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- Summary: The solo debut from Bloc Party singer/guitarist pushes boundaries with a blend of raw rock and energetic electro-pop.
- Record Label: Glass Note
- Genre(s): Rock, Indie/Alternative
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 12 out of 20
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Mixed: 8 out of 20
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Negative: 0 out of 20
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The Boxer is loose-limbed, electronic yet human and, most importantly, full of the experimentation and genre-blending Okereke always claimed to love.
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Alternative PressVocally, Okerele is in top form, making a put-down sound like a prayer or a military march feel like a pride anthem. Bring your glowsticks--and your heart. [Jul 2010, p.126
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All in all, this is a persuasive solo debut, confident, innovative and brimming with hooks.
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Bloc Party fans won't be shocked or dismayed, though: Boxer just ratchets up the electronic vibe of 2008's Intimacy, stretching even further sonically while maintaining Okereke's earthy, hyperpersonal songwriting.
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It's a convergence that really works though, with Kele mixing the adventurous side electronic music enables him to embrace with the conservatism borne of years in a guitar band. A really solid debut.
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Artiness trumps hip-shaking soul on too many cuts – although the gentle croon and gurgling synths of nondanceable songs like "All the Things I Could Never Say" make for nice dinner music.
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In reality, The Boxer is Intimacy revisited: A blunted, bored, watered-down retread, and the work of an artist whose unique voice can't flourish without dissimilar, energetic counterparts.
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Positive: 0 out of
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Mixed: 0 out of
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Negative: 0 out of