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You Could Have It So Much Better
 
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You Could Have It So Much Better

Franz Ferdinand
3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (146 customer reviews) | More about this product
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Franz Ferdinand
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You Could Have It So Much Better + Tonight:Franz Ferdinand + Franz Ferdinand
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  • This item: You Could Have It So Much Better ~ Franz Ferdinand

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  • Tonight:Franz Ferdinand ~ Franz Ferdinand

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Product Details

  • Audio CD (October 4, 2005)
  • Original Release Date: October 4, 2005
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Sony
  • ASIN: B000B0WODA
  • Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,757 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #100 in  Music > Pop > New Wave

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

Samples
Song Title Time Price
listen  1. The Fallen 3:44$0.99 Buy Track
listen  2. Do You Want To 3:35$0.99 Buy Track
listen  3. This Boy 2:21$0.99 Buy Track
listen  4. Walk Away 3:36$0.99 Buy Track
listen  5. Evil And A Heathen 2:05$0.99 Buy Track
listen  6. You're The Reason I'm Leaving 2:47$0.99 Buy Track
listen  7. Eleanor Put Your Boots On 2:49$0.99 Buy Track
listen  8. Well That Was Easy 3:02$0.99 Buy Track
listen  9. What You Meant 3:24$0.99 Buy Track
listen10. I'm Your Villian 4:03$0.99 Buy Track
listen11. You Could Have It So Much Better 2:41$0.99 Buy Track
listen12. Fade Together 3:03$0.99 Buy Track
listen13. Outsiders 4:02$0.99 Buy Track

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
After more than a year spent on the road behind their breakthrough self-titled debut--just how many times can Alex Kapranos sing "Take Me Out" without getting his skinny tie into a knot, anyway?--you might expect the members of Franz Ferdinand to feel a little frayed around the edges. But if You Could Have It So Much Better was supposed to be a bloated sophomore album focusing on bad airline meals and cold hotel swimming pools, somebody forgot to tell the Mercury Music Prize winning Scottish quartet. Instead, the Franzies return with a disc packed with thrilling punk-pop treatises like the single "Do You Want To," political rabble-rousers such as opener "The Fallen," and lovely psychedelic ballads that explore the common ground between the Beatles and Bowie, like "Eleanor Put You Boots On" (about Eleanor Freidberger of the Fiery Furnaces, no less). It's a stunning, confident piece of work that suggests the band is merely getting started. --Aidin Vaziri

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Customer Reviews

146 Reviews
5 star:
 (62)
4 star:
 (47)
3 star:
 (14)
2 star:
 (7)
1 star:
 (16)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (146 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars This is a consumer warning, not a review of the music, November 4, 2005
This CD installed trojan-horse spyware on my Windows-based computer, without informing me. My company had to reinstall Windows, after erroneously purchasing a new optical drive, thinking that was the problem.

SONY/BMG releases contain spyware. This is not rumor, it is now reported in the mainstream news (...)

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RIP MP3s OF THESE SONGS, and play them on more than one device, as the CD is currently formatted. Think on that. Plus, you will have your Windows permanantly altered with tracking software.

I would avoid this and all other Sony/BMG releases until this issue is settled. In the meantime, perhaps artists could stick up for their fans and demand that the record company do better.
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22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars No Let Down, October 5, 2005
Franz Ferdinand's follow up to their sparkling self-titled debut, You Could Have It So Much Better, is another hook filled record. The one noticeable difference is a fuller production sound. The songs don't have that clipped feel of the original and they have a better sonic texture. The first single "Do You Want To" has a tremendous riff and a killer vocals. "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" is a great ballad that wouldn't sound out of place on a Beatles record. "I'm Your Villain" has a Bowie/Eno in Berlin vibe and "This Boy" is pure punk-pop. While the album is not as consistent from top-to-bottom like their debut, there's no sophomore slump here. The band knows hooks and they've shown on their first two albums, they aren't afraid to use them.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I Think I Have It Pretty Damned Good, November 10, 2005
By S.G.R. Black (Denton, Texas) - See all my reviews
I don't understand why people are so disapointed. Why do people want another debut from this band. They've already given it to you. "You Could Have It So Much Better" is NOT the same as their debut. It is progression. Why would you want another "Take Me Out"? No. Although I LOVE their glorious debut, I'm glad this not a replica.
However, Franz Ferdinand still radiates thier sexy tongue in cheek attitude only they've matured enough to incorperate "ballads" like the very Beatles inspired "Eleanor Put Your boots On" and "Fade Together".
"You Could Have It So Much Better" somewhat reminds me of "Veni Vedi Vicious" by The Hives a tad bit (and that's not bad; it's very very good). If there every was a complaint that these songs sound similar to one another then it's probably with "You're The Reason I'm Leaving" and "Well That Was Easy". These two great songs could very easily become one. Try and listen to them back to back. You'll hear the similarity but perphaps Franz has done this on purpose. Tracks 6-8 (to me) is a trilogy of three stages of breaking up. All around the album is all delicious and sweet. My favorite tracks are "This Boy (super sexy song), The Fallen, and What You Meant". Noticed how I didn't mention anything about "Do You Want To". Opps.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite CDs
I was introduced to Franz Ferdinand with their "Tonight" album, so it was kind of weird listening to their early stuff at first. Read more
Published 18 days ago by M. Benesh

3.0 out of 5 stars Could Have Used More Variety
Being a big fan of Franz Ferdinand's first piece of work, especially the classic "Take Me Out," I checked out their follow-up album to see if they could avoid the sophomore slump... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Flap Jackson

2.0 out of 5 stars You Really Could Have It So Much Better
This album is appropriately named, because you honestly can do so much better than this album. Their prior album was very good, but with the exception of a few tracks, this one... Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. Droubay

5.0 out of 5 stars Every track on this album was great!
Franz Ferdinand was very consistent in this album... Wonderful from start to finish, it's a permanent fixture in my ipod now, I could listen over and over. Read more
Published 11 months ago by C. Bottrell

4.0 out of 5 stars Well do you
While not as fond of this release as their first, it's still a frequently played catchy sound. Their energy is refreshing and doesn't feel contrived. All-in-all I like it.
Published 23 months ago by S. K. Harrell

4.0 out of 5 stars Not quite as good as their first
Franz Ferdinand went downhill a bit with their sophomore album, but "Outsiders" is one of the best songs they've ever released so this album is still worthy of purchase.
Published on June 27, 2007 by Jeff Loudon

5.0 out of 5 stars virtuous among us, walk among us.....
I have to admit, I REALLY like this album. I don't own the first album yet, but I can't imagine how it can be much better than this. Read more
Published on September 22, 2006 by Uwa di Mma

5.0 out of 5 stars So much better!
Although I'll admit I like the eponymous album a little better, I find this album a breath of fresh air to my somewhat-jaded soul. Read more
Published on August 4, 2006 by S. Groh

5.0 out of 5 stars So much better
This album is amazing. The first 7 tracks are all good, and then there is a mix amongst the last half. Read more
Published on July 16, 2006 by J. Wahlgren

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary
An extraordinary second album, it's even better than the homonymous.
Songs filled of intelligent lyrics about a group of people living in an industrial and decadent city... Read more
Published on June 8, 2006 by Wes

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You Could Have It So Much Better
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You Could Have It So Much Better 3.9 out of 5 stars (146)
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