Customer Reviews

Franz Ferdinand

5 star:		(221)
4 star:		(104)
3 star:		(47)
2 star:		(30)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

First off, I'll start out with the obligitory fair warning: You'll hear Franz compared to almost every band that has had some success in the past 2 years...everyone from The Strokes to Interpol and beyond.
Truth is, although Franz Ferdinand pays an agreeable nod to a few bands that have come before them, they have developed their own unique sound and comparisons will undoubtedly fall short. The best way to judge would be for you to see what kinds of music I really like. If you like these bands too, you'll thank me for suggesting Franz Ferdinand.
I'm kind of bummed that the album finally came out in the states...I imported a copy after hearing a download from the bands website a few months back. Here's to hoping that the band doesn't attract so much attention that their reputation preceeds their musical prowess.
I love the Smiths, first and foremost...I think they're one of the best bands that ever came together to record music. I like The Cure. I like Gang of Four, Neutral Milk Hotel and My Bloody Valentine. In recent years, I like Interpol. And I like The Rapture and even Hot Hot Heat.
The boys from FF hail from Glasgow, a town that has brought us the creative and musical genius that is Belle and Sebastian. I don't know what's in the water over there, but I'm considering importing some of it.
Franz Ferdinand come out on their debut album as a group of artists formed not for the sole purpose of creating music, but creating an atmosphere and a feeling. Fortunately for us, the guys just happen to be top-notch musicians and they've put together some of the best songs to come out in the past 6 years. Poppy? Some of it, yes...but not questionably so. Amazing bass lines, great high hat attacks and solid rhythm guitar lay down the backdrop for a painting that could only be completed by a soulfull, solid voice.
There will be the inevitible comparisons to Pulp, Interpol, Joy Division, etc. but none of them really fit the bill. This album has an overall feeling of coming from The Smiths' era, but not necessarliy a retro feel. Just as everything adds up to be more than the simple sum of its' parts, Franz Ferdinand is a unique combination of artists and musicians that seem to have come together for the perfect approach to inspired, clever lyrics and an original sound. That's right..I said it: orginal. Every band is influenced by other bands...it's how they take that inspiration and use it to their own advantage that sets bands miles apart. These guys are for real...and if you're a fan of good music that entirely eclipses what you hear on the radio in this day and age, pick it up and then email me for an address so that you can send me a Thank You card. Pick it up now before they end up on the cover of Rolling Stone as the band slated to save Rock and Roll. Then you can laugh at people who start to listen to them in July and say, 'My boys from Glasgow! I've been listening to them for like, forever!' Either way, get it now, get it later....just pick it up and decide for yourself whether art influences music or if it's the othe way around.

When they released their self-titled debut album in the UK in January 2004, Franz Ferdinand were hailed as the first great new band of the year. Unbelievable hype swirled around the new Scottish four-piece as they burst into the charts with their unmistakable debut. Their debut single garnered many pleasing reviews and made the band one of the most talked about of the year. With heavy-guitars and loveable beats, this is essentially post-pop melodic fun with hints of rock from the punk scene - all mashed together in a rebellious, yet fun-loving, way. The album itself doesn't even manage to make the 40 minute mark, clocking in at 38:49, yet with this album it is definitely more quality over quantity.

Franz Ferdinand have made an impact because they are different from anything else out there. Their beats are repetitive, yes, and their lyrics are simplistic, but it's the way the band are 'marketed', and I use that word lightly, because they are definitely not a manufactured band. They're outrageously camp, eccentric and very geeky - the kind of music you could imagine the high school nerds rocking to, but secretly love yourself. The music is a revelation, and behind that bland and boring, uninspired black album cover lies of a cracking album just waiting to jump into your CD player...

The album opens with "Jacqueline." The song opens softly with a light guitar and the vocals of the lead singer. After around forty seconds the beat kicks in and soon begins a brilliant fast-paced rocker with a definite retro theme. Following this is the excellent "Tell Her Tonight." With David Bowie-like vocals, the band sing about a girl who must be informed of something - the 'something' is rather ambiguous, however, making you think what it could be in the verses. The band's debut single is up next, "Take Me Out," which made it to No.3 in the UK. The song opens loudly and the beat soon kicks in, only to slow down steadily until the soon-to-be-British-anthem bass kicks in around the 55th second. This is by far the greatest footstomper of the year and an awesome hand-clapper! The lyrics are bright and vibrant, as are the vocals and the entire composition - absolute masterpiece!

"The Dark Of The Matinee" is up next and was the second single to be taken from the album. In this song, the band sing of meeting a girl in the matinee. It's very old fashioned in style, but the music is bang up to date and fresh: "Find me and follow me, through corridors, refectories and files you must follow, leave this academic factory, you will find me in the Matinee, the dark of the matinee! It's better in the Matinee, the dark of the Matinee! It's mine, yes it's mine!" The next song is "Auf Achse" which is a great song with a brilliant one-minute musical intro, before the singing starts. The song sings of wanting a girl bad style, but not being able to have her. So near yet so far away! "Cheating On You" begins like some 60's-psychedelia song that you'd hear in Austin Powers! The lyrics are once again repetitive, but who cares when you can nod your head this hard?! "This Fire" is a rather disappointing song that doesn't quite match the others on this album, but is enjoyable nonetheless. "Darts Of Pleasure" is another lyrically repetitive song, yet it has a pleasurable-enough beat to keep afloat.

"Michael" is the third single to be released from the album and has to be a definite album highlight! This is like the true gay anthem of the year! It really is superbly produced and very humorous. The boys sing about Michael, a beautiful boy on a beautiful dancefloor. He has leather hips, sticky lips, and is the most-wanted guy to dance with! The determination in the song is what makes it so hilarious, and it's good to see the band singing about a topic that would make other so-called 'respectable' artists criticised. "Come On Home" has a brilliant and very catchy beat to start off with and continues this through the remainder of the song. The song is similar to the rest on the album, and it might be difficult to distinguish it from the others to begin with, yet over time with repeated listens, you'll grow to love this as an album highlight! The album closes with "40'" which is a rather unusual song compared to the rest on the album. It has a singular beat running all the way through it, which is very catchy, along with the "Lalala" bit!

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

Franz Ferdinand have certainly created a unique debut album here, which has just picked up a Mercury Music Prize nomination in the UK, and is tipped to win in September. There are a few dull moments on this album, I won't lie, but the good parts far outweigh these. The band at this stage in their careers are in desperate need of progression and development if they are to survive for a long time. They can't carry on making music that is similar to this, as I feel the public would get bored and simply desert them. I look forward to the sophomore album, as it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

No, this Franz Ferdinand is not a person. Rather, it is a Scottish quartet who produced some of the most entertaining rock-y pop of the past year in their self-titled debut, shifting from U.K. stardom to the U.S. charts as well. It's undeniably a guilty pleasure, but it's also fun, catchy and fairly original.

The self-titled album starts off on a strong note with the bass-heavy pop "Jacqueline," the kickoff to a slew of rock-tinged songs (the catchy, heavy "Take Me Out," the slithery "Darts of Pleasure"), vaguely arty pop (the addictive "The Dark of the Matinee"), before finishing off with the quirky percussion, riffs and "la la la"s of "40'."

There is also a bonus CD, which has a few songs tacked in from their "Darts of Pleasure" EP. Among the stuff on this bonus disc is a low-key remix of "This Fire," the overwrought "Shopping For Blood," and the geekily gleeful glam of "Van Tango." The demos aren't nearly as enjoyable -- they're rough, which is to be expected, but they are also slurred and not catchy.

One of the most pleasant things about "Franz Ferdinand" is the sense of fun that permeates the music. It sounds like a bunch of lads having a great time as they make some very danceable music. There are some dud melodies ("Tell Her Tonight") after their strong opener, but it's all fairly entertaining.

However, Franz Ferdinand needs to work on their melodies -- they're pretty entertaining, but somewhat repetitive, like the rising and falling riff in "Michael." The riff's good, but it fails to go anywhere. More solid are the bass lines and the thrashier guitar work, backed up some equally solid percussion. And they have a great sense of what makes a good pop-rock tune, able to be catchy without being flimsy.

Singer/lead vocalist Alex Kapranos is a good flexible vocalist; he can swoon and shout, and keeps his vocals from sinking into the mire of thrashing guitars. He also has the admirable talent of being able to shift his voice to make it softer or harder, depending on the song. Franz Ferdinand needs to do something about the terrible high-pitched backing in "Tell Her Tonight," though.

It's not a classic by any stretch, but the rock-tinged pop of "Franz Ferdinand" is an entertaining diversion in the pop-rock world. And the bonus CD is just icing on the cake.

Well I love this CD. It is one of the very few I listen to heavily. Here is my track by track analysis:

1. Jaqueline 9/10. I love the soft opening intro. The second part of the song is catchy too, but gets a bit repetitive by the end.

