Bloc Party - Banquet / Staying Fat
Published Thursday, 20th May, 2004 at 11:10 AM
UK release date: 4th April 2004
Written by Natalie Moore
Download: Amazon (UK) Amazon (US)
Buy CD: Amazon (US)
Mentioned breathlessly in the same sentence as Franz Ferdinand and The Rapture, Bloc Party attracted a fair amount of attention with the release of their debut single 'She's Hearing Voices'.
However we all know that pigeonholing bands into movements is an unfortunate and unsavoury journalistic habit. Call Bloc Party art punk, call them dance punk or new wave, call them what you will - it really doesn't matter. All you need to know is that their latest song 'Banquet' jumps and jitters like a cheap 45 and is an exhilarating couple of minutes of pop perfection.
The highlight of the track is undoubtedly Kele Okereke's frantic and nervy vocal performance. Sounding uncannily like the Cure's Robert Smith, Okereke yelps and wails over a tight, sinewy guitar hook. The verse is catchy, the chorus is catchier and the whole thing is ridiculously danceable. Superglue the B-side to your record player, this one's not coming off for a while.
8/10
