Second album from Bloc Party, and that means it's time for the haters to start crying "sophomore slump!" Don't think anyone arguing that point will have a leg to stand on with A Weekend In The City, though: whereas many bands play it safe on (or just break up before) LP numero dos, Kele and the lads have obviously taken another step in evolving their songwriting skills. Right from the jump, "Song For Clay(1)" is a posted notice that Weekend might not appease all fans: the guitars are harder, the drumming more raw and the tone more somber. But if you were feeling the really epic, anthemic styles on Silent Alarm, you'll find a lot to like here. Check out "Where Is Home?(2)" (which builds up and up at a furious pace for the duration of its 5 minutes) or the Radiohead-ish experimentation of "Hunting For Witches(3)." And someone make a re-edit using the intro of "The Prayer(4)," stat! 11 tracks; 50 minutes.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red