Electric Picnic 2006. Saturday night. The main stage. The rain peeling down, and Bloc Party playing the set of their lives. If ever there was a moment fit to put pressure on a pending second album, several of them passed there. Their 2005 debut, Silent Alarm, grabbed a burgeoning scene by the shoulders, pinned it against a nearby wall and earnestly informed it that this was the way things were going to be from now on. If you're expecting the same immediate impact from their sophomore album, you can put such demands aside. 'A Weekend In The City' simply invites you to listen to Okereke's recounts of racial inequality, smothering commutes, misguided sexual encounters and melancholic Sunday mornings, all imbued with an acerbic warmth and propelled by a clipped vocal delivery. The frenetic rhythm section is still largely evident, with a wonderfully excessive emphasis now bestowed on the supporting vocals. The buzzing hum of the backing vocals on 'The Prayer' instills a formidable, epic sound that carries through to arguably one of the best tracks on the album - 'Where Is Home' - an emotive, juddering assault on the senses. Overall, the production is superb, the arrangements staggering, the only downside appears to be the melodically cyclical offerings by the four piece's frontman. It won't wallop you about the face and challenge you regarding the price of gas, but it will hold your hand and tell you some stirring stories.
