Franz Ferdinand

I love that this band doesn't sound the same in every song.....but they always sound like themselves.

didn't give a shit about FF then, don't give a shit now. This is what gave our era of music a bad name "landfill indy"

An album that delivered one of the biggest hit singles of the 2000s (the me out) and still managed to live up to expectations. Michael and The Dark of the Matinee were also big singles and great tracks but I had forgotten the strength in depth of the whole album. The brilliant opener Jacqueline, Auf Achse, This fire and the final track 40’ the album rarely misses a beat from start to finish. A great pop rock album that still sounds great today.

Look, Take Me Out was an all time indie disco classic, and there's some other good stuff in there. The art school thing meant that their videos were quite interesting too. But Alex Kapranos was rude about my boys The Chisel for no good reason, so in the bin with Razorlight they must go. Objectively, the only difference between Franz Ferdinand and noughties blowhards The Libertines is that FF rip off the same bands while affecting ironic detachment. Either way, it's a band that think they're dead clever for shoplifting from Wire, Gang Of Four and Magazine, forgetting that a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy eventually ends up a pale reflection of the original beautiful picture. There's some fun manifestoey ideas behind their style and look, and as I said, Take Me Out is great, Dark of the Matinee is fine enough and mentions Terry Wogan

A fizzing firework that has been let off in the face of a child, scarring them for life. They now live a sheltered, quiet life, afraid of making new friends. They will never find love.

In 2004 when they released this no one else was doing this sort of crisp sharp art rock. So unlike a lot of the Indie landfill released around the time this record still feels like a breath of Fresh air. "Take me out" thrills whilst "Michael" makes you smile, and throughout its impossible not to move your feet. 4/5

It is a refreshing album. Good to listen to after something more experimental or hard to understand. In short, it is a simple album, but here, simplicity it's a good thing.

I hadn’t listened to this album in 17 years. Made me kinda miss when bands like this were popular.

A near-perfect compendium of carefully crafted punchy post-punk tunes, bristling with brio and bravado. There's not a second wasted in the listening experience for this album - every single track chugs its way into your mind and stays there for good. And you knew that they'd be just as good at a gig as they sounded here. An outstanding album, and one for the ages.

2/9/2022 Today's Album: "Franz Ferdinand" by Franz Ferdinand - I reviewed this album right after the last on the flight home from Colorado and went song by song, but the text didn't save so I'll give a shorter and more concise review Edit: This did not end up being concise. This album is fantastic. Going into it, I had heard the title track, Take Me Out, which is a clear shining moment on this album with one of the best executed beat switch ups and lush background instrumentation and dueling guitars. However, that isn't to say there aren't other highlights on this LP. The opener, Jacqueline begins with a softly spoken vocal before the bassline welcomes in the drums and lead guitar. Like a lot of songs on this record, it is an incredibly danceable track with a great chorus that has a critical message of the daily grind of capitalism. The track The Dark of The Matinée is a mixture of 2000s alt rock and 50s show tune melodies, thus the name of the track. The chorus absolutely slaps and the track in general just keeps a really fun and danceable energy throughout. The slowed refrain that speeds back up into the chorus is incredibly well executed and every instrument is able to shine through the mix. The track This Fire is a fairly popular track that has strange vocal harmonies similar to Talking Heads but the quick and precise drum beat and staccato guitar strumming keeps it very energetic and the finish is very noisy and climactic. The track Come On Home is a fantastic track that might have become my favorite of the record. The subtle, yet dramatic chorus and incredible guitar and synth work gives this song an amazing energy. I should mention that this album has a very uniform sound and despite for the most part being quite innovative with it, the track Cheating On You just didn't do many exciting things with the style. However there are plenty of moments where there is tons of innovation. The track Auf Achse has these ringing synths to back the usual quick drum beat, guitar and bass and it works very well. I also like the bit of German at the end of it to give the title some context and I imagine have a potent message if I went looking for it. The album closes off well with the track 40', which just cements the entire vibe of the track into one song, with it feeling like a culmination of what came before it. It's a much more subtle and chilled out track and it gives it a somber finale feeling. The guitar riff that comes in around 2 minutes is great and the drums/cymbals are getting the absolute shit beat out of them. There's also a really cool synth line that comes in before it cuts back down to the more somber vibe. It leaves off the album in a fantastic way and I just cannot emphasize that enough. This album blew me away with it's creativity, yet consistency. Each Instrument always comes through the mix well and the entire album has themes of break up, anger towards exes (or the other gender in general), and positivity towards being single after a shitty relationship. I love this album and although some songs lack in innovation, it's really hard to complain when the album flows so excellently and keeps my interest so well throughout. If you like alt rock or rock in general, this is an essential listen. Score: 9.5 Phenomenal Highlights: Jacqueline, Tell Her Tonight, Take Me Out, The Dark of The Matinée, Auf Achse, This Fire, Darts of Pleasure, Michael, Come on Home, 40'

Take me out!

