Album Review | Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

By Will | January 30, 2009

Franz Ferdinand have had quite a decade. They started it off with their self titled debut, arguably one of the greastest albums of this decade. The songs were funky, sexy, catchy and they had teeth. Just one year later, they followed that with another solid album that some people liked even more. However, the band has been away in the studio for almost 4 years working on their next album. The band said that the album would be more dance oriented with synths and other dance effects, but that their trademark sound would still be very relevant.

Well the album is here, and they kept their promise. The album is called “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” and it is a very accuare description. Songs like “Ulysses” are derived off a funky bass beat, and then lead into the dancefloor-ready chorus with groovy synths. The band has spicened up their sound with dance elements but their style has not gone anywhere. “Turn It On” has some hard hitting drums, angular guitars, and Alex Kapranos signature swag filled voice. The whole first half of the album is made up of potential singles. “No You Girls” is Franz Ferdinand at it’s best. The bass lines are infectious, the guitars are sharp, the band does work. “Twilight Owens” features a really cool synth line that proves their new sound can do them their own fair share of justice. It is good that they tried to experiment with their sound, but Franz is a band that could have kept the same sound for 10 albums and made 10 great albums. Listen to “What She Came For” and how it finishes. The last 30 seconds of that song is one of the finest moments in Franz Ferdinand’s whole catalogue. If they can find a way to expand parts like that into a whole song….oh man!

The reason I say this is because although the songs have some new elements to them, they are still very much Franz Ferdinand songs. Just with a bit more groove. The lyrics are still about romance and the night life. Not too much has changed when you really look at the big picture. However what has changed is “Lucid Dreams”. It has been re-worked to an almost un-recognizable 8 minute epic, and although it is a really cool listen I believe the pre-album version fit the context of the album better. Up to this point the album was a force of fast paced dance rockers, and the band takes a breath to strips things down. The production on this album is stellar and it does a lot for the band. Every hit of the drum is crisp, and every piano or bass note is mixed well with everything else.

I don’t understand the mixed reviews, the album is another solid addition to their already impressive catalogue. As long as Franz Ferdinand continues to make music that inspires them, it will continue to rock. They are naturally talented musicians, and it shows with the confidant muisc they continue to make. The songs are consistantly solid and they are just as catchy as their past songs. I thing once people sit down and spend more time with it, they will really get more out of it.