Franz Ferdinand: Tonight-CHERRY POPPIN' REVIEW!

Before I begin this let me explain what I’m doing. I purchased this album and have yet to listen to it. I’ve been into Franz Ferdinand since the “Take Me Out” video came out in my Junior(?) year of high school. Through criticism from my friends that they were too simple and sounded like Modest Mouse (who was blowing up at the same time), I fought hard for my right to listen to simple, fun music. And now here I am, using them as guinea pigs for my newest idea. I have never listened to this album, and as I do for the first time, I will give you my first impression on each song. Maybe this style will work, maybe it will fail miserably, we shall soon see!



1. Ulysses- Very fitting introductory track. Layers slowly, which got my foot tapping pretty quickly. The synthesizer that comes in really makes the track, something that Franz has never really done before. The vocals have a bit of Bowie inflected in them, but that really doesn’t take away from the overall song. I really liked this one. Fantastic start to the album.
2. Turn it On-The bass and guitar line in the first few seconds is nice, very complimentary. The music seems a bit more intense and aware than on their prior albums, or maybe it’s the mixing. I like the lyrics here, kind of a biting love song from Alex Kapranos. It’s a slight shift in tone from the first track, which is always good. Decent track, might get a bit more memorable with a few more plays. I liked the gang vocals in the chorus.
3. No You Girls- This track is pretty funky. The vocal melody is a little weak, but the bass and rhythm guitar more than make up for it. Nice kick in the chorus too. I like the lyrics and she gender shift in the last chorus. Seems reminiscent of prior FF. but I’m not minding too much.
4. Send Him Away- More really cool synth. Kind of has a dense Booker T and the M.G.’s feel. It’s pretty mellow, which is a nice tone change. Another good bassline walking around in the back. The change about halfway through the song is really cool. Nice rhythm from the drums. This song seems to go through phases more than anything else, a jazzy beginning, a real funky middle and a latin-shaker-esque ending. Nice.
5. Twilight Omens- This one is okay, the lowest point on the album thus far. Too much synth, if there’s one thing I don’t like it’s when bands that don’t overuse instruments at all throughout most of their discography have a track or two where it’s just overkill. If the guitar was doing some of the lead lines it would make this track better. Not bad, just not that good.
6. Bite Hard- This starts off like a ballad, and I thought it was an okay one, and then it kicks in and I was like “Whoa this is cool!” Very nice dueling guitar licks, and the synth comes back in a nice accentual form. I like the lead guitar licks under the vocals and bass. The double layered guitar and synth line is really cool, culminating in a guitar solo, something I don’t think the boys have ever tried before. The synth reminds me of Wolfmother. Nice comeback from that last track.
7. The bass is a bit tired at this point, but I’m still tapping my foot. Nice guitar effects, or keys layer in. The gang vocals in the chorus are okay, I prefer them to be used more sparingly, but they’re not bad. The thrashy ending is pretty cool, just not loud enough. If the song sort of crescendo’d into that it may have worked better.
8. Kind of disco-y. It works, but it’s another weaker point on the album. Too much synth, again. The drums are what holds it together. I’m not a big fan.
9. Can’t Stop Feeling- eThe lower octave synth is a nice change. The bass also seems a bit rejuvenated, he’s clearly playing a fresh rhythm. The drum and synth line are very complimentary of each other, and the way it goes in and out is really cool. A nice twist on their formula, I dig it.
10. Lucid Dreams-This is the biggest undertaking of the album. It clocks in at a little less than 8 minutes, which is unheard of for a band a simple as Franz Ferdinand. It’s their epic. And it works, I applaud them for taking a chance. The synth gets a tad tiring after it’s been going for over a minute, but it’s still cool.
11. Dream Again- A nice slower song. Nice percussion in the background, a lot of triangle or glock or something. The simple synth line comes in very nicely. A sweet little number, a nice way to bring it down before the album ends.
12. Katherine Kiss Me- A downer ending. While I expected a bit more of a punch, the band sort of lulls out the fans rather than returning to the same upbeat, poppy stuff on the entire album. Not a bad move at all. Kind of makes me excited for the next album they put out.

Overall Feelings: The album is good, after one play I don’t feel it’s their best, but it is easily their most experimental. The addition of synthesizers to their trademark sound yielded both good and bad results, but with a little work, I’m sure they can hone in on the perfect use of the instrument. The album hit a lot more moods than their prior catalogue, which is good, as they can’t be labeled one trick pony’s anymore. Maybe their lyrical content is similar throughout, but the music is good enough that I didn’t always mind. I’m impressed by the musicianship as well, as every part of the band stood out at one point or another. The weaker points on the album weren’t even that weak, I mean there wasn’t a downright bad song on the album. So I will wrap this up with a few summary words: Experimental fun that works.