Kele Okereke's Fatherland. Courtesy End Records
Kele Okereke's Fatherland. Courtesy End Records
Kele Okereke's Fatherland. Courtesy End Records
Kele Okereke's Fatherland. Courtesy End Records

Album review: Parenthood has been good for Kele Okereke – but not necessarily for his music


  • English
  • Arabic

Fatherland

Kele Okereke

(BMG)

It followed that the first two solo albums from Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke centred around electro-pop, given his day job's mid-career beat-embellished overtones. Now, with the indie-rockers increasingly introducing pastoral elements to their propulsive indie-rock, Okereke has started to move into a straight-up folk direction.

Fatherland is a grown-up record coloured by, as you might guess from the title, becoming a parent. The world inevitably looks different under such a focus, although shorn of Okereke's sinewy, paranoid explorations of single life and its pitfalls, his sometimes clumsy lyricism is a little too exposed. Take Capers, which resembles the soundtrack to a PG-rated version of Boardwalk Empire, while idly mentioning interest rates as if discussing mortgage payments is now considered interesting art.

Versions of Us is a rather subtler show of his capabilities, however – the duet with English singer Corinne Bailey Rae is tender and touching. And Portrait has a quiet splendour at its orchestral core that recalls a male take on charismatic American singer-songwriter Regina Spektor.

Fatherland is certainly fingerpicking, but is it good? It is undeniably the sound of a man becoming more comfortable in his own skin, although those who enjoyed the urgency of his past endeavours may feel a little flat.

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

Fatherland

Kele Okereke

(BMG)