presents us with one of many fourth-wall shattering comments "have you got that already?" that completely bewilder me with their lack of necessity. Moving on to at least give the record a chance... the track consists of a fairly run of the mill tune and energy, and you'll be pushed to find anything remotely memorable about it. '3x3' certainly ups the ante with its high-octane riff hooks and jarring "no...yes..." vocals, but at times it feels more like a Billy Talent track than anything. 'Octopus' and its accompanying jittery music video then follows and as the first glimpse of this album came as a massive let-down; sadly nothing's grown on me since that day. On 'Real Talk' Okereke mellows out a little and implores us to "get real/ for a moment", and offers himself up ("my mind is open/ and my body is yours"), and over a slightly less forced instrumental it has potential to be a grower.

It fails, however, to grab you by the ears in the same vein that 'Kettling' does; from its opening distort effects to the closing car alarms, it's a non-stop wall of noise with riffs that Queens of the Stone Age mightn't shy away from. Very different indeed initially, but its guitars and swing make it highly enjoyable. Similarly, 'Day Four' offers up a host of highly enjoyable moments but in a style much more familiar to long-time listeners of the band; all understated, poised. The foursome then make a marmite-effect foray into the world of blues with the brave, interesting 'Coliseum'. Breaking down fantastically after the first minute, it's a real sign of urgency about the band that's either telling or rewarding depending on how you look on it. One early favourite of many, 'V.A.L.I.S.' is certainly the most familiar in overall sound to classic Bloc Party, and sees Okereke observing someone ("he's into philosophy/ he's into methamphetamines") with hints of admiration.

The one main pitfall of Four however is its use of repetition: the jerked riffs to 'Team A' sound sadly familiar to those of 'Octopus', and is no less boring. At times the once charismatic and unique Okereke sounds nothing more than a typical romanticist: 'Truth', rather than individual or personal just promises "I am yours now/ respectfully", over what could otherwise be the album's stand-out romantic moment. "Stay with me my dear" reassures the painfully safe 'The Healing' over an almost Elbow in its uneventful nature backdrop. Mercifully, the band opt to bow out with the fiendishly exciting and catchy 'We Are Not Good People', a slightly political ("you could be the one percent if you wanna"), definitely fun cluster of show-stealing moments.

From the cringeworthy spoken and oh so authentically spontaneous interludes to the lack of even one track of staggering greatness (even The Boxer coughed up Tenderoni for goodness' sake) the disappointing fact of the matter is that Four is not the return to form we were all hoping for. It's not quite time to dig out Silent Alarm and cry over the good old(ish) days yet, though, as there are still definite highlights to be enjoyed, but I'd quite assuredly assert that this is the weakest Bloc Party album yet.

Rating: 5.5/10

Highlights: We Are Not Good People, Kettling, Day Four, Coliseum, V.A.L.I.S.

Avoid: So He Begins to Lie, Team A, Octopus

Artwork Watch: Personally, I moved on from circles and the primary colours when I left the nursery. 

Up next: Jessie Ware