Four. The New Bloc Party Album is Called 'Four'

COMMENTARY | Four years after the release of their critically acclaimed album "Intimacy," British indie rock/alternative band Bloc Party has sprung from the ashes of their hiatus and announced their forthcoming album "Four." As a longtime Bloc Party fan, I sit here with a giant grin of anticipation on my face for its Aug. 20 release. Bloc Party has been one of the most interesting and unique bands to grace the music scene in quite some time.

The British quartet had been working on the long awaited album while cooped up during their jam sessions in New York (where they were going under their new label Frenchkiss records). A trailer and release date were sent out on May 31. The album trailer, which is comprised of short soundbites from the album samples, has received nothing but praise from fans of both older material and new. The band appears to have evolved once again, sporting a newer, more refined, sound.

With this announcement, a few questions arise. Questions which have created quite a bit of controversy among Bloc Party's fan base. As a band that has been known to experiment with their sound with each new entry, Bloc party's "Four" appears as if it will be a bit of a wild card. Simply put, fans don't know what to expect. Will we be getting a loud and impressive showcase of guitar-centric indie rock like in their debut album "Silent Alarm?" Or are we to expect mellower and emotionally driven tunes like those of "A Weekend in The City." Perhaps Bloc Party will continue on their new-found electronic sound from "Intimacy."

It is a question of personal preference, really. The reality of it is: how well the new work is received is entirely dependent on individual preference of music genre. Some fans have been wishing for Bloc Party to return to their days of guitar-heavy indie rock and others seemed quite content in their more recent switch to electronica and heavy use of synth. Whatever the case may be, "Four" is looking to be one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2012.