Looking back, I do actually get it right occasionally. I wrote this review just before Bloc Party released their debut EP...
Some bands kinda wear their influences on their sleeve but Bloc Party take things a whole literal step further. The artwork on this EP instantly evokes two words: “Joy” and “Division”. The minimalist design (black, black and more black) that carries the Soviet sounding words “Bloc Party” suggests a dark Warsaw-like journey ahead.
Musically it’s not quite as plagiaristic as Interpol but the circular guitars on ‘Staying Fat’ (coupled with Kele Okereke’s insistent vocals that vibrate like an alarm bell) aren’t far off. The British post-punk influence is also felt on ‘She’s Hearing Voices’, a song as haunting as the title suggests. This time it’s an amped-up Cure circa 1981, with a dash of 'Subway Song' in the lyrics.
The spartan ‘The Marshals Are Dead’ doesn’t work quite so well. A repetitive cry of “Forever!” quickly starts to grate and although it demonstrates a willingness to experiment, it ends up sounding like The Fall at their very worst.
Like Ian Curtis and his glum chums, Bloc Party show a willingness to embrace electronica. The final track is a disco edit of opening song ‘Banquet’ which drops an intriguing hint as to where their future might lie. I’m looking forward to their debut album already.
File under P: for Promising.
By Andy McLean. Copyright held by author.
First published in The Brag, Sydney 2004.
Bloc Party EP is available through Festival Mushroom
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