Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Critic Score
Based on 22 reviews
2005 Ratings: #61 / 512
User Score
2005 Rank: #46
Liked by 284 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Gigwise
Unlike many hotly-anticipated debuts, 'Silent Alarm' is not a quick-fix work by lightweight indie shoutabouts, it's a ferocious indie album that is delicate, furious and effortlessly cool. Hype aside, something glorious is happening.
91
Entertainment Weekly
A post-punk mishmash of angular guitars, pulsating bass, and tricky time signatures.
90
Drowned in Sound

Silent Alarm's not 100% filler-free - the forgettable 'So Here We Are' could have slipped out the back with little protest - but the autonomy, creativity and sheer, elastic beauty that spans this debut more than justifies the rapidly accelerating hype that Bloc Party are currently generating.

90
NME

Varied in tone and stylistically uncategorisable, one thing is clear about Bloc Party’s debut album: it’s bloody brilliant.

90
No Ripcord
Sensitive enough to charm you, yet with songs hard enough and strong enough to keep you from getting bored, Silent Alarm is already a strong contender for debut album of the year.
89
Pitchfork
This is a solid, intelligent album that a lot of people will love-- one that'll slot onto indie-crossover CD racks right beside the debuts from Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, and the Futureheads.
80
Q Magazine
An arty, confident and exhilarating debut. It's everything pop music should be.
80
Rolling Stone

Silent Alarm is dance rock, but highly caffeinated.

80
DIY
Despite leaving out so many potential superhits, there’s not a track that doesn’t deserve it’s place. As DIY once read: ‘If you like your rock arty, you’ll love Bloc Party.’
80
Paste
Draws as much from Madness as Joy Division.
80
AllMusic

Although it wouldn't hurt if there were more "party" (the celebratory kind, not the political one) in Silent Alarm, it's still a fine debut album with a lot of passion and polish; it's hard not to respect, if not fully embrace, the intensity and integrity of Bloc Party's music.

78
Coke Machine Glow

Removing the formulae and sensual stimuli from the Party leaves little that’s substantive or innovative. Even the most cursory of examinations would show the group to be an “it” band and not much else. However, Bloc Party’s absurdly good at being an “it” on Silent Alarm.

70
Under the Radar
What's most surprising is not how audaciously full of formula the album is, but how compelling the album is despite its lack of surprises or innovation.
70
PopMatters

Only briefly and intermittently does Silent Alarm play it safe (the unspectacular tracks "Plans", "Blue Light", and single "Banquet"), but its engaging flow is never derailed.

60
Alternative Press
The results are hit-or-miss.
60
The Guardian
There's none of Franz Ferdinand's sexiness, funk or swagger here, nor an undeniable hit along the lines of Take Me Out.
60
Uncut

Silent Alarm's innovation, sense of urgency and sleek production are enough to comfortably elevate Bloc Party above the post-punk rabble.

60
Mojo

Ambitious in scope and abundantly stocked with viral melody, Silent Alarm is hugely impressive--flawed certainly ... but nonetheless blessed with outbreaks of great flair.

60
God Is in the TV
This is not quite the debut record people were expecting. Fearne Cotton and Cat Deeley won't really like it but will keep quiet; most will listen to it until the songs get so ingrained on the brain that they'll declare it album of the year. As for me, I'll give it 3 stars and reserve judgement on Bloc Party until they come up with a set of consistently brilliant songs. Till next time.
60
The Independent
Their singles promised something fresh, but the album is, vocals aside, largely indebted to The Cure or their emo disciples, Thursday. Not quite the new kids on the bloc (sic) hoped for.
BradTasteMusic
85

Discovering more punk and hardcore music recently has helped me really appreciate the small, but crucial details that set Bloc Party's "Silent Alarm" apart. The execution of this style is rarely flashy, but about as tight as something you could ever expect from it.

The sound is so consistently rich. It rarely feels like I spend any time outside of the space this album creates. It is a constant goldmine of indie aesthetic perfection.

If I had one complaint, it plays into this ... read more

Nightwing734
80

Like Eating Glass is one of the best openers of all time ❤︎

jordymusic
99

I have seen this album described as sounding like 'Pixies having a knife fight with Blur on Brighton beach' and after presenting that simile I don't even feel the need to describe Silent Alarm in any further detail.

So sweet yet so street. This was Bloc Party at their best. Kele Okereke's obscurely substantial lyricism, his searing and impassioned vocal emotion. The brilliant guitar and bass work which could boast both crunching rock riffage and tender ambient melody. And of course the mental ... read more

TheAqbert
88

Silent Alarm continues to be one of my personal favorite records of the 2000's. The atmospheric and punchier tone of this album is perfectly executed on the guitars and drums, the vocals are performed in such a passionate and bright tone that keeps me engaged on every track. It's a memorable debut that holds a nostalgic factor for me.

TobuTobs
83

Everytime I came back to this I've liked it even more over the years. The singing is passionate and heartfelt, the lyrics are great and the production is quality aswell.

unrealmikel
85

Like drinking poison, Like eating glass
Like drinking poison, Like eating glass

Bloc Party's debut album is pretty damn good. I don't know a lot about Bloc Party, but regardless, 'Silent Alarm' turned out to be an amazing example of Indie Rock mixed with Post-Punk. The album's sound creates a feeling like The Strokes went outside for a walk and accidentally recorded some songs in the Central Park. Distorted bass is another reason why I liked the album that much, because its appearance always ... read more

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Track List

1Like Eating Glass
4:20
93
2Helicopter
3:40
95
3Positive Tension
3:54
88
4Banquet
3:16
92
5Blue Light
2:46
82
6She's Hearing Voices
3:29
83
7This Modern Love
4:25
89
8The Pioneers
3:35
83
9Price of Gasoline
4:19
80
10So Here We Are
3:52
89
11Luno
3:55
87
12Plans
4:09
81
13Compliments
4:38
85
Total Length: 50 minutes

Year End Lists

#1/NME
#3/Gigwise
#6/SPIN
#11/No Ripcord
#33/Pitchfork
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