It's OK. *Pushes glasses up nose* A bit too derivative of Television in places.

Great sound, though everything sounds a bit too similar. Not my favorite, but I could listen to this all day.

really solid indie rock that I never thought to listen to before outside take me out

already know this is one of my favorite albums. didn't need to listen cause it's top on my itunes, but i listened anyways

Solid Album.

Great album with enjoyable hooks and gritty guitar work. Several fantastic songs with Take me out being a stand out along with 40' and in the matinee

This is an exuberant record where most instruments swing, and some song stories are vivid, moving at a clip, little time to be bored. I shunned this when it came out due to my weird prejudices, but think this is fine. This is a light, cake. <looks at my comrade’s review…> …or maybe, I was right all along?!

Blazed a trail for landfill indie. Utterly forgettable except for "Take Me Out", which wasn't actually good.

So, what, did a couple crates of original, sealed copies of Gang of Four’s “Entertainment!” turn up in a warehouse in England in like 2001 or 2002 and the government, unsure of what to do with them, decided disperse them through random cities and hand them out to the disaffected youth on the dole? It’s one of few plausible explanations for why there are so many bands on this list that have such a clear debt to Gang of Four and sound almost exactly like each other. I get that this was the shit when you were a kid or in college, but really, truly, it’s nothing special. Franz Ferdinand are just one band in a long list of British bands from the aughts chasing the same sound. The authors of this list seem to feel similarly: this record (along with several others of the same ilk) has been removed from subsequent versions of the book. Its rating here, well above legitimately influential and classic records like Sonic Youth’s “Daydream Nation” or Television’s “Marquee Moon” or the aforementioned “Entertainment!” by Gang Of Four, is puzzling and probably indicative of pretty strong nostalgia bias on this site. …Sorry for the rant, these early 2000’s British indie selections seem to bring out the worst in me.

Nasty ass album

Of course I love you.

Always love a good Franz Ferdinand album. I also got to find some new gems in the album along with the usual tunes I love listening to!

Would play this on repeat on first ever iPod on car journeys. What great memories

Great album, takes me back to my teen years

Every song on it rulz

Great album start to finish. Early 2000s pop-rock with a hint of garage. Fun

Really liked this album

LINDO MARAVILHOSO NEM PRECISAVA OUVIR DE NOVO

Muy bueno

amazing. great throwback. i love these guys

I was originally going to put 4 stars, but realised I'd heard it a few too many times.

Noire cigarrette vibes. So gud

What the hell? Why can't all the albums here be this good? They have a way with visualization. I love their line, "flick your cigarette and kiss me" from another album, but this one isn't short on the imagery either. You take your white finger Slide the nail under the top and bottom buttons of my blazer Relax the fraying wool, slacken ties And I'm not to look at you in the shoe, but the eyes, find the eyes

A big nostalgia hit as this album was part of the soundtrack of my twenties. A lot of that music I don't really listen to any more (The Rakes anybody?) but there's still a lot of good stuff on here, Michael, The Matinee, This Fire, Take Me Out, Jaqueline and Darts of Pleasure are all a cut above the usual landfill indie of the time.

If I transport myself back to 2004, then it's probably edging a 4, but probably more a 3 now. I'll be kind to it for the memories.

Bah, this is an ex-1001 album. See http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex What ever happened to Franz Ferdinand? I used to listen to this album when it came out, then forgot about it. Still has some great punchy pop tunes.

Punchy, funky dance-punk with a hedonist heart. Infectious, punctual hooks and well-crafted lyrics. Standout Tracks - Jacqueline, Take Me Out, This Fire, Darts of Pleasure, Michael

Catchier than a dinner fad, but not quite big enough to start a war. Really enjoy Dance of the matinee and This fire

I liked this: fun sound, peppy guitar. I wonder if they’re any good live.

