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Posted on 19/08/08 at 02:42:21 pm
After the Dalek-in-a-blender experimentalism of 'Mercury', 'Trojan Horse' signals a return to the full-bore punk-funk riffing of 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter'.
The difference is, this time guitarist Russell Lissack has bought an effects pedal that makes his guitar sound like a swarm of angry robot wasps - and he uses it to fire off a thrilling, and uncharacteristically venomous, solo at 2.20.
Lyrically, the song finds Kele Okereke brooding on the wreckage of an atrophied love affair, and features the attention-grabbing opening line "You used to take your watch off before we made love", which triggers all sorts of interesting mental images, and makes us wonder if the song title is some kind of cheeky double entendre.
'Trojan Horse' is taken from Bloc Party's third album, 'Intimacy', which is being rush-released this coming Thursday (August 21).
You can listen to it now on the NME Media Player.
What do you think?
Permalink
Frank [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 15:24
Awesome! This is so much more accessible than Mercury. My fears over this new album have instantly been dispelled
Alex [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 15:29
I THINK ITS A WRECKIN MACHIIINNNEEE
[Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 15:31
Its bloody amazing and can't wait to see it live, hopefully at reading this Saturday :)
JB [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 15:54
This is so much better than Mercury, which really wasn't anything special, by Bloc Party's standards. Trojan Horse is excellent - an obscure twist on more 'traditional' Bloc Party, like Helicopter. It is put best by Luke above - "like a swarm of angry robot wasps" Brill!
wallace E shelton [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:19
brilliant, "you used to take your watch off when we made love, you didnt want to share your time with anyone." LOVE THE NEW TRACK AND CANT WAIT FOR THURSDAY!!!
Gaz H [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:20
...managed 20 seconds of it....horrible...just horrible....
adebaflor [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:25
why for once we don`t face the truth...we`re far from the standards of silent alarm, one of the finest albums of the decade,i think that kele and co. are crawling through their own cliches. let`s hope that the album is gonna be better...
Katie [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:43
loving it. way better than mercury. bring on Reading festival!
pauline [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:45
they've really changed but i like it
streetmonkey [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:46
what are they playing at????????
bouncyboooobs [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 16:47
well i love it can't wait to hear all the other tracks. ace review by luke! haha
Andrew [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 17:35
It.s amazing
[Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 17:51
This is huge!! Bloc Party have so far improved on Silent Alarm with these two new tracks. I can't wait for Thursday
Oli [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 17:53
i'm a die hard fan, i love bloc party and ill be one of many fans to admit that mercury didnt strike a chord with me, its no that is wasnt good its just that its no what i listen to bloc party for, if they matched silent alarms there would be complaints that they are jsut copying we should appreciate silent alarm was pure brilliance and also appreciate what they are trying to do here , a different take on silent alarm style songs, is equally a work of masterpiece from a band that never runs dry of ideas. the only shining glimmer of hope left that there is something to british music of quality compared to the lacklustre drawlls of repettitive nah nah nahs and BANG WEIRD ANNOYING AOUND of bands such as the pidgeon dectives and the everso irritating ting tings.
Kele [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 17:54
im a god
neil [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 18:20
im a huge bloc fan and always will be, and i totally welcome the change in musical direction; i was worried when i first heard kele thought playing guitar was boring and knew their sound would change soon enough. I was very happy with flux, less so with mercury, but trojan horse has certainly got me excited about whats to come!
Fin [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 19:01
Mercury and this song haven't really grabbed me the way Helivopter, Banquet, Hunting For Witches, or The Prayer did.
But I think it's too early to pass judgement on just 2 songs. I'll wait until the album's out, but this doesn't sound like proper Bloc Party - it just sounds like someone doing a bland remix of a Bloc Party song...
shambolic [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 19:14
this is awesome! it's classic Bloc Party, but with a new edge. Even better than Mercury (yes..i liked Mercury). and that bit at the end! wow! how does russel come up with it? I can't wait for thursday!
ecO [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 19:19
new pioneers of British music. Don't hate them because they have the courage to try something new.
Remember it would be so easy for them to churn out the same style of tune for the next few years and rake in the cash.... but they don't.
GOD BLESS BLOC PARTY ;)
jaK. [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 19:55
Since the end of the "Silent Alarm" era iv become increasingly woried about these guys. i know musically uv got to move on sometimes but they should hold on to some of the little things that made them great, like those sparkly guitar riffs they had. This song is actually pretty impresive though, i like it because i can see them playing it onstage, like theyre a band again!!
Canton, MI [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 20:15
Matt,
Two Words.
Bob Saget.
nando [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 20:19
not better than mercury only different mercury was pretty good and this one is also very good
BlindDeadMcJones [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 20:34
Love it! The infectious, almost "struggling" guitar sound is genius! And I'm loving the drums! MORE EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!
Wild [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 20:36
That's better! They're getting back to their old ways, but experimenting with the original style that we all love. Don't go back to Mercury lads. See you at Leeds
charlie [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 21:30
love it. its a brilliant mix between the experimental side of mercury and flux and old school bloc party banquet.
so excited for reading!
Bearblue [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 21:56
Class ! cant buy the 'better than mercury' shite tho.. looks like the band have moved on while you lot remain ignorant.. Intimacy will be one of the freshest albums of the year.. whereas oasis suck cock and always will.
Monkey [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 22:01
If this turd is what NME classes as "relevant" then I, for one, am glad Oasis are irrelevant. Utter poo which is a shame cos Silent Alarm was quite good.
tays [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 22:13
im not totally sure that i like the new 'direction' bloc party have taken with this album, it feels like theyve chucked loads of ideas at the wall, but nothing seems to stick. i know its hard to better silent alarm (one of the best debut lps this century) but in my opinion its change for changes sake.
i hope the next album is more stripped-back, and refined. note: dont get jackknife lee involved again
bouncyballs [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 22:24
this is complete shite. there was so much musicality and driving songs on silent alarm, and they have just gone straight down hill from there. kele now sings the exact same two or three note melodies in every fucking song. how do you all stand the monotony??
ralph [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 22:32
I would like to know what is the opinion of Mr. Rotten first before hear the song.
Jethro Tull [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 22:59
Shut up, Silent Alarm fans. It's a boring album and Bloc Party are wise to get away from it. If you like Silent Alarm so much then listen to the Foals. Piffle.
Johnni Lightning [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 23:17
This is more 'traditional' sounding Bloc Party. It reminds me why I first fell in love with them. But I think 'Mercury' is the most amazing song they've done. At the end of the day Bloc Party will sound like Bloc Party as long as Kele's amazing voice and heartfelt lyrics are on the tracks. I still feel the buzz I felt from the first time I heard 'Helicopter' a couple of years ago.
whatever [Visitor] //August 19 2008 at 23:35
don't want to sound thick
but what exactly is the double entendre in the title
Billy From Acton [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 02:28
wow that new tune is totally bang ! its like bloc party to the force of a million multiplied by twelve! like premium Bloc Party - only more so ! Totally bang and a Bloc Party to boot - ill be buying this on my power scooter day it comes out - Back of the net - Bloc Party have triumphed over the forces of adversity once more! Next we will take Russia ! and TAP into america.
zayus [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 02:38
Ooh, this is nice. Then again, I liked Mercury & Idea for a Story a lot
Boos [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 03:38
It's really brilliant!!!!! Look forward to listening to their new album
Boos [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 03:39
It's really brilliant!!!!! Look forward to listening to their new album
Louis [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 06:27
Very good.
nick [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 06:53
that solo, russell at his best.
Alex Hoban [Member] //August 20 2008 at 08:21
like a pier, it's a disappointed bridge.
Ken [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 09:35
Love the new track! can't wait for tomorrow to download the new album spend the day listening to it and then go hear them live in Marley Park Dublin tomorrow night.. quality
thomas [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 09:47
it's not as good as silent alarm, but at least it's better then mercury
Hugh [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 11:27
Ho Hum
Mr Siak [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 12:18
Ohh yeah! The guitar solo brings a huge smile to my face!! SO exicited.Really am.
Mrharmonica [Visitor] //August 20 2008 at 19:07
Thought mercury was good! This is as good even though both songs appeal to completely different groups. There showing there versatility and can always look forward to a bloc party album to get your teeth into!
JB [Visitor] //August 21 2008 at 10:10
Trojan Horse is awesome, but the whole album is also amazing - Halo being the best
thevoice oftruth [Visitor] //August 21 2008 at 15:31
silent alarm was full of filler, a weekend in the city also. I fully expect this album to be the same mix of absolutely outstanding and merely average
Santi [Visitor] //August 25 2008 at 13:35
I liked it, but that might be because I thought their last album was complete shit.
Get Over It [Visitor] //August 29 2008 at 23:11
I was head over heels for Silent Alarm and continue to worship the Bloc boys through every album, they never go wrong. Its pathetic when you see all the comments from the people that loved the first album and now dont accept anything new, almost just so they can say 'I only liked their old stuff, Im a true fan'...get over it, listen properly and realise that these guys are moving on with the times and continuing to make incredible music.
Fool and Horse [Visitor] //August 30 2008 at 01:01
BORING BORING BORING. Completely DULL. Bring back Silent Alarm.
ace [Visitor] //September 1 2008 at 17:36
This really is a tremendous track. Mercury is interesting and a grower but TH is an out-of-control thumper. Cannot be listened to without air guitaring that solo from 2'20'' on...best single they've released.
bill drummond [Visitor] //September 7 2008 at 17:38
oh god, how much do we need a new punk revolt to kill all this ballless shit?
Ben [Visitor] //September 7 2008 at 17:57
It's excellent, even better than mercury, which was brilliant. One Month Off's even better though
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