Bloc Party has laid pretty low since about 2009… with 2008’s Intimacy being the bands last full record.

If you’ve been aware of this band’s path, you will have noticed the indie/garage beginnings and the eventual morphing into a more rock/electronic act. Many bands from the mid 2000’s took this route (We Are Scientists also coming to mind). I personally preferred the stripped down garage rock myself.

Now Bloc Party has returned after 4 years (minus a single and a solo album by singer Kele Okereke in between) with their 4th record. Titled, well, Four.

I want you to be the judge, ultimately, but what I can tell you is that Four clearly sounds like the logical follow up to 2005’s Silent Alarm. The new record very much has that garage rock feel, and makes a lot more sense in Bloc Party’s progression than Weekend in the City did.

There are, of course, a few lower-key groovy tracks… but Four offers a heavy (almost grunge-level) feel on the rest of the album that was a breath of fresh air to hear. The track “Kettling” starts to sound like something straight off of Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream, while the closing track “We Are Not Good People” sounds like playing a Queens of the Stone Age riff at fast-speed.

“V.A.L.I.S.” is a more typical, groovy Bloc Party tune that you might expect, and “Team A” sounds like it could have been pulled right off of Silent Alarm.

Bottom Line: older fans of Bloc Party should be thrilled with Four. Heavy riffs, strong grooves, a stripped-down garage feel… my only real complaint is that the more mellow songs lack much of a climax. They seem to cruise along at a pleasant, but un-interesting pace. The more rockin’ tunes are totally worth the purchase, however.

Rating: 8/10