Bloc Party – ‘Hunting for Witches’

An icy electrifying riff? A beat guaranteed to fill indie discos across the country? An angry discourse on the state of modern Britain? It must be classic Bloc Party. Although musically a cousin of ‘Helicopter,’ ‘Hunting For Witches’ takes the Party’s lyrics to a new level with a tightly-crafted character piece. While the song’s initial themes may seem obvious, there’s a rare subtlety and depth to the words and it’s often hard to tell where Kele Okereke’s finger is pointed. The song’s narrator at first appears in two-dimensions with a shotgun and six pack, but then after all, he’s just “an ordinary man with ordinary desires” who explains that “I watched TV and it formed me.” If there’s a certain awkwardness to the words, perhaps it echoes the uncomfortable nature of both the band’s music, and the subject they’re tackling. It’s a song that captures the mood and moment perfectly, all with the backing of Bloc Party’s faultless musical talents.

Released 09/07/07 on Wichita Records