(0 users) 
Cover NOT yet available in
Join Patreon for 4K upload/download access
Your Rating (Click a star below)
Track List
01) Like Eating Glass
02) Helicopter
03) Positive Tension
04) Banquet
05) Blue Light
06) She's Hearing Voices
07) This Modern Love
08) The Pioneers
09) Price of Gasoline
10) So Here We Are
11) Luno
12) Plans
13) Compliments
01) Like Eating Glass
02) Helicopter
03) Positive Tension
04) Banquet
05) Blue Light
06) She's Hearing Voices
07) This Modern Love
08) The Pioneers
09) Price of Gasoline
10) So Here We Are
11) Luno
12) Plans
13) Compliments
4:21
3:40
3:55
3:21
2:47
3:29
4:25
3:35
4:19
3:52
3:57
4:10
4:43
Data Complete
80%
Total Rating
80%Total Rating
(1 users)
Back Cover
CD Art
3D Case
3D Thumb
3D Flat
3D Face
3D Spine
First Released
2005
Rock
Energetic
Rock/Pop
---
Medium
Album
1,000,000 copies
Album Description
Available in:
Silent Alarm is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party. Recorded in Copenhagen and London in mid-2004 with producer Paul Epworth, it was released in February 2005 on Wichita Recordings. The record peaked at number three on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. In the United States, it entered the Billboard 200 at number 114 and the Billboard Top Independent Albums at number seven. The double A-side "So Here We Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet", and "Pioneers" were released as singles. Silent Alarm went on to achieve worldwide sales of over one million copies.
Bloc Party aimed to create an album that appealed to followers of different musical genres. Building on the arrangements in their demo songs recorded in 2004, the band members moulded tracks largely through live takes during the Silent Alarm studio sessions. The compositional focus was on rhythm and the drum and bass parts, while lyricist Kele Okereke's writing examined the feelings and hopes of young adults, including views on global politics. Following the album's completion, Bloc Party embarked on promotional tours before its release.
Four singles were released from the album: "So Here We Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet", "Pioneers" and "Two More Years" (the latter only appeared on the re-released version of the album). The album also included the previously released singles "She's Hearing Voices" (which was re-recorded for the album) & "Helicopter" on the original release of the album, with "Little Thoughts" also added to the re-released version of the album. A remix of the song "Like Eating Glass" was also released as a split-single with the band The Futureheads by Oxfam.
Silent Alarm garnered widespread critical acclaim. Praise often centred on its fast tempo and passionate delivery. The record was generally treated as showcasing the potential high quality of British music. Later in 2005, it was remixed as Silent Alarm Remixed and was re-released with bonus tracks to coincide with Bloc Party's worldwide touring schedule. The album has received accolades throughout the music industry since its release.
User Album Review
The minimalist efficiency of Bloc Party's shiny new website speaks volumes about this band. There's no self-glorification and no hard-sell behind London's brightest young things, no pomp and no pretence. They describe themselves, rather awkwardly, as 'an autonomous unit of un-extraordinary kids reared on pop culture between the years of 1976 and the present day'. This is no cunningly-crafted press spiel; it's an honest statement of intent.
It's not surprising that Bloc Party are keen to declare their autonomy and shirk off musical comparisons. Since late 2003, they've had the 'new Franz Ferdinand' tail lazily pinned on them by all concerned. Flattered as they must be by this new-found fame, it's clear that Bloc Party would rather their long-awaited long-player Silent Alarm did the talking.
'Are you hoping for a miracle?' cries frontman Kele Okereke on "Helicopter". To be frank, yes. In a market that's becoming increasingly driven by throwaway singles, I'm hoping for a record that reinvigorates the album as an art form; I'm hoping for a record that'll have me scrambling to press play whenever I get the chance; I'm hoping that 'something glorious is about to happen' ("Positive Tension").
Glorious just about sums Silent Alarm up. From the outset, this is a remarkable, truly inspirational work. Though the angular strut of dance-floor fillers "Banquet", "Helicopter" and "Luno" may satisfy the current punk-funk vogue, Bloc Party are equally adept at sanding down the rough edges and smoothing out the angles. "This Modern Love", "Blue Light" and latest single "So Here We Are" are three of the gentlest, most touching ballads to come out of London in a long time.
