I will say this album comes out swinging at you with the sonically intense "Ares". The song is pretty overwhelming as there is a whole lot going on instrumentally and you almost feel assaulted by sound. But get past that song and the rest of the album comes together pretty well. "Mercury" starts a trend that continues over the next few songs with lots of energy, a range of instruments, and a lot of energy all at once. "Halo" is probably the strongest song on the album with a quick tempo and some pretty deep hooks that keep you thinking about the song long after it has finished. Definitely something different in a very enjoyable way. The vocals are pretty strong despite the strong english accent and the production on the songs is pretty tight.
One thing I dislike is the lyrics seem very obtuse and it tends to be a bit unclear what the song really is about. I don't know if they are being vague to make a point and allow for interpretation or to make an attempt at being clever. Also there is a lot happening in their music, I don't know if it's just this cd or their music in general, but I feel like the whole album was a fever dream. It hits with a lot of craziness and by the time it's over you wonder if that album was real and actually happened. I could see this turning off some people who prefer a more uniform feel to their albums.
As far as the album goes it feels pretty strong in my opinion. It takes a slow burn approach in that it starts off hot on the first half of the album but winds down and shifts at the second half. This isn't a bad thing though as it adds to the overall dynamic of the album itself. I could easily recommend this if you are looking for something outside of the norm. It reminds me of bands like Radiohead or artists like Bjork who stray from convention to try something unique. It makes me want to check out Bloc Party's previous albums.
4 out of 5 stars. Very solid and worth checking out, can't go wrong with purchasing this album.
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