Intimacy
by Bloc Party
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Oct 28, 2008
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Observer Music Monthly
    60
    Brave, but forgettable.
  2. Spin
    60
    Even as Intimacy gets sonically or lyrically precarious--'Zephyrus' recalls 'Jesus Walks,' for Christ's sake--it does so while reaching hard toward something exhilarating.
  3. Slant Magazine
    60
    Bloc Party disavows their history and start at a musical Year Zero. But the band hasn't adequately replaced their former selves to justify jettisoning their pervious strengths.
  5. Uncut
    60
    In truth, though, there's not too much here to alarm the undergraduate population.
  6. Blender
    60
    Here, they simply sound jittery, putting romantic complaints to studio-worked music that's oddly brisk and busy, with a dissonance that drowns out the emotion. [Nov 2008, p.73]
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  7. NOW Magazine
    60
    The rewards are there--it just takes some work.
  8. Q Magazine
    60
    Bloc Party remain a band with the greatness they seek still hovering somewhere on the horizons. [Nov 2008, p.112]
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  9. Pitchfork
    58
    While Okereke has described Intimacy as a break-up album, it feels like more of a document of a band disconnected from itself.
  10. Sputnikmusic
    50
    Intimacy, as an album, is hit-or-miss.
  11. The A.V. Club
    50
    Bloc Party has a lot of ideas on Intimacy, but the band should have given itself more time to figure them out.
  12. musicOMH.com
    40
    At its best Intimacy is taut and claustrophobic or movingly sentimental, but for the main part it is repetitious and bafflingly poorly realised, especially given that they could have had an extra six months to work on it.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 78
  3. Negative: 2 out of 78
  1. Ricko
    Nov 7, 2011
    8
    The third album by the band. Their least commercially successful but I think its a really good album. Marginally better than A Weekend in theThe third album by the band. Their least commercially successful but I think its a really good album. Marginally better than A Weekend in the City and not quite as strong as Silent Alarm but the band showed consistent progression with their sound from album to album. All facets of the records are strong and it's very hard for me to pick out faults except there is a lack of killer singles that were present on their debut. It's such a pity that they have seemed to stop at this record with Kele going solo (bad move in my opinion). They've been one of the few "promising indie hopefuls" from the mid 00's that actually followed through on their potential and grew their sound.… Full Review »
  2. MattA.
    Oct 3, 2008
    8
    Let's just stop comparing both this album and A Weekend in the City to Silent Alarm. It is ridiculous to hold Bloc Party to that. Taken Let's just stop comparing both this album and A Weekend in the City to Silent Alarm. It is ridiculous to hold Bloc Party to that. Taken on its own merits, this is a solid, interesting album. The lead singer's lyrics are still pretty bad but they weren't great on their debut either and no one seemed to have a problem then. The thing that has always elevated Bloc Party is their energy. It was admittedly more abundant on Silent Alarm than it was on A Weekend in the City, but they have regained some lost ground with this album. So again, don't expect Silent Alarm and you will have much to enjoy here.… Full Review »
  3. NobodyDream
    Feb 20, 2021
    6
    An good album but not excellent. Some songs don't seem to have a pont or effect on the album, I'd say that the album is carried by songs likeAn good album but not excellent. Some songs don't seem to have a pont or effect on the album, I'd say that the album is carried by songs like "Ares", "Mercury" "Talons" and a few others. When comparing to previous albums like "Silent Alarm" and "A Weekend In The City" this albums appear to not being a realive of the band, but only puts more thing on the table. Overall, it's not the best album from Bloc Party but not the worst… Full Review »
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