2. Tell her Tonight 8/10: One of the weaker songs IMO. I don't believe the main singer sings this song, and it shows.

3. Take me Out 10/10. Awesome catchy song I can't get enough of!

4. The Dark of the Matinee: 11/10. My favorite song! Fun to sing along with, dance to, and listen to. Be sure to check out the music video too, its on launch radio.

5. Auf Asche: 9/10. good song, not great, but again, I never skip it.

6. Cheating on her: 9/10 Catchy, fun, song, but they have better

7. This fire: 7/10. My least favorite song. The only one I generally skip

8: Darts of Pleasure 10/10. I love this song! The singer does really cool things with his voice.

9. Michael: 10/10. This song took a while to grow on me, but now I really like it. It has some crazy guitar work, and all in all is a very, well, frenetic song. The lyrics are hilarious (though they may offend some.)

10. Come on Home: 10/10. This is a great song. A little more subdued than others, but awesome just the same.

11. 40': 9/10. A good ending song. Doesn't make you think FF just threw it in there to end the album. A stand alone song in its own right.

So all in all, a great album. BUY IT NOW! ;)

Eh, hype-schmype...I avoid reading about what's the next big thing.... though I haven't read reviews about this cd other than here, I would have to say I'll make an exception. It seems (to me) like it's slowly becoming trendy for frustrated teens/early 20-somethings who are tired of their generation of hip-hop & pop... *shudder*, so am I!! So, is it such a bad idea for there to be a shift towards nostalgic sounds...particularly the 80's?? Top 40 will come & go & be LONG forgotten... but apparantly 80's sounds are here to stay, & here's proof of it. Yah, FF is a "new" band, but they're totally influenced by post-punk, new-wave, etc. And if it's becoming "trendy" for certain crowds to like them, well, heh... at least I actually like it this time!!

Like a few others pointed out, I'm not sure if they're here for the time being, or if they plan on cranking out more albums... but, for now, who cares. Should you buy this album? If you like the single, of course!! Sucha cool video too... If you want something "new" that reminds you of several 80s bands you already love, of course!! Though...I guess it just depends how much it 'grows' on you, if it does, & that I can never predict. But I've been listening to it for about a month now, & I can't go by too long without hearing it... so, there's another reason, catchiness factor. It's head-bopping, toe-tapping, feel good music. The're some depressing undertones (which I never mind at all), such as not getting the girl in 'Take me Out' or 'Auf Acshe', but this is disguised by the beats, which at times can be new-wavish or even disco.

As far as the songs:
1. Jacqueline - after the acoustic intro, you'd swear you were listening to Joy Division or Southern Death Cult or something like it.
2. Tell her tonight - with a Breeders-ish bassline & scratchy guitars, how could you not get hooked?
3. Take me out - if you haven't heard this... hear... it.... NOW
4. Matinee - dangerously addicting, & don't be surprised to find yourself singing along
5. Auf acshe - waaaaaay cool disco-ish bass!!
6. Cheating on you - did they listen to The Damned at some point?!?! I think so!!
7. This fire - 1 of my personal favorites
8. Darts of pleasure - more "Damned" good fun
9. Michael - 1 of the catchiest songs, & sure to make you dance...& the lyrics, well, you'll either giggle & bop your head along, or be offended, heh
10. Come on home - I agree w/ another reviewer... totally up Blondie alley!
11. 40 ft - more Joy Division influences...& addicting "lalala"s

Overall, great catchy album, & I look forward to more. I definitely recommend getting if you like new 80s influenced bands like Interpol & The Rapture.

As most people reading about this band, I first heard of Franz from their wonderful Darts of Pleasure EP and couldnt wait until their first album came out. For those of you who thought that it would dissapoint, well, in basic terms they havent. This is the best CD of the year so far and could be the choice for CD of the year when all is said and done. To the detractors who said that they were too much like Interpol on the EP, those claims cant be made on this one. This is darker and more complex than any of their previous work. The only two songs I didnt really like were "Cheating On You" and "This Fire" which follow one another on the cd. I also wished that they included "Shopping for blood" on the debut but you cant have every ssong from the EP so i am not too dissapointed. Most of the songs on this CD are punky dance numbers that revolve around lust but some of their better songs are . My two favorite songs are "Auf Asche" and "Michael". A great debut by a band everyone should listen to but most people wont.

Like many people, I bought the Franz Ferdinand album on the strength of the first single, Take Me Out. This despite the fact that I have been routinely disappointed in the past with albums by other bands (that shall remain nameless) consisting of a strong single and eight or ten throwaway songs along with some arch liner note material and garish artwork to distract from the sub-par music.

Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised by the strength of this record. That's not to say that there isn't some mod-ish liner note material included here (there is), but for once it's nice to see that an equal amount of care and focus has gone into crafting songs that you actually can bear listening to.

What I probably like most about Franz Ferdinand is the way that their songs seem to be assembled with a sense of balance that's pretty rare to see these days. No guitar solos or self-indulgent lyrical forays to overwhelm the listener; only a tight harmony among all band members and a straight-ahead style that engages rather than overpowers. This is a band in the true sense of the word, rather than a collection of supporting players built around a singer or guitarist.

And for those who like to listen to a CD right through, Tell Her Tonight / Take Me Out / The Dark of the Matinee form the best set of back-to-back-to-back songs you're liable to find anywhere.

Happy listening.

Franz Ferdinand is one of the hottest bands out of the UK. They are from Glasgow, Scotland and they have taken the world by storm. I chose to this album because something new for most people into popular music of today, and it's one of my favorite albums. The songs on this album are very catchy and artistic. The opening track on the album "Jacqueline"), starts off acoustic and eventually builds into a rocker about living carefree.

The singles released include the smash "Take Me Out", which starts totally different than it ends, it has been compared to a rollercoaster. You don't know where it is exactly going but you love the ride. "Matinee" starts off slower building into a chorus which is nearly impossible to not sing a long with. "Darts of Pleasure" was another single released off the album. It's obviously a sexually charged piece. In the song Alex sings about wanting fantastic passion, the song eventually builds up to the end where the band chants "they call me super fantastic" in German. Like I said it's a sexual song so you can figure out for yourself what is happening at the end. "Michael" is a fast song made for and about the dancefloor. It's been called homoerotic; that's not a bad thing either. Finally we come to "This Fire". This song was remixed and released as a single late last year. It is about having a passion burning inside of you like fire. That's the best way to describe it.

Other songs on the album include catchy pop/rock songs like "Cheating on You" and "Tell Her Tonight" remind me of early Beatles songs. They are very catchy and danceable tracks. The song "Auf Achse" is a cold, dreary song about wanting love. It is one of the best on the album.The two ending tracks "Come on Home" and "40 Feet" are fine tracks to end a nearly perfect album. (4 1/2 Stars)

I'm not a music expert by any means, but Franz Ferdinand strike me as a cross between The Clash and The Cure, with more modern Interpol-esque elements thrown in. What results is a highly (re)listenable, original, catchy sound that'll satisfy that need to listen to some "Good Stuff".

A friend of mine suggested I listen to Interpol, so I ordered a couple of their albums off of Amazon and thought they were decent, although it seemed something was missing. Amazon always lists similar artists underneath any given CD, and I saw that Franz Ferdinand was listed. Having never heard of them, I offhandedly read a couple reviews and promptly forgot about them... until a few months later when I saw their CD combined with a bonus CD at a local "City" of the "Circuit" variety during their bi-annual $9.99 CD sale. I picked it up not expecting anything, but I gotta tell you -- I love it!

The bonus CD is really the deal-maker, with a faster-tempo'd rerecording of This Fire (it's entitled This Fffire on the bonus CD) that's much catchier than the great, original version (it makes me think of "That Thing You Do", which started out as a slow song until Guy sped it up; some songs were born to be fast... "That Thing You Do" and "This Fire" are two of them). "Van Tango" is fun and one of the better songs on the two-CD album, along with "All For You, Sophia", which is currently my favorite Franz Ferdinand Song. "Words So Leisured", while not their best work, is interesting as sort of a "respin" of "Darts of Pleasure", track number 8 on the main CD.

The main album, also, isn't lacking great songs. I've greatly enjoyed "Take Me Out", an instanly recognizable song (after the 45-second introduction), even if you've never heard it before. "This Fire", of course, is excellent, and "Auf Achse" will have you pressing the repeat button a few times.

The rest of the songs are all good; some may like the others even more than the ones I've suggested, proving that there's something good for everyone here.

Several reviewers have complained of this not living up to the hype. Well, what could? I've read reviews that call it 'one of the ages.' That's ridiculous. When The O.C. crowd moves on to the next big thing, FF will lose some of its momentum.

And that's okay.

This is one to enjoy. FF doesn't try hard to make a statement (e.g. Hives) or start a movement (e.g. Strokes). I'm fans of both those bands, but this is not that. This is period music in the spirit of The Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, New Order, and even a little Smiths tossed in for good measure. Not a ripoff, but there are recognizable influences if you were a fan.

If you're looking for one for the ages, look elsewhere. But for a lovechild of pop music lineage from the past, it's worth a listen.