Scottish-born, Franz Ferdinand’s rise to the spotlight
In 2004, Franz Ferdinand came out with their first self-titled album, and surprised the world with their arty sound, reminiscent of the Scissor Sisters. With it came the pop hit, Take Me Out.
The following year they released the much anticipated, You Could Have It So Much Better. Although it was just as hook-filled as their first, their second album didn’t make nearly as big of a splash on the charts. Now, four years after the release of their second album, Franz Ferdinand steps into the spotlight once again with the January release of their new album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.
As the band claims, the new album proves to be a bit experimental sounding. Drummer Paul Thomson has been listening to African music, and the tribal influence is definitely felt in both No You Girls and Send Him Away. The album seems to be a heady mix of pop and electronica, with tribal sounds and an almost reggae feel at points. Their first single, Ulysses, the band’s description of their rise back to the spotlight, sports a powerful bass line and a contagious dance feel. Send Him Away boasts a gentle, easy-going beat and yearns to linger in the minds of the listener. Coming in at close to eight minutes long, Lucid Dreams keeps things fresh with a delightful, hypnotic rhythm and a wonderful example of both the guitarist’s and drummer’s talent. The whole album is rhythmic and draws the listener in almost completely. The songs flow together well, and mesh into what seems like one exceptional story about an eventful party they attended. One of my personal favorites is the acoustic ballad, Katherine Kiss Me. The song is both heartfelt and a musical contrast to the first few songs on the album, being far more melancholy and quiet.
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is packed with both sound and emotion. Franz Ferdinand have obviously approached the creation carefully, and have masterfully created a work that is well worth listening to. Tweaking their pop, artistic formula, the band shows great growth and creativity. This album could easily be called their most complete work for its over all well-roundedness and easy-listening ability.
