Pitchfork

What do the men of Bloc Party want for Christmas? Our best theory is that they asked Santa for an extra syllable, so they wouldn't have to sound like losers shouting, "Ain't no party like a Bloc...Party!" But like so many of our other inappropriately personal questions about musicians (2003 office favorite: "What would Paul Banks' forehead taste like, if you could get close enough to lick it?"), this one may go unanswered.

U.S. Bloc Party fans, on the other hand, are getting just what they wanted: The chance to buy the band's upcoming debut album Silent Alarm domestically. VICE Records has signed Bloc Party and will release the album in America on March 22. The band will also be heading out on tour in the new year, but the dates haven't been finalized. We reported the tracklist for Silent Alarm in November, but are we going to make you click that mouse even a single time to see it again? Now that just wouldn't be neighborly:

01 Like Eating Glass
02 Helicopter
03 Positive Tension
04 Banquet
05 Blue Light
06 She's Hearing Voices
07 This Modern Love
08 Pioneers
09 Price of Gas
10 So Here We Are
11 Luno
12 Plans
13 Compliments

To further Anglocize the U.S., VICE will import a new compilation of grime, the British relative of hip-hop. Run The Road is also expected for a March release and features every grime MC you've heard of (Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, The Streets, Lady Sovereign, Roll Deep, Kano, Shystie, etc.) and at least one that you (i.e. we) haven't (Ears?). Tracklist numero dos:

01 Terror Danjah feat. Riko, Bruza, D Double E And Hyper: "Cock Back"
02 Riko And Target: "Chosen One"
03 Roll Deep: "Let it Out"
04 Kano: "P's and Q's"
05 Jammer Ft. Wiley, D Double E, Kano and Goodz: "Destruction Vip"
06 Dizzee Rascal feat. D Double E: "Give U More"
07 No Lay: "Unorthodox Daughter"
08 Shystie Ft. Ronnie Redz, Kano and Bruza: "One Wish (Terror Remix)"
09 Durrty Goodz: "Gimmie Dat"
10 Demon feat. Big E D: "I Won't Change"
11 Tinchy Stryder: "Move"
12 Lady Sovereign: "Cha Ching (Cheq 1-2 Remix)"
13 Ears: "Happy Days"
14 The Streets feat. Kano, Donae'o, Lady Sovereign, Tinchy Stryder: "Fit But You Know It"
15 Wonder feat. Plan B: "Cap Black"
16 Kano feat. Demon And Wiley: "Mic Fight"

Does the USA have a single musician with as cool a name as "Ears"? Wait, we forgot about Beans. So that one's kind of a draw.