Don't be fooled -- there's nothing intimate that can be found in the third album from England's Bloc Party. This is loud, jarring electropunk that takes off with the bold opening track, "Ares." There are lows (most notably "Zephyrus") and a few highs ("Better than Heaven," "Halo") throughout this uneven effort -- none with a hook big enough to reel the listener in. The lyrics dive into the icy waters of failed relationships. None of it particularly enlightening or interesting. In the end, "Intimacy" seems like a battle of too many experimental concepts. A love-it-orhate-it proposition to be sure.

Grade: CiPod picks: "Ion Square"