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album: A Weekend in the City
artist: Bloc Party
label: Vice Music / 2007
score: 70
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by Tim Mathiesen
The lyrics are what matter on A Weekend In The City, not the music. While Bloc Party's debut album, Silent Alarm, was an amazing accomplishment in post-punk/dance their sophomore album has shifted focus. Sadly, the creativity and originality has disappeared. Whether they are attempting to stretch themselves creatively, they are forcing their maturity too early. Rather than growing, they've fallen into copying other established artists, which sends the message that they are playing it safe. There are hardly any risks taken here, musically. All the risks and creativity are spent on the lyrics.
According to an article in the magazine, Under the Radar, lead singer and songwriter, Kele Okereke returned home after the band's last tour and found his friends in a life of routine and constantly living for the weekend. Many of them were caught up in drugs and alcohol. His struggle with the cause and effect of their choices in comparison with his personal success resulted in much of the lyrical content on this album. Though clichés are scattered throughout the songs, this is a moving piece of work. The music is fun and interesting, but nothing special, while the lyrics wrestle with some important issues of moving from the life of a young adult into the world of careers and responsibility.
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