This marks their seventh studio album and first album with bassist Harry Deacon, who has caused discussion on whether he’ll be a worthwhile replacement for Justin Harris. Does this also mark what will come in future with the band, with an album written heavily by Kele Okereke?

There has been a lot of discussion online about the recent singles from the band, with a lot of them questioning the current stylistic choice. However, in the full context of the album, it makes a lot of sense. This isn’t an album that was intended to be heard from individual singles.

A New Direction

I appreciate it a lot when bands step away from the sound which gave them their rise to popularity; it shows that they’re here to make their own music and not here to please other people. But when all that is said and done, a large majority of this project feels stale.

The first half of the album is to blame. It felt like the other band members were just playing along; they didn’t feel involved. It sounded too solid and disciplined, which rarely makes for a good overall track.

Harry Deacon Makes His Mark

“Coming On Strong” is a great example of new bass player Harry Deacon making his presence known. He is the only one who manages to consistently stand out throughout the whole project.

I couldn’t really hear anything at all that was worthwhile to shout about, production-wise. A lot of these tracks didn’t carry themselves on production value alone. I will note, though, that on tracks like “Muscleworks” I hear the same overproduced vocal sound you get from a lot of modern projects. There’s nothing raw about these tracks, as the voice sounds too perfect.

The Album Finds Its Feet

“Worst Birthday Ever” is the best the current line-up has sounded together so far. They do not seem shy about showing off their own talent and skill. It stops the album feeling like a solo project and proves why this is the line-up.

A major issue I have seen people discuss around the singles is Kele’s lyricism. Independently, some of these lyrics can come across as cheesy, and they do not leave much to the imagination. That is true to an extent. They do not always make you think much about what you are hearing, which usually works against a song.

A major part of music is how you, as a listener, interpret it, and having so many different views and multiple opinions on a certain song or an album is a big reason why the album is so interesting.

Kele’s Personal Writing

On the other hand, this album is personal to Kele. This album is written about his own experiences. I would rather it sound cheesy than for him not to open up. He is creative enough to create a full, coherent album about personal experiences. This is all a true story and is written straight from Kele’s mind.

But there is only so much you can divert from your sound before it isn’t the same act anymore, and that has been a huge question in the lead-up to this album. And after listening, I still don’t fully know the answer.

But what I do know is that before you listen to this album, don’t think of it as Bloc Party; don’t think of it as the same band that made Silent Alarm. This is something new and different; you must look at it through a different lens.

Final Thoughts

I will have to give Anatomy of a Brief Romance a few more listens to fully grasp the idea and the vibe the band were going for, but overall, this album is just solid to me.

There isn’t a lot of stuff that really sticks out to me. There wasn’t one song which I could pick out and confidently say it was the best and why.