CarterSaidWhat: Let's Party On Your Block

Certain things when done for the first time are amazing. In fact, they are so good that you honestly believe that they can’t get any better. And they don’t. They get gradually worse never really living up to that first experience.

This is the case for a lot of things. Can you remember the first time that you tried sherbet dip? The taste was epic. The flavours slapped against each side of your mouth generating the most amazing sugar rush. However, after the sugar rush inevitably comes the sugar sweats. Then after the sugar sweats the rotten teeth are not far away. Essentially, getting carried away dipping sherbet sets you up for a life of sweating your way in and out of dentists. Which I’m sure you’ll agree isn’t really a good look.

Now, I understand that is just one thing - but there are loads. I’ll give you an example of something else that starts off amazing and then slowly but surely never repeats that initial wow factor: Bloc Party. I was addicted to their debut album, Silent Alarm, at the first listen. The album is solid, confident and full of passion and personality.

It brings together a post-punk feeling with minimalistic spikey guitars. I was, and still am, totally in love with that album. However, the latter Bloc Party music has never lived up to the standards that they originally set. Now, I’m not saying that both Intimacy and A Weekend in the City are bad albums, because they’re not. They just never grabbed me in the same way that Silent Alarm did.

So the news that the London four-piece are going to take a bit of time out to pursue solo careers is probably a good thing. Individually, they are fantastically talented musicians. So it will be interesting to see what paths they take.

The rumour mill states that front man Kele Okereke has been working on his solo album for sometime. He’s reportedly called it I Love Thalia Cable. And who doesn’t love Thalia Cable? Personally, I find it a lot easier to work with than three-conductor cable, or BX cable.

I’m excited to see what the Bloc Party boys have got in store as they run off into the hills to achieve their solo goals. However, what I’m even more exited about is the prospect of them reforming to recreate the magic that they clearly displayed on Silent Alarm.