After a four-year gap, the four-piece indie rock outfit Bloc Party has released its fourth album, “Four.” Despite the British band’s taste for numerical repetition and sterling track record of genre-defining music, “Four” is not four-star quality. Bloc Party’s aggressive guitar melodies and electric vocals make a triumphant return. However, like a freshman wandering whimsically through the Quad, the album lacks direction. “Truth” and “Octopus” channel the band’s signature fast-paced rhythms and manic energy. “V.A.L.I.S.” stands out with exuberant spirit. Other tracks, including “Real Talk,” are less successfuland seem bogged down with poorly executed blues infusions that sound (four)ced. A lack of continuity gives “Four” the feel of a collection of singles rather than a united album. Glimpses of Bloc Party’s former dominance and ingenuity on the post-punk scene are present, but listeners must pick through ambiguity to arrive there.
Grade: C+
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