Review Summary: Franz Ferdinand are back, dance shoes in hand, amps in the other. Clear the dance floor, a Scottish bandstand is about to take place.
Essentially, rock music has taken on the faces of almost every genre of music ever created. From the early days of Elvis and Buddy Holly, to today, I think it's safe to say that almost every single genre of music ever created has been mixed with the, at the most, aesthetic aspects of rock and roll and its artistic merits. Now, the creation I say works best, as it is true to the form of both styles, is a style called dance punk, dance rock, whatever you prefer. Bands such as LCD Soundsystem and Siouxie and the Banshees touted styles of music that made you dance and boogie and had that rock edge to them as well. I say this stays true to the formula of rock, because let's face it. Elvis was a dancer first.
Franz Ferdinand is a dance rock band from Scotland, nestled in the UK. Releasing 4 albums in 9 years, all to some degree of critical acclaim, the band has made a name for themselves as the band whose main intention was to make girls dance. And by God have they done that. Four albums in you'd expect some degree of commercial stand down. Like Waco for Williamsburg. But in reality, the band sound almost identical as to how they did all those years back. "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions" is not an exercise in flaunting technicality and artistic gall. Rather, it's a clinic in making rock tunes that make you groove, you remember them, and you can maybe get down to if you wanted.
Tracks such as the title track and "Evil Eye" and really straight forward dance rock songs. No beating around the bush. Straight to the riff, the groove, the meat, the potatoes. No floundering about. There are some tracks that have less dance-ability to them ("Fresh Strawberries", "The Universe Expanded") but overall the album is just what it sets out to be. Dance-able rock music, a la the oldest of the old rock you can find. Alex Kaprano's riffs are free to roam on top of pounding bass tracks, a cue they took from the trance and house scenes that are famous for repeating bass riffs to get feet moving. Lyrically, there's a deeper level to most if not all of the lyrics, but on the exterior it seems as futile to dissect them as it does "I Am The Walrus". The lyrics are lyrics to be sung, not thoroughly dissected. I'm sure there is a meaning to most of it, but overall you're not paying attention as much as you would to a Neil Young song or even some of their contemporaries. It's just the nature of the music.
Easily put, "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions" is an album you either love or hate. If you're a more serious people, the type to bustle about in a cranky mood all the time, not wanting to listen to any music other than the most somber Tori Amos song you can get your MP3 player to download, than by all means avoid this. But if you enjoy rock, enjoy dancing, a good time and are a friend of a good riff here and there, you will certainly love this album.
