Product Description

The sophomore full length album from Kele Okereke and co isthe follow-up to their hugely popular 2005 debut 'Silent Alarm.' Produced by Jacknife (Kasabian, Snow Patrol), 'A Weekend In The City' brings Bloc Party another step closer to world domination with a stunning collection of songs showcasingtheir unique style of multilayered intensity. This is a more lyrically focused, emotionally exposed album which brings with it a more rounded overall sound whilst retaining the raw power of their debut. Includes the single 'The Prayer.'

Track Listing

1. Song For Clay (Disappear Here)
2. Hunting For Witches
3. Waiting For The 7.18
4. Prayer
5. Uniform
6. On
7. Where Is Home
8. Kreuzberg
9. I Still Remember
10. Sunday
11. SRXT

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1590 in Music
• Released on: 2007-02-05
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Critical adulation and commercial success hasn't changed Bloc Party. On A Weekend In The City, they're still rolling with the punches, frustrated by small minds, social inequality, and a world that reduces the life's wonderful possibilities to a grey routine. "East London is a vampire," sings Kele Okereke on the opening "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)", "it sucks the life right out of me." This, unmistakably, is Kele's album. Whereas the group's debut, 2005's Silent Alarm, felt powered primarily by the sturdy rhythm section of Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong, here the whooshing groove recedes slightly, allowing for more lyrical reflections: see "Waiting For The 7.18", which finds Okereke pondering the quiet hell of the daily commute, or "Where Is Home?" - a thoughtful, bruised song about racism given a special bite by stint of Kele's background as a second-generation Nigerian immigrant. Also notable is a move towards more synthetic, electronic textures, thanks in part to the presence of producer Jacknife Lee. If before, Bloc Party sometimes sounded like they were trying to be machine-like, now they actually do, drums arranged in dense loops, guitars gasping robotic feedback. All in all, it's a less gripping album than Silent Alarm - but it's definitely a growth, and in the long run, it may prove easier to love. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Better than the rest
First I have to say that I am no fan of the current crop of indie dirge that afflicts my ears on a daily basis. Quite frankly, most of the tosh out there is the musical equivalent to flat-lining. Having grown up in the grunge years and being a massive Nirvana fan, I am used to passion and anger in my music, not musicians merely going through the motions. Consequently, I was a little apprehensive when I picked up my first Block Party album.

Silent Alarm completely confounded my expectations. This didn't sound like average indie banality, this sounded different. When Weekend.... came out I didn't hesitate to add it to my collection. I am so glad I did. I actually think it is superior to Silent Alarm in many respects. Although there are some trite lyrics, you can feel a great deal more passion coming from this album than from most of their contemporaries. Why oh why do Kaiser Chiefs et al get so much press when Block Party wipe the floor with them? Who knows, it is one of life's great mysteries.

As for the songs, I love Song for Clay, Hunting for Witches, Uniform and Where is Home? Every single one is far superior to other indie bands. Forget your Kaisers, have a Block Party instead!

Better than Silent Alarm? could be...
When I 1st listened to this, I was very unsure. But a couple days later - I had done nothing but listen to it!
I find that Bloc Party are one band I can never seem to get enough of - certainly their albums are amongst my most played (which includes Sigur Ros, Morrisey, The Smiths, Interpol)
Their ablity to produce catchy tunes, and tunes that you just do not get bored with, amazes me! If only other bands could take a note!
Its a shame these guys are tarnished with the NME brush - as they stand head and shoulders above anything that proudly wears that label - including the artic monkeys and oasis (both contenders for most over-rated band I feel)
This album is not all mind blowing brillience - there is electronic influence in it (which I dont mind, personally) but I dont think there is a Bad track on it. In the same way that there are certainly stand out tracks on Silent Alarm - you still wont object to listening to it all.
Better than Silent Alarm - it could be.

nonononoseizures
"Spend all your spare time trying to escape
With crosswords and Sudoku"

C'mon, Kele, lad, even you can do better than this. This isn't a blind attack on hype either (I still quite like Silent Alarm) but A Weekend in the City is overly serious and verging on unlistenable; a few electronic effects and more "mature" lyrics doesn't necessarily equal progression, and this is that displayed expertly in 50 minutes. I do quite like the Prefuse 73-esque, stuttered and chopped vocal intro of "Hunting for Witches", although such moments are rare. Next time don't try so hard, yeah?