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. ericar
    May 7, 2005
    8
    This album is not your regular indie album. You hear everythign from reggae to punk undertones. Its a great album to get you in the mood to go out and party.
  2. markw
    Apr 26, 2005
    8
    Silent Alarm is a diverse and extremely competent album. Many of the tracks shine individually and with an impressive consistenty of quality - there's barely a bad track on it. Bands that offer this consistency are a rare thing. I'm sick of seeing them compared to Franz Ferdinand. Bloc Party are way better and have none of the pretentiousness of FF. Bloc Party's lead singer Silent Alarm is a diverse and extremely competent album. Many of the tracks shine individually and with an impressive consistenty of quality - there's barely a bad track on it. Bands that offer this consistency are a rare thing. I'm sick of seeing them compared to Franz Ferdinand. Bloc Party are way better and have none of the pretentiousness of FF. Bloc Party's lead singer has a way better voice too!… Expand
  3. JeffS
    Jun 17, 2005
    8
    A very good, solid, and most importantly complete rock album. Every track is enjoyable if not memorable.
  4. carlos
    May 16, 2005
    8
    like....good skills and songs.
  5. lucab
    Sep 19, 2005
    8
    i find the first part of the album a breathtaking 1-2-3-4! this album is catchy, but better than the others of the same "cathegory"; they're good performers too.
  6. giulia
    Mar 22, 2005
    7
    i m not such a fan of their music, but they seem to be very nice. and the music isnt that bad. i will give it an other try i guess.
  7. gusmac
    May 18, 2005
    7
    ok album nothing spectacular
  8. tim
    May 25, 2005
    7
    pretty f-ing good, but some of the tracks are too emo-y for my exquisite pallete. listen to modest mouse. if you do not like them, you do not deserve to have ears.
  9. GlennM
    Aug 26, 2005
    7
    better than most of the crap bands that this one is related with (killers, futureheads, kaiserchiefs, franz ferdinand) but still is not special at all
  10. AdamW
    Jul 6, 2007
    7
    Okay album - sounds terrible though - really bad mastering - flat and dull. Just a horrible sound. Passable for the ipod, but think I'm going to take the CD back and get a refund as it just sounds totally sh*t through the stereo.
  11. MarkK
    Apr 24, 2005
    7
    The first 4 tracks are really really good. However, the rest is, it seems, mediocre at times. Its a good album. However, after the first good week of listening I've moved to just listening to songs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8.
  12. MatthewL
    Jul 15, 2005
    7
    Consistently good, occasionally very good, but never great.
  13. 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
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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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