That said, even on these tender tracks there's a distinct sense of urgency that might just become Bloc Party's trademark. It lies at the heart of the album, in Matt Tong's relentlessly creative drum patterns and frantic fills. Bucking today's trend for a 'plug and play' sound, Russel Lissack's effects-laden guitar - evocative of Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood - is given free reign to explore.
Together, Bloc Party exude exactly what they proclaim on the album's centrepiece, "The Pioneers": 'A sense of purpose and a sense of skill'. Despite the absence of early single "Little Thoughts", Silent Alarm feels complete; it's an astonishing, confident and infectious debut.
External Album Reviews
None...
User Comments
Available in:
Silent Alarm is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party. Recorded in Copenhagen and London in mid-2004 with producer Paul Epworth, it was released in February 2005 on Wichita Recordings. The record peaked at number three on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. In the United States, it entered the Billboard 200 at number 114 and the Billboard Top Independent Albums at number seven. The double A-side "So Here We Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet", and "Pioneers" were released as singles. Silent Alarm went on to achieve worldwide sales of over one million copies.
Bloc Party aimed to create an album that appealed to followers of different musical genres. Building on the arrangements in their demo songs recorded in 2004, the band members moulded tracks largely through live takes during the Silent Alarm studio sessions. The compositional focus was on rhythm and the drum and bass parts, while lyricist Kele Okereke's writing examined the feelings and hopes of young adults, including views on global politics. Following the album's completion, Bloc Party embarked on promotional tours before its release.
Four singles were released from the album: "So Here We Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet", "Pioneers" and "Two More Years" (the latter only appeared on the re-released version of the album). The album also included the previously released singles "She's Hearing Voices" (which was re-recorded for the album) & "Helicopter" on the original release of the album, with "Little Thoughts" also added to the re-released version of the album. A remix of the song "Like Eating Glass" was also released as a split-single with the band The Futureheads by Oxfam.
Silent Alarm garnered widespread critical acclaim. Praise often centred on its fast tempo and passionate delivery. The record was generally treated as showcasing the potential high quality of British music. Later in 2005, it was remixed as Silent Alarm Remixed and was re-released with bonus tracks to coincide with Bloc Party's worldwide touring schedule. The album has received accolades throughout the music industry since its release.
User Album Review
The minimalist efficiency of Bloc Party's shiny new website speaks volumes about this band. There's no self-glorification and no hard-sell behind London's brightest young things, no pomp and no pretence. They describe themselves, rather awkwardly, as 'an autonomous unit of un-extraordinary kids reared on pop culture between the years of 1976 and the present day'. This is no cunningly-crafted press spiel; it's an honest statement of intent.
It's not surprising that Bloc Party are keen to declare their autonomy and shirk off musical comparisons. Since late 2003, they've had the 'new Franz Ferdinand' tail lazily pinned on them by all concerned. Flattered as they must be by this new-found fame, it's clear that Bloc Party would rather their long-awaited long-player Silent Alarm did the talking.
'Are you hoping for a miracle?' cries frontman Kele Okereke on "Helicopter". To be frank, yes. In a market that's becoming increasingly driven by throwaway singles, I'm hoping for a record that reinvigorates the album as an art form; I'm hoping for a record that'll have me scrambling to press play whenever I get the chance; I'm hoping that 'something glorious is about to happen' ("Positive Tension").
Glorious just about sums Silent Alarm up. From the outset, this is a remarkable, truly inspirational work. Though the angular strut of dance-floor fillers "Banquet", "Helicopter" and "Luno" may satisfy the current punk-funk vogue, Bloc Party are equally adept at sanding down the rough edges and smoothing out the angles. "This Modern Love", "Blue Light" and latest single "So Here We Are" are three of the gentlest, most touching ballads to come out of London in a long time.
That said, even on these tender tracks there's a distinct sense of urgency that might just become Bloc Party's trademark. It lies at the heart of the album, in Matt Tong's relentlessly creative drum patterns and frantic fills. Bucking today's trend for a 'plug and play' sound, Russel Lissack's effects-laden guitar - evocative of Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood - is given free reign to explore.
Together, Bloc Party exude exactly what they proclaim on the album's centrepiece, "The Pioneers": 'A sense of purpose and a sense of skill'. Despite the absence of early single "Little Thoughts", Silent Alarm feels complete; it's an astonishing, confident and infectious debut.
External Album Reviews
None...
User Comments
No comments yet...
Status
unlockedRank: External Links
