Weekend in the City

Bloc Party may have arrived in an outbreak of like-minded British bands set upon shooting holes in the Union Jack while knocking out a sharp post-punk soundtrack, but it didn't take long for the foursome to set itself apart from the pack. Fronted by Nigerian-born singer Kele Okereke, the group's 2005 debut, Silent Alarm, soared as much on crystal ambition as it did on ridiculously danceable pop melodies. This follow-up is darker, more cluttered, and harder to digest. That doesn't make it less striking. Exploring themes of racism, terrorism, sexuality, addiction, and death--the usual fodder for a cosmopolitan three-day bender--Weekend in the City is an album that plays to Bloc Party's strengths: tempo-shifting rhythms, inventive art-rock arrangements, and lyrics that twist and turn on a whim. "The Prayer" and "Uniform" are particular standouts, capturing moments when Okereke lets self-importance fade and majestic beats take charge. --Aidin Vaziri

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