Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1979

It is sure a great time for me to be a rock fan.
This morning I am cleaning the kitchen (well, not at this exact moment... I'm typing) to the sounds of Bloc Party, arguably the best of the current crop of (post-Franz Ferdinand) British bands.
Like so many of their comrades, Bloc Party bear an indelible mark of influence by post-punk notables such as The Fall, Joy Division and Gang of Four. The post-punk notables I mentioned arrived on the scene just as I was about to start high school and they left an indelible mark on me, too.
Straight from the opening song, "Like Eating Glass," Bloc Party's debut "Silent Alarm" signals that it has something special to offer.
Singer Kele Okereke sounds like Damon Albarn on Blur's more punk-oriented numbers. Guitarist Russell Lissack and bassist Gordon Moakes sound like they have stepped right out of Manchester circa 1980.
The key to Bloc Party's greatness, though, lies in the talents of Matt Tong.
Tong's drumming throughout "Silent Alarm" is nothing short of a revelation.
I used to think drumming was just, well, drumming until I heard Stephen Morris drum for Joy Division and then New Order.
Tong is like Morris. He makes you notice the drums -- not in an obtrusive way, mind you. You notice how the spectacular drumming augments and even elevates the rest of the song.
It is a great time for me to be a rock fan and Bloc Party -- fuelled by their ace drummer -- are one of the primary reasons.
Posted by Hello