Bloc Party

Silent Alarm ought to end up in the annals of white-boy dance rock. Though it may disappoint some fans of the Bloc Party's first EP -- mainly because the two share a number of tracks -- Alarm's catchiness alone makes it worth at least one full listen. And you will end up shaking it. Silent Alarm won't bust genres or blow minds, but it's a decent album getting a fortuitous release at the height of the new-wave retro craze. The melodies are Red Bull-addictive but still carry enough attitude to satisfy those who scoff at the soothing pop of, say, Snow Patrol. "Pioneers" and "Like Eating Glass" make especially good use of the band's midtempo mastery and the British throatiness of vocalist Kele Okereke. Yet these factors are also the downfall of the album -- the repetitive, overly consistent beat makes it all blend together, blocking the record's potential greatness. Nonetheless, with radio DJs attempting to inspire anxiety attacks with the mind-numbing looping of "Mr. Brightside" and whatever Franz Ferdinand single is hot now, the fate of Bloc Party looks favorable.