I feel this era of music is one of the weakest, and this album does nothing but back that up. Should be right in my wheelhouse yet I find it surprisingly lacking. 3/5

Nothing special.

forgettable, nichtmal catchy; erscheint mir auch erstaunlich irrelevant für 1001 alben liste (2004!)

No idea why this is on this list.

Does anyone know anyone whose favourite band is Franz Ferdinand? Quirky awkward pop, made by quirky awkward men, with quirky awkward lyrics about quirky awkward subjects. Yes, we get it; you’re really clever and rate the Berlin trilogy above Ziggy Stardust. Go you… 2/5

Стихи - полный треш и трясогузка. Бессмысленное открывание рта под посредственную музыку.

Such a banger of a debut album. Punchy, well crafted pop songs

Chill. Good. "A bop."

Love this album

July 26, 2021 Love this! Energetic and there are some good cuts on here other than "Take Me Out".

Awesome album! Pleasantly surprised to find that "Take Me Out" is not my favorite track.

Earned their place at modern pop's top table.

Eräs levyistä jotka iski todella lujaa ilmestyessään 2000-luvun alussa. Kenties kuuntelin tämän vähän puhki silloin joskus, kun pitkään aikaan en jaksanut yhtään kiinnostua koko bändistä. Pari vuotta sitten nähty erinomainen keikka Kaisaniemessä palautti bändin taas ajankohtaiseksi. Hieno levyhän tämä on, ja hittibiisejä riittää. Take Me Out on vähän liian puhkikuunneltu, mutta esimerkiksi Darts of Pleasure on edelleenkin aivan priimaa. 4,5 voisi olla sopiva arvosana. Pyöristyköön ylöspäin.

This is grear. Allmost every single song is a banger.

This is lovely, just lovely! Happy to listen to it again.

Cool pop-rock/post-punk album. Traditional mixing and music instruments.

прям в стиле the strokes, а это тоже очень хорошая группа

Un disco super redondo (comentario obvio donde los haya). Me gusta la portada simple la música desde el principio con "Jacqueline" su línea de bajo y sus guitarras. Desde ahí todo hacia arriba. "The dark of the matinée", "This fire" y la gran "Take me out". La verdad es que hacía tiempo que no lo oía todo seguido y es un disco de 5 estrellas *****.

Big fan

definitely one of my favourite bands of all time. Really enjoyed Darts of Pleasure more than I ever have before. Huge fan.

Excelente disco. Lleno de rock fresco

One of my all time favorite albums

I was worried when I got this album generated for me. I knew the song 'Take Me Out', and it's fantastic, but I was worried that, like with most albums that have a super popular hit, the rest of the songs were going to not stand out in comparison. Nothing ever reaches the high of 'Take Me Out', but there are still a number of fantastic songs that make this album a complete experience, and not something you listen to just to hear the one hit.

Fantastic indie rock album

¡Fantástico!

Indie rock. Take me out.

So Franz Ferdinand saved music. You see, in the early 2000s music just... Kinda stopped. Britpop had given way to awful shite like Coldplay. House music had grown tired, UK Garage had shot its bolt, and the industrial/alternative scene had collapsed into Nickelback, with Evanescence lurking in the wings. The world had "more important" things to worry about. The history that we believed had ended in 1989 became quite historic and very, very present, and music was generally, and genuinely, awful. Franz Ferdinand changed that. Take Me Out is genuinely a masterpiece. The changing tempo. The catchy hook. The evocative lyrics, dripping with self awareness and beauty of language. Most of all, it is fun. Almost the entire album of it is fun, managing to convey its messages in a way that's actually enjoyable, danceable and not filled with the self-indulgent wankery of their contemporaries. I'd like to say that Franz Ferdinand opened the door to the Scisssor Sisters - the other band of the mid-2000s to let "fun" play a part in music again, but I think that Scissor Sisters had found another way in and were able to steal the silverware on their own. The two of them though, genuinely represents a clear signal that music wasn't dead, just very badly burnt. Good on 'em.

