Anatomy Of A Brief Romance

Pitchfork 2.0/10 Twenty-one years ago, the group opened its debut LP with a breakup song for the ages. Its latest comeback is a breakup record that may have even longtime fans eyeing the exit.

DIY 3/5 A bold, personal, narrative work that justifies Bloc Party’s existence far beyond their debut.

Under The Radar 7.0/10 Though Anatomy of a Brief Romance recounts a loss of love for Okereke, this feels like the first album since Four where the band have fully healed and become whole again. The desire for whoever this former partner was is well and truly spent, but the passion for Bloc Party 2.0 begins anew.

Clash 7/10 It may not be among their finest work, but ‘Anatomy Of A Brief Romance’ is surely a cathartic release for its composer and for listeners who see their own experiences reflected in it.

Slant 3/5 The album dissects a doomed affair with all the intimacy and oversharing that entails.

Spectrum Culture 42% Kele Okereke is less interested in letting us in than he is in just airing things out, and the experience is about as pleasant as that sounds.

The Irish Times 3/5 For better or worse ... this is Bloc Party but different.