Franz Ferdinand

Had an “oh it’s that song” moment . Not the biggest fan of British rock like the Libertines and such but this was decent.

Felt p indifferent to this, 6/10

Fun listen! I love finding songs I’ve heard before (like Take Me Out) in the wild. 8/10

7/10 - We have had a decent streak recently. There was quite a few good songs and one that I had heard before. I can’t believe Franz Ferdinand released music 90 years after his death. That’s kinda crazy

This Michael guy seems pretty cool

I’ve always thought that the rest of take me out doesn’t do the intro bit justice, but it’s still a good song. The rest of the album is fine. Really like the premise behind cheating on you, but the song unfortunately is forgettable. 5/10

This was just ok for me. I remembered not liking them very much but I gave it another listen since I had not heard it in years. I can appreciate the musicians but the songs themselves are not for me really. Michael, please dance with him so he will quit singing.

I've never actually listened to this album, so we're learning some things about Franz today. Take Me Out might be one of the best songs ever. I could listen to it on repeat for hours. I was a little worried that it would overshadow every other song on the album, and while it is still the best song, the rest of the album really holds up well. I'm bobbing and jamming along to The Dark of the Matinee and Darts of Pleasure. Just an excellent album in total. They stay true to their unique sound throughout, but vary themselves enough that each song feels unique.

Would not open

Very catchy, very clean sound. Vibes of the late 70's early 80's post punk era. A little bit twee but still very enjoyable. A lot of the songs get you moving & bopping about which is fun. I do feel like they lean too much on the music of the past so need to be downgraded for that. 3+ stars. Best song 'Take Me Out'.

I LOVE Franz Ferdinand!

Great Album!

Take Me Out is a great single, but there is no world where this album is worthy of more than a passing listen. Basically a modern rip of everything Adam Ant, Roxy Music and Talking Heads did much better in the 70s.

Really good, fun stuff. Guitar work is good if a little repetitive and the energy level is nice. A good find for me!

Thought I was going to roll my eyes at this. But no. It’s actually fun. Upbeat pop rock, lots of toe-tappers. They sound pretty good. Catchy.

Definitely some catchy songs. FF is one of those bands that I bypassed when they were at the height of their popularity. Take Me Out is a jam, at the time we were inundated with bands that were similar to, but not exactly like, the Strokes. This hits a bit different than the Strokes, but not enough to convince me I needed to hear it!

Sounds pretty food

own

2/5

I tried to put myself in 2004 listening to this. I pictured myself vibing on a late night bus or rail trip whilst high on oxycodone, with or without smoldering cigarette in my hand. In all seriousness there's an indescribable vibe, an overall angst to the tone which I appreciate. It isn't perfect - a lot of the overall tone and themes are repeated, but it's strong, and the musicianship is tight. Highlights: "Take Me Out", "Dark of the Matinée", "This Fire".

franz ferdinand

‘80’s alt rock

A few catchy songs

I used to love playing "Take Me Out" on the old Wii "Guitar Hero" back in the day. So many great chord progressions.

I dunno, there's a few interesting riffs but they don't build into anything and the voice gets annoying after hearing it song after song. Blah blah 2 stars

kolejny angolski zespol, typowa muzyka z FIFY. Te 1001 albumow to jest 900 rockowych albumow z anglii i kilka innych zeby nikt sie nie przyczepil. Gosciu ktory robil ta liste jest odklejony.

Maybe I OD'd on this genre back in the day but this didn't really excite me today.

Take Me Out & 40’

Fun album! Couple classics on here but nothing particularly earth shattering.

Very hard not to like this album. Driving guitars, strong drums, pleasing vocals. Tight.

It’s been just over 20 years since Franz Ferdinand debuted, giving us some good timing to reflect on “Take Me Out” and its impact on a couple decades of indie rock. I don’t know that I ever listened to this whole album. But I’ve long since lost count of how many times I’ve heard “Take Me Out” and countless songs that feel like they took direct inspiration from it. Mostly cheery dancey indie rock is what I’ve always called it. What followed in the footsteps of Franz Ferdinand brought a breath of fresh air to alternative rock radio, one key element of what emerged from the rap rock and post-grunge malaise. A well deserved Mercury Prize winner and well deserved entry in the 1001. What’s that you say? It was removed from later editions? 🙄 Of course.

A very strong album. I’d only ever heard Take Me Out before, but found much to celebrate in the rest of the album.

Franz Ferdinand is fun, a dancy follow-on to the grittier saviors of alternative rock like The Strokes, but I remember what a welcome change this was to hear on the radio rather than the nu metal that dominated the airwaves.

For reasons still unknown to me, Take Me Out did not play the first time through the album. The rest played in order. When I circled back to listened to it, it didn’t elevate my opinion. I’ve heard the song a hundred times and it’s no longer all that exciting. I like This Fire. Well, at least the first time. Upon re-listen, I find the lyrics annoyingly repetitive.

It's not high art, but Franz Ferdinand created the most catchy riffs of the 00s, and that's why these songs are still etched clearly in my memory.

You could think that the main reason for this album to be here is “Take Me Out”, but FZ’s debut album boasts quite a few more sure hits. Unfortunately I have this nagging feeling that Franz Ferdinand never performs to capacity. As if a lid prevented especially the choruses from delivering the power that so obviously dwells just underneath the surface. The extreme compression of Alex Kapranos’ vocals, recognizable as it may be, doesn’t exactly help with the problem either. It’s a shame. I really wanted to like more than I end up doing.

Personal rating: 2.5/5

Good album, but all the songs sound the same!

Not for me

Franz Ferdinand's self-titled album brings with it a reputation as one of the more respected works from the past two decades, but it has never managed to strike a chord with me. As I listened through the album, I sensed an expectation that the tracks are supposed to be super catchy—unfortunately, the songs fell short of being genuinely enjoyable or catchy to my ears. There's an evident ambition in their music to channel some of the quirkiness and cool factor of bands like Talking Heads, yet Franz Ferdinand doesn’t quite reach the heights of innovation that make Talking Heads a standout. Instead, the album often felt dominated by a repetitive beat in the background—a constant presence that started to grate on me rather than groove with me. It’s this element of their sound that I find more annoying than captivating, leaving the tracks feeling monotonous and underwhelming. While I can appreciate the band's place in modern rock history and understand the appeal they might hold for others, for me, the album doesn't deliver the sound I was hoping for. Favourite Tracks: Auf Achse

Take Me Out // The Dark of the Matinée // 40’

Can't believe it's 20 years old. Has some good stuff on it, but not going on my playlist.

meh

Reminiscent of 90’s alternative. Loved this album.

# 208 : Good Album, its OK, not what I expected, some good tracks, Great sound, though everything sounds a bit too similar. would not buy this but I'd listen to it again. Favourite track : Take Me out

Not bad

It sounds like they can't decide whether they want to be The Killers or The Strokes, and the result is an album that is a pale imitation of either and nowhere near as good. None of the songs stand out, including the big hit, Take Me Out. It's interesting that this actually came out months before Killers Hot Fuss, because it sounds like a rip off version. Or maybe The Killers ripped off Franz Ferdinand. Or maybe this kind of sound just saturated early 2000s rock music after The Strokes and White Stripes led the "garage rock revival" and was ripped off by so many bands named "The <insert plural noun>". At least they didn't follow the band name formula, but I don't know how this band got this big when they sound so bland.

Bastante PEC, se escuchaba antes de que me lo recomendase la web. Soy indie. Fransisco ferdinando -> PACOFER

Partly varied pieces, then again unimaginative and recurring rhythms, good pleasing vocals. I would describe the album as pleasing post-punk.

Franz Ferdinand ‘Michael you're dancing like a beautiful dance whore’ I was interested to listen to this again after not having listened to it since the heady days of 04-06. I did listen to it a lot back then but aside from the big singles I can’t remember much of it. I do like the template of chugging rhythm guitar and driving bass with catchy riffs, but it isn’t always successful, ranging from great (Take Me Out) to very good (Matinee, Darts of Pleasure, Michael) to the most of the rest, which is fine but ultimately a bit repetitive and somewhat forgettable. There are some little additions of texture, the piano/organ on Auf Achse and the melodica on 40’. I wish there was a little more of that throughout, just to add a little more interest and colour. Jacqueline - establishes the template, but on repeat listens one of the weaker tracks. Tell Her Tonight - Again one of the weaker tracks, I didn’t like this one much actually
Take Me Out - This still stands up as a great great indie rock pop song and does tower above the rest of the album.
The Dark of the Matinee - This has stood up well too, a good indie pop song. Aug Achse - I like the piano/organ here, it adds a slightly different texture which is nice, although I’m not as keen on the song in general
Cheating on you - this is pretty forgettable and another of the weaker tracks. This Fire - Strays a bit close to Take Me Out for me
Darts of Pleasure - Another strong track, despite the overly affected German at the end.
Michael - I’ve always liked this one, it’s barely controlled frenzy works well with the lyric and in comparison to some of the studied weaker songs on the rest of the album.
Come on Home & 40’ - some nice moments but they both passed me by, I struggled to distinguish them despite listening to the album 3 times in a row.

Overall it’s fine indie pop music, there’s no stinkers, but aside from one great song and a few other good ones it does feel a bit samey and limited. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Take me out is an all timer, Jacqueline and a couple other songs were good but not my fave album ever

Sorprende que sea el primer disco. Mucha energía.

its like slightly worse artic monkeys

Banger album, I was already familiar with their work - love the energy.

decent, artic monkeys wannabes

A nice slice of jingly jangly pop rock.

Franz Ferdinand is the debut album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. This critically acclaimed album is a masterpiece of funky, punchy, cool, indie garage rock. It won the 2004 Mercury Music Prize - which is essentially the best album of the year in the UK. It has been certified gold in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, & Norway, and platinum in Australia, the US, & the UK (4x). I enjoyed the fun indie rock on this debut album. This young band did a great job on their first album and it deserves a listen.

Great

I think this was mostly fine, but the songs sounded a little too samey to me.

Lots of good songs. Not quite a 5, but really liked it.

Takes me back to teenager years

This was ok

This was mostly inoffensive and occasionally fun.

Memories of the indie night at the ABC in Glasgow circa 2005. A lot of them I’d rather forget. To me this album represents a glorious melting pot of music we had at the time, before it sadly turned into nu-rave

I tend to not care for Irish Indie rock. Definitely not morning coffee music. 1

A good song

Hitit on tutut karaokebiisit! Muutenhan tää on aika tasapaksu. Ei huono mutta tasapaksu. 3/5

Tää oli kova juttu vielä 10 vuotta sitten, mutta nykyään tuntuu vähän lattealta. Take me out toki ihan bangeri edelleen. 3/5

Pop-rockia, ihan hyvin soitettuna. Ansaitseeko olla listalla, sitä en tiedä. 3/5

Auf asche

meh

Didn't love it when it was released, still don't love it now.

Take me out is the only track I'd give another listen, and that would be for nostalgic purposes alone really. Not my fave...

Take me out is a banger

Distinctive sound, but only one good track

I like!

B+ Jacqueline 3 Tell Her Tonight 3 Take Me Out 5 The Dark Of The Matinée 3 Auf Achse 5 Cheating On You 4 This Fire 4 Darts Of Pleasure 3 Michael 4 Come On Home 4 40' 4 About a month ago, I commented to untitled2 that this album had nothing of quality besides "Take Me Out." Boy, do I regret those words? The answer is a resounding "Yes." By the way, congrats to the big fella on winning a chip in fantasy basketball.

An Amazing album, i bought this album when i was studying in France, remind me Soo Much souvenirs , love IT a lot

Not sure I'd ever intentionally listened to this whole album before, and was surprised by how much of it I knew. Take Me Out will forever be associated with RockBand for me, but the rest is surprisingly good, with little feeling of filler. It's upbeat and sharp in ways that really stood out at the time of release.

I never really realised at the time quite how big Franz Ferdinand were. It was the days when I was far too dismissive of indie rock so never gave it much of a chance. I certainly find myself singing along a lot to it on the radio these days, so let’s listen in full. Songs I already knew: Take Me Out, The Dark Of The Matinee, This Fire Favourites: This Fire, The Dark Of The Matinee This was almost great from front to back. However, I just didn’t enjoy Tell Her Tonight at all. It grated on me and just felt lower quality than everything else. That aside, there were plenty of really nice guitar licks here, lots of what I’ve always referred to as “disco beats” on drums, and vocals that are almost crooning. Overall, a very good album.

3.5.

More Indie/Alt/ Pop music. All these bands sound the same to me. These guys are ok I guess if you like this type of stuff.

Ravie d'avoir eu l'occasion de me replonger dans cet album qui me renvoie directement vers mes années de fac ! Un bon album rock aux sonorités modernes, avec des titres indémodables (la structure de Take me out me bluffera toujours). Sentiment malheureusement mