By: Holly Hudson
Bloc Party’s seventh album, a collab with producer Trevor Horn, takes a more synth-pop route while still staying true to narrative-forward lyrics. According to an interview with Will Richards of Rolling Stone Magazine, the album is inspired by a true relationship that singer Kele Okereke went through, following a difficult breakup with the father of his children after 11 years together.
It’s one of the most autobiographical albums Okereke has ever done, with all the anecdotes and details drawn from actual events. It makes for some very raw and honest lyricism, and also gave him an opportunity to process this relationship and spin it into something new. Another unique aspect is that here, he highlights his sexuality in a way that some of Bloc Party’s older albums don’t. In Anatomy of a Brief Romance, the story isn’t just about his relationship, but specifically a relationship with another man. When he first started making music, Okereke was out in his personal life, but not comfortable doing so professionally, so the progression to where he is now feels like a milestone. It’s especially relevant in this current moment politically, as queer rights come under attack across the globe. As Okereke put it, “I feel… with what’s happening in the world right now, there is a desire to be visible and a desire to live.”
I feel this album is best when looked at in three parts, following along with the narrative of the relationship.
The first tracks center on Okereke meeting this new man and their early days together. The opening track, “22.01.22,” is a softer song, where the vocals carry. The title being a date grounds the entire album (and by extension, the relationship it describes) in a time scale. It feels like wearing rose-colored glasses and feeling that rush of the initial infatuation with someone, where the world seems to feel a bit brighter. The synths and blind faith continue in “Coming on Strong”, which focuses heavily on their first meetings, before the two even really know each other. The way the guitars follow the chorus is very fun to hear. The wonders of new love continue in “Love Bomb,” characterized by its interesting beat. Then comes “Pigwig,” which is almost manic in its wishful thinking and positivity. Here Okereke fantasizes about all the things to come with his new lover. It’s a deceptively catchy song, where you find yourself nodding along without realizing. “Lagoon Blue” then winds you back down and into a soft melody, like a long exhale after a moment of excitement. The lyrics describe how he’s settling into this new relationship, after the honeymoon phase, complete with a lovely build up to the crescendo.
From here, the tone begins to shift as Okereke settles into this relationship. In “Muscleworks,” doubt and second guessing begin to creep in, as he asks over and over: “Who is he?” about another man at the gym. At the end, there’s a note of desperation as he repeats that question, amid some punchier guitars. “Clark Kent” opens with a banger bassline and beat, amid lyrics questioning the foundations of this relationship, as he ponders whether any of this can be real. “Worst Birthday Ever” has a flow of lyrics that’s more reminiscent of older works, with the instruments once again reflecting the singer’s anger about the imminent breakup.
In the last section, Okereke processes the ending of this relationship, guts and all. “Not Your Problem” has a catchy chorus interspersed with both singing and spoken sections. One of the weaker tracks, but it still sets up the situation, and the others pick up that slack. Next is “Now We Can’t Be Friends,” which lures you in with another catchy opening beat, before hitting you with some achingly honest lyrics. It’s one of the strongest tracks on the entire album. On “Rotherhithe,” he focuses more on the grief than the anger of this breakup, especially about the loss not just of a partner but also a friend. Even as he reminisces on the little things between the two of them, he is also processing and beginning to work up the strength to move on.
“Stories” continues this, with the title having a double meaning. Okereke recounts both stories the two shared, and also the fact that he sees his ex looking at his Instagram stories. It captures this idea of the past still haunting the present, and suggests that he’s not the only one struggling with this ending. “Moving On” is like a last flash of anger on this album, not just at the situation but with himself for feeling unable to move past what has happened. This song is another strong one, with a sound that is more reminiscent of older works like A Weekend in the City (which turns 20 next year!) and yet, in his own way he is also starting to meet new people and begin moving on, difficult as it is. The album concludes with “Eulogy.” Here, he gives a send off to his ex, wishing him well and hoping that in time he meets someone else and forgets about what happened. I’m a sucker for ending tracks with this particular tone of forgiveness rather than anger, a la “Winter Buds” by Citizen, and for this album in particular it was perfect. The last line is “I hope your dad likes this one,” a nod to prior lyrics about tensions while they were together.
Overall, “Lagoon Blue” and “Now We Can’t Be Friends” were my favorites off the album, but I do feel it’s something that needs to be listened to all the way through if you can spare 48 minutes out of your day. Okereke lets his singing (and occasionally spoken-word) carry the album, creating a poignant story across 14 tracks that capture seemingly every possible emotion one can feel before, during, and after a relationship.
The first half has a charming bit of nostalgia if you’re a fan of europop synth sounds of the 2000s, with catchy beats and clear vocals. Yet, the second half, as he processes how he fell out of love with someone, truly carries the album in both lyrics and production. It may not be to everyone’s tastes, especially if you particularly identify with Bloc Party’s older works, and I can see how the released singles on their own got some mixed reviews. They tried something different with their sound, and it worked better for some tracks than others, but the story this album is telling is a powerful one, and when it translates well into the music it really hits home.
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