Bloc Party's Silent Alarm was the rare U.K. album that actually lived up to the delirious amounts of hype lavished upon it by the hyperbolic British music press. Indeed, this taut, urgent and remarkably layered blast of angst holds up as one of the most accomplished debut records of the 21st century to date and established frontman Kele Okereke as one of the more thoughtful young rock stars to come along in years. 

First listen: