Album Review: Bloc Party - Hymns
I realize that this review is late (about nine months late, to be exact) but I might as well get this out there, especially because I sense this will be my biggest musical disappointment of 2016. What happened to these guys? I love Bloc Party and have for a number of years. Like many, I was captivated by Silent Alarm and thoroughly enjoyed the following albums as the band continued to experiment and grow. Some were better than others but the spark that made the band so endearing was still there, although by Four I could tell that something was off. There were cracks in the hull and the band sounded distant and forced, lacking some of the passion and raw energy that had propelled them to greatness in the first place. Hearing later that their unequaled rhythm section had departed had me severely worried. It turns out I had reason to be. Hymns is so lackluster and dull that I have trouble recalling more than a couple of tracks. Even after numerous listens there is nothing to excit...