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Review Summary: Franz go electro, embrace their true nature, and make their best album yet. If there's one indie who don't need telling that they should just concentrate on being a great pop band, it's Franz Ferdinand; and yet, that's exactly how much of the popular media will probably respond to this, the band's third full-length. Eschewing the darker, more psychedelic edges of You Could Have It So Much Better and replacing the diversity they provided with a renewed focus on synthesizers and electronic textures, it's probably exactly how the writers of sub-tabloid gossip magazines like Heat, Bliss, and New Musical Express imagined how things would turn out when the news was leaked that Franz were working with Xenomania. Certainly a lot of the latter's trademarks permeate the album, most tellingly their glossy and vocal-centric production.
It should, in theory, make for a very average album. You Could Have It So Much Better was a bold step forward from their debut, a movement into areas darker and more mature than their 'music for girls to dance to' schtick would have you believe. On the surface, at least, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand largely suspends that, failing to capitalize on the success of tracks like "Eleanor, Put Your Boots On". And this is before we consider that. in adopting synthesizers, Franz are bowing to current trends, nodding in the direction of nu-rave and the ever-growing influence of acts like The Klaxons. And yet somehow, despite all that, it's another improvement - not necessarily a step forward in their sound as such, but certainly a refinement of the debut that eliminates the filler and updates the sound without sounding like an attempt to pander to the Mighty Boosh-worshipping university students of the latter half of the decade.
The reason for this album's success on the latter front - and indeed, the reason it's their best album yet - boils down to the fact that Franz are one of the few British indie bands who sound natural when absorbing computers into their songs. Kapranos was never the most emotional singer in the world, favouring instead the stance of standing back and observing the action passively, with wit and charm but never passion; rather than questioning the actions of the little boy in "The Fallen", he instead asks 'what's wrong with a little destruction?'. The same is true of the guitar parts of Nick McCarthy, which have been catchy, funky, and crisp without ever being in any way pretty or emotional (even "Eleanor", when faced with prettiness, opted instead for piano when guitars would have done just fine on their own). Really, they always had more in common with Kraftwerk than their more oft-quoted influence, Orange Juice, and it shows.
But the hooks! You can conceptualize their new sound all you like, but what really counts is that "Ulysses" and "No You Girls Never Know", among others, are the kind of song that can get stuck in your head after one half-attentive listen. Tying witty lyrics to muscular melodies has always been their obvious strength, right from the heady days of the "Darts of Pleasure" single, and it's in abundance here once again. Franz have always been smart enough to know that their strength lies here and that nothing should get in the way of it, which is why an awesome/terrible lyric like "Twilight Omen"'s deliriously stupid/clever 'I typed your name into a calculator/And it spelled a dirty word/When you turn it upside down' sounds so natural in their hands when so many other bands would just sound terrible doing the same thing. It's what they do; the synths are just an entertaining sub-plot to their most consistent set of songs yet.
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand will undoubtedly lose out in the end of year polls to Dutch post-rock, average death metal, twee indie-pop with way too many instruments, a Leonard Cohen live album, and at least one album that's an hour too long, yet for this listener, the band have set down an early benchmark for the year. It will be bettered, as surely as night follows day, but there might not be another album released in the next 12 months that offers the same delirious, sugar-coated enjoyment, let alone one that matches it with Kapranos' casually whip-smart lyrics. And you think Fennesz is intelligent dance music?
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Album Rating: 4.0
"but certainly a refinement of the debut that eliminates the filler and updates the sound without sounding like an attempt to pander to the Mighty Boosh-worshipping university students of the latter half of the decade. "
LOL!
I've been thinking of the boosh the entire time I been listening to this album. I almost expect electro boy to come after lucid dreams!
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Tonight: Franz Ferdinand will undoubtedly lose out in the end of year polls to Dutch post-rock, average death metal, twee indie-pop with way too many instruments, a Leonard Cohen live album, and at least one album that's an hour too long, yet for this listener, the band have set down an early benchmark for the year. It will be bettered, as surely as night follows day, but there might not be another album released in the next 12 months that offers the same delirious, sugar-coated enjoyment, let alone one that matches it with Kapranos' casually whip-smart lyrics. And you think Fennesz is intelligent dance music?
fucking awesome end to a great review, brought the lolz especially as it's true.
tbh, i prefer their self titled the most at this point, but whether that's nostalgia (it came out when I was 13 and first getting into music idk). this is great though and really grows after every listen. Lucid Dreams and Ulysses are current favourites.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I agree 100% with gaslight. I don't even like electro pop rubbish, but this album has such a 70's back to basic electro feel that i just enjoy. Yes I even like the bizzare bit at the end of lucid dreams, It's likewhole lotta love's acid trip section for 2009.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Their debut had filler?
I haven't yet listened to this, but I am almost certain I will not like it as much as their self-titled.
Great review as always Nick.
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it's a banging album though davey
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Yeah davey I thought the same thing when I bought it. You just can't compare them, they are different. It's good fun through a good set of headphones too 
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I am expecting it to be Kane. But I really liked their debut (clearly better than Nick did).
Hey, why aren't you commenting on my reviews anymore? Too metal for me!?!?!? ;-)
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Sounds great.
I only listened to half the first album but they were always really catchy... I think I'll be checking this out.
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Hey, why aren't you commenting on my reviews anymore? Too metal for me!?!?!? ;-)
hahaha, nah man the last reviews of yours i saw were the def leppard and house of pain ones and i don't really have much to say about either artist. sorry man aha
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Tonight: Franz Ferdinand will undoubtedly lose out in the end of year polls to Dutch post-rock, average death metal, twee indie-pop with way too many instruments, a Leonard Cohen live album, and at least one album that's an hour too long
Gold.
Solid gold.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
great review. this album is so fine.
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Bloody good review, I disagree wit the rating though, both of their other efforts are better than this for me.
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Is there any Dutch post-rock? Because I am not aware of it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Good review, though I prefer their first over this. It's still a good album though, probably better than I expected.
But the hooks! You can conceptualize their new sound all you like, but what really counts is that "Ulysses" and "No You Girls Never Know", among others, are the kind of song that can get stuck in your head after one half-attentive listen.
I've been experiencing this with No You Girls from first listen. Best song imo.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Awesome, awesome review. Not digging this album as much as you, but Ulysses is a pretty fun single. "No You Girls" is exactly the same as Switches "Lay Down The Law." Which isn't a good thing
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
totally great review, just got me so much more psyched to listen to this soon.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
I really enjoyed this review, made me go back & listen to this again. I agree with a lot of what you say they do with the new album. Somewhat streamlined, attention to hooks, and I do like the addition of the electronics. But, this doesn't hold up to their debut honestly, I do like it more now giving it an additional spin.
Either way, nicely done Mr. Butler.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Oh, btw, Boosh is boss. Though I don't know how it translates over in the UK. Here in the states I find no one that knows about it. :'(
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1 word comes to mind: mediocreatbest
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Nice.
I couldn't really get into You Could Have It So Much Better, but I'll give this a spin. I heard Ulysses the other day and it was pretty cool.
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