After winning over U.S. hipsters en masse with its critically acclaimed 2005 debut 'Silent Alarm,' U.
K. rock act Bloc Party is aiming for a breakout with mainstream audiences on its sophomore outing. 'A Weekend in the City' drops Feb.
6 via Vice Recordings/Atlantic Records and comes with increased expectations in tow. Most notably, while Vice is quarterbacking the project in the United States, upstreaming partner Atlantic is involved from the get-go this time out. The major label, which found success in crossing over acts like Panic!
at the Disco and Gnarls Barkley from its indie system at radio last year, is looking to deliver similar results with Bloc Party. Driving Atlantic`s interest is the fact that 'Silent Alarm,' with little radio support, sold more than 280,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan - the best-selling release in Vice`s history. And during the course of 18 months, the band went from playing small clubs to 6,000-plus-seat amphitheaters.
Worldwide, Bloc Party, which is signed to Wichita Recordings, sold close to 1 million units, including 500,000 in the United Kingdom. With the new record, Vice and Atlantic have been quietly working a preview track, "The Prayer," at alternative and college radio since the end of October. But the big bet is on "I Still Remember," which was serviced in late December; it is going for adds Jan.
22. The romantic, midtempo song has a grand sweep synonymous with anthemic-reaching singles from Brit guitar bands. "It hits all the right emotional buttons," Vice GM Adam Shore says of the single.
"It has the most potential to cross over beyond their core format." Credit for that sound goes, in part, to producer Garret 'Jacknife' Lee, whose resume includes recent hits from U2 and Snow Patrol. Under Lee`s direction, frontman Kele Okereke, guitarist Russell Lissack, bassist Gordon Moakes and drummer Matt Tong toned down the frenetic feel of their Paul Epworth-produced debut, which drew comparisons to the jerky post-punk of Gang of Four and late-period Blur.
'A Weekend in the City,' particularly on its back half, is dominated by slower, richly textured songs (the lead single, as well as "On," "Sunday" and "Kruezberg") that stretch into pop/rock territory. "It`s got everything that makes a Coldplay song, plus more," Moakes says of the band`s more introspective material. "It has a lush sound without being too syrupy.
" It also features much more direct vocals from Okereke, who makes a big leap as a songwriter and lyricist on this loose song cycle that thematically mirrors its title. "I wanted to make something that could be more easily understood, without dumbing it down," Okereke says. Label executives are betting that in the process the band has found a way to meaningfully extend its reach in the United States.
The initial shipment for 'Weekend' is expected to reach 150,000 units vs. 26,000 for 'Silent Alarm.' Best Buy, Target, iTunes and indie accounts are all receiving special versions of the album featuring different bonus tracks.
Touring will again play a key role in raising the band`s stateside fortunes. Bloc Party was initially slated to tour in front of Panic! at the Disco last November in a bid to expose it to a younger demo.
But the band played only a handful of dates before dropping out after Tong suffered a collapsed lung. He has been cleared to resume playing when the group starts U.K.
promotional performances in January. The band will return to the United States for a headlining tour in March and will swing through America three more times by the end of 2007. Shore says, "They have made it clear to us that they don`t have intentions of just being `the cool band` forever.
" 'A Weekend in the City' is now available for pre-order at . Visit the for more information.
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