Bloc Party’s sophomore effort, A Weekend in the City proves the band has matured and that its music is decidedly darker than on its debut album, Silent Alarm. The layers of texture found in this minor-keyed, eleven-track collection make for enjoyable multiple listens. The vocals, multi-tracked and dissonant, command the songs while hanging on to the driving backbone of rhythm. The range of guitar work creates songs that are both up-tempo and sinister. With song subjects ranging from terrorism and cocaine to dance parties and martyrdom, each track builds its own unique structure. In the middle of the album’s second half, the creative juices seem to wane and the music takes a lighter, less distinct tone. From another band, this would mark failure, but Bloc Party has created such a unique style that relative mediocrity doesn’t sound all that bad. Grade: A-
– Andrew Fatato, Muse Staff