Esencja garażowego rocka - album wychodzący w czasach popularyzacji indie rocka spokojnie przebił się do kanonu, a inni artyści czerpią z niego inspirację. Chociaż dość krótki, zachowuje spójność i bardzo dobrze się go słucha. Pokazuje też, że do stworzenia chwytliwego kawałka nie potrzeba wiele więcej, niż gitary, klawisze i perkusja. Do tego wokal w punkt i mamy prosty przepis na sukces. The Dark Of The Matinee zaskakująco wpadło mi w ucho.

It is weird to have a “takes me back” experience from and album that still feels new to me. What happened to the last 18 years?! Anyway… this takes me back. When I first heard this in 2004 it sounded really different, really new, really interesting, and really great! This album is adventurous and daring while being really great to listen to and a hell of a lot of fun to dance to. It’s good to dance like a beautiful dance-whore again! “Take Me Out” is still as exciting as ever. This song still gives me goosebumps. The tempo change is incredible - that tempo slowdown is one of the great moments in modern music. Really amazing song crafting. But there are so many great moments in the rest of the album. Franz Ferdinand has a ton of tricks up their sleeve and each time I listen the draw me in more. The album is consistently great. It’s filled with clever rhymes, observations and lyrics. The music is varied, clever and interesting while still managing to be catchy. Another case where I started listing my favorite songs and it was the track listing. The whole thing overflows incredible. I’m so glad to have this back on centerstage of my stereo. Definitely one of my favorite albums of its decade and one of my favorite albums ever!

Catchy and timeless. A great listen.

This was a new one for me. It was fun and I would have been a fan sooner had I known.

This album continues to be infinitely replayable.

Great mix of Buddy Holly & The Crickets, The Dave Clark Five, the disco Era Brothers Gibb, B-52's and Midnight Oil. This is a band I know I could be a member of immediately. I'd be like that dude from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones who didn't play an instrument or sing, and was only there to dance.

Like.

I had my fingers crossed that I would have something that I knew today and I love this album so much so that’s good… Jacquline starts the album off with a the only acoustic bit in the album; then the Franz Ferdinand sound pops in this song is so infectious you would probably be singing along by the third listen. Great opener! I don’t hate tell her tonight but it’s always been my least favourite on the album and the only one I would call filler. Then is take me out the big single that everyone will know as you should know it starts with a much faster tempo for the first minute then forms into the stomper it is. It’s great but I’ve always preferred the intro. Now for the dark of the matinee, this is the album’s “ best” song ( not my favourite though) everything from the exploding guitars in the intro/instrumental to the long but memorable chorus and my favourite bit the verses especially the Terry Wogan one! Auf achse ( I honestly don’t know how to pronounce this or what it means in relation to the song) is for the most part a repetitive trance like looming entity of an epic synth-pop track, then is the Franz Ferdinand-y all guns blazing chorus and yeah that bridge is UNDERRATED . I loved this song from day one even if it’s not a fan favourite. Starting off side two is cheating on you, like tell her tonight this is still good but not as great ( still better than tell her tonight though) it’s a crunchy little guitar track and the albums heaviest song still an honest 4/5 track. When I was first getting into the album I would just flick through tracks, barely listen to them and for these next three saw a sample of the amazing music videos, this fire in terms of music videos has the best ( they’re all essentially commies). The song itself is good and I’ve seen it written off as filler which I don’t think it deserves It’s not my favourite but still has it’s moments. ( also the single version of this is shit). Then is darts of pleasure, probably the worst looking music video, is the debut single from this group, the song is probably one of the most distinctive the song is led much more by the pulsating drums the chorus is the best bit but the coda is so memorable. Now Michael is my favourite song on the album, it’s a fun little homosexual flick of a song with great guitars, one of the most oddly catchy choruses on the whole album and that little backwards message. I don’t know why I like it so much it’s just fun! Come on home is a deep cut that I loved so much at the start fine a lot of that love has passed no. But I still love it a moody little track with good lyrics, great guitar work and that little synth break is awesome. The album closes with 40’ a really fun send off track, it’s not as lyrically dense than the others ( they feel more used as a weapon to increase the greatness of the instrumentals) and anyone who doesn’t like the instrumental for this song is just a bit odd to be honest! Thank you for reading my little love letter for the band that essentially started the rudely called “ landfill indie”. I will ask this for everyone just try the other “ landfill indie” albums one day, form a proper opinion and don’t listen to the critics until you make your own judgment!

Every song on this albums feels different.

Maybe the best of this era of new-new-wave guitar pop

madeleine de prousting

Elskaði Take me out þegar ég heyrði það fyrst og fílaði lögin sem komu í kjölfarið. Svo lá þetta bara í dvala, en viti menn, 18 árum seinna þá finnst mér þetta enn stórskemmtilegt og töff.

After I wrote my last exam in University and was officially finished school, I was driving to my hometown and Take Me Out came on the radio, a song I already loved, and I just started jamming out hard in my car. Apparently I was dancing enough for people to notice and some folks in a truck passing by started dancing too. That's my story about this album. Anyways, love Franz Ferdinand, there's something about their guitar riffs that I just love. They have some great hooks and this album is full of bangers. Take Me Out, Tell Her Tonite, Auf Achse, This Fire,

Love this album, grew up with it!

Zeer dansbare rockmuziek vol met meezingers. Moeilijk om bij stil te zitten

TAKE ME OUT

Iconic indie album named after possibly the most important person in modern history. If archduke Franz Ferdinand was never assassinated we would be living in a completely different world.

Ahhh, takes me back to high school when I started listening to indie

Excellent album. So many good tracks.

Gran disco de pies a cabeza. No sé por qué la banda nunca se convirtió en mi favorita pero al menos este disco es muy, muy bueno. The Dark Of The Matinee es mi favorita, seguida de This Fire y Take Me Out. 4.5 que subo a 5.

Classic Scottish indie, really reminds me of living in Glasgow at the time this was out. Every song is so catchy and bright that it can be hard to pick as favourite, but 40' and the imperious Take Me Out are definitely up there. Loved it, and pleasantly surprised to see it on the list!

Fun album.

Fun, inventive, Ramones-esque

This might be one of, if not the, best album I've ever heard. Tight, subtle, powerful, but controlled. Incredible musicianship. Vocals are stunning.

When this came out I thought it was so good. And I was right

One of my favs

Excellent. I've always like the Ferdinand, but never gave it any play time. Its raucous and fun.

Amazing album. It was already on my list of albums I should listen to. The diversity in the album is great and it’s filled with great songs. Exactly what I like! Favourite songs: - Take me out - The dark of the matinée - Michael

Possibly due to it came out at a sweet spot in my life, but I fucking love this. Great tunes engages me all of the way.

Fantastic album - pretty much everything could have been a single...

Fun and catchy

An old favourite!

I smiled the instant I saw this Franz Ferdinand album to review. This is the first album that I can say I have memorized from start to finish. I was studying abroad in England the summer that "Take Me Out" took over the airwaves. Being in the UK, particularly on my weekend getaway to Scotland, this song was ubiquitous. You heard it on the radio, on the bus, in the mall, everywhere. And for good reason too: "Take Me Out" is one of the most quintessential alt-rock anthems of this era of music. So, everyone knows their hit single, but probably view Franz Ferdinand as a one hit wonder (at least in the U.S. where the other singles never really hit mainstream popularity...though a single off their second album did decently well here), and that's a shame because this album is killer. To me, there are some criteria that make for a perfect album, and this hits most of them: 1) not a single "bad" song...sure there are some you maybe don't love, but they're all listenable enough. 2) an opening track that pulls you into the album and sets the tone 3) not too repetitive...the sound is unique but not every song sounds the same. Franze Ferdinand's self titled release nails all of these and more. It's iconic early 2000s alt-rock with danceable rhythms at it's best. "Jacqueline" kicks off the album with a mellow vocal intro and then just rips into drums and bass and guitar riffs. "Take Me Out" is still the stand-out song, but they've all got their moments. Particularly, for me, "This Fire" "Michael" and "40'" are among the best, which is saying a lot because so many albums start strong and fizzle out. This album never lets up and finishes just as strong as it starts. Is my nostalgia clouding my review of this album? Surely. It's not a "masterpiece" by any means, it's just really really great. Is it a "must listen"? No, probably not. It's not like it's an original sound and spawned a whole era of music inspired by it. In fact, it probably doesn't deserve to be one of 1000 albums you MUST hear before you die (which is likely why it didn't make the most recent round of cuts). But, if you are a fan of alternative rock, especially this early 2000s era with The Strokes, The Killers, White Stripes, etc., I think you will truly love this album. 4.5 for me due to the aforementioned reservations, but I'll bump it to 5 since I think it's pretty flawless.