Silent Alarm
by Bloc Party
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 274 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 248 out of 274
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 274
  3. Negative: 14 out of 274

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  1. DaveK
    Jan 25, 2006
    10
    Bravo! Best band of 2005 indeed!
  2. NicoleN
    Feb 21, 2006
    10
    intelligent, original, accessible. great. my favorite album of 2005.
  3. BlakeM
    Apr 16, 2006
    10
    Fantastic easily the best album of 2005, So here We Are may be the best song of all time its nearly perfect. great music form song 1 to 13 even the last song is a ripper, listen to this album
  4. JohnB
    Jul 22, 2006
    10
    Silent Alarm really holds up well over time and never gets old which is a sign of a great album. I look forward to what this band can give us in the future.
  5. RobertS.
    Sep 16, 2007
    9
    One of my favourite albums of all time. can never get bored of this.
  6. Vampire25
    Dec 30, 2010
    9
    Silent Alarm is a great debut album. The songs are really catchy and I loved each one of them. The vocals were amazing and the musicianship is great. All In All, Silent Alarm is a great album. A-
  7. zdw
    Dec 10, 2014
    9
    Gets everything right as far as I'm concerned. Has a very energetic, melodic feel. You might not care for the vocalist - Kele Okereke has a heavy accent and sometimes sings slightly off key, but in my opinion not enough to negatively affect the album, but actually adds character to it and couldn't imagine this album without Okereke's vocals.

    Banquet is by far my favorite, the "turning    Gets everything right as far as I'm concerned. Has a very energetic, melodic feel. You might not care for the vocalist - Kele Okereke has a heavy accent and sometimes sings slightly off key, but in my opinion not enough to negatively affect the album, but actually adds character to it and couldn't imagine this album without Okereke's vocals.

    Banquet is by far my favorite, the "turning into myself" line has everything - the harmonics of the layered guitars, the start-and-stop tight mix of drumming and bass. The "I can't eat, I can't sleep" of "Like Eating Glass, the "so **** useless" coupled with the solo at the end of Positive Tension, everything about "Helicopter". This album is a true gem. I'm not one who usually enjoys most indie rock, but this has the energy and melody of pop punk with the thick sound of indie rock, and it works so well I'm surprised I don't see many others doing it, at least as well as Bloc Party has with this album.    … Expand
  8. cosmopath
    May 1, 2017
    10
    I firmly believe this is the best indie album ever made. It perfectly embodies the sound of indie rock with creative liberties taken such as adding dance-punk elements to some songs (like Banquet, for example). Every song has extremely catchy chord progressions. Kele's vocals are unique but fit the instrumentals incredibly well. The lyrics are surprisingly deep, detailing personalI firmly believe this is the best indie album ever made. It perfectly embodies the sound of indie rock with creative liberties taken such as adding dance-punk elements to some songs (like Banquet, for example). Every song has extremely catchy chord progressions. Kele's vocals are unique but fit the instrumentals incredibly well. The lyrics are surprisingly deep, detailing personal struggles and issues like depression and burnt bridges between friends and family. Finally, it's able to effortlessly switch between speeds and moods...and yet it all flows so well. Silent Alarm is really an awesome album, and is a must-listen to everyone interested in the genre.… Expand
  9. colen
    Feb 4, 2016
    9
    tight riffs riding on steady beats, this album affords a great variety of sounds and harmonies throughout its duration that checks every box and then some. its light and dark when it needs to be, necessary for any prolonged listen. even after all these years, very few indie LPs can hold a candle to this gem - this unfortunately includes bloc party's later offerings.
  10. Screamager
    Jul 21, 2017
    7
    An impressive, if somewhat flawed, debut record.

    After hearing a Bloc Party song on one occasion I held a particularly negative opinion of the group, and for that reason was apprehensive about listening to their critically acclaimed debut. I have since decided it would be foolish to rate the band on one experience and properly listen to a full length album. I must admit, that my    An impressive, if somewhat flawed, debut record.

    After hearing a Bloc Party song on one occasion I held a particularly negative opinion of the group, and for that reason was apprehensive about listening to their critically acclaimed debut. I have since decided it would be foolish to rate the band on one experience and properly listen to a full length album.

    I must admit, that my opinion of Bloc Party has improved slightly, and was immediately captivated by the opening song "Like Eating Glass". Despite being the opener it is the undisputed highlight, with its mix of hard hitting drums and a spiky guitar line reminiscent of an overproduced "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" that works perfectly.

    Unfortunately after this song things are fairly unspectacular until later. "Helicopter" borrows (or outright steals, depending on your perspective) its main riff from the earlier "Set the House Ablaze" by The Jam - and despite my appreciation for nostalgia, the riff just doesn't suit vocalist Kele Okereke's voice; it genuinely feels as though he is struggling to cope. "Banquet" is in many ways derivative of Franz Ferdinand, but whereas "Take Me Out" was a memorable anthem "Banquet" lacks any kind of memorable chorus.

    With "This Modern Love" the album provides its second major standout; a slow ballad with Kele's understated vocals - quite possibly his best performance on the entire album. Again though the following tracks are easy to forget, this time though they are rallying political statements in the form of "The Pioneers" and "Price of Gas". Album closer "Compliments" redeems the previous tracks, and ends the album on a high (albeit a slow and depressing) note.

    Silent Alarm is, in fact, a good album. Taken as a whole it flows perfectly and the performances of the rhythm section are outstanding - a harder, colder, modern incarnation of The Smiths. Unfortunately the vocals are not as perfect as the instrumentals and none of the songs, with the exception of "Like Eating Glass" and "This Modern Love", are ones that I would consider listening to outside the context of the album.

    I will say though, that Silent Alarm - from start to finish - has successfully escalated my opinion of the band. If this doesn't make it a success of an album, what will?    … Expand
  11. TheAnonymous25
    Jan 9, 2018
    9
    Este álbum es uno de los mejores que he escuchado en mi vida. Bloc Party supo como traer energía en el 2005, pero lamentablemente es un álbum tan bueno que la gente se olvido que existe y que es uno de los mejores álbumes del Rock Indie, y la gente debería escucharlos, porque la considero una banda infravalorada. Es muy triste saber que terminaron con un quinto álbum muy malo.
  12. swallsy
    Feb 5, 2021
    10
    It's 2021, and I just remembered this album. It came out in 2005. I was 17 at the time. I first listened to "Blue Light" on a mixed CD my friend made for me. I fell in love with that song, and then this entire album. Coming back to listen to it 16 years later, it still stands up. The drumming is out of control. And while it does have an emo-y feel to it (nostalgic for me), it is reallyIt's 2021, and I just remembered this album. It came out in 2005. I was 17 at the time. I first listened to "Blue Light" on a mixed CD my friend made for me. I fell in love with that song, and then this entire album. Coming back to listen to it 16 years later, it still stands up. The drumming is out of control. And while it does have an emo-y feel to it (nostalgic for me), it is really such a tremendous album. It stood the trial of time and is one I'm considering getting on vinyl now.… Expand
  13. RoyalKempix
    Jun 22, 2021
    10
    Subtle and furious at the same time, inspiring debut record from Bloc Party should be considered as one of the most iconic indie rock albums of all time. Okereke's vocal, originally a bit clumsy, needs only a few listens to turn into true, powerful voice, only enhancing the authenticity of the album. Since the very beginning, Silent Alarm has no weak points. Truly phenomenal from BlocSubtle and furious at the same time, inspiring debut record from Bloc Party should be considered as one of the most iconic indie rock albums of all time. Okereke's vocal, originally a bit clumsy, needs only a few listens to turn into true, powerful voice, only enhancing the authenticity of the album. Since the very beginning, Silent Alarm has no weak points. Truly phenomenal from Bloc Party. They would have become one of the greatest bands in the world, if things had not gone wrong. At the moment of their prime, their potential was almost unlimited.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best Album of 2005
23
#23 Most Discussed Album of 2005
16
#16 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Rolling Stone
    80
    Silent Alarm is dance rock, but highly caffeinated.
    Read full review
  2. Blender
    60
    Occasional flashes of brilliance transcend the deja-vu pastiche. [Apr 2005, p.113]
  3. cokemachineglow
    78
    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.
    Read full review
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