Four -Bloc Party

7/10 
Rated: A Kind of Magic 

An Alternative exorcism to the predictable rock/pop industry. Although it is not the album of the year (not even in my top 10), the record is acceptable and sort of enjoyable.

The band is surprising us once again with making a retrospective to the alternative scene in the 1990's but they are making it in a more pop  and 'fashionable' way. But to be honest they opted to go to the cliché road and make the album weak for example first song "So He Begins To Lie" has the old rock elements but it's very dumb youth attempt to be like Nirvana and that kind of feeling is almost in every song like they didn't reach the personal touch. "3x3" is edgy and very rocky, a bit repetitive, but you can not identify Bloc Party. Kele Okereke said he listened to a lot of Nirvana whilst making the album and you can listen to the influence/impact in songs but sometimes goes to far like in "Kettling", it is so so Nirvana lame tribute band and jam-y. Another improvised alike track is "Real Talk" which is more pop almost like an boy-band-album-filler-song with a very very weird twist. 

There are also songs that share a more pop sound with rock strokes like "Day Four" ,that goes a bit 1980's and doesn't feel to fit with the bunch, or "Octopus" that is more like Blur mixed with Rammstein and 'sampling' some AC/DC riffs, it's really good but seams to have not a proper end they just sheared off,and one of the best in the rock/pop side. 'Coliseum' sounds a bit more indie rock in an Arctic Monkeys covering The Beatles style goes well although albeit too much messy instruments in some parts."Team A" is as well on the Rock/Pop side, or half, wich is the most pop song in the album and almost close is "Truth" that is so enjoyable cheesy FIFA(videogame) pop. Then the album really slow down for a chill song called "The Healing" and sound a lot like Bloc Party.

The album sound is very underground-indie rock from start to end, with some pop stopovers but at the final song"We Are Not Good People"  there's a reminder of what you had been listen to. Greatness on this album is a bit shy but is there, could exploded with a little more effort and less think. But the joy in this average album comes from the feeling of a clean off, changing what other bands are doing in the mainstream.

Recommended: Team A,Truth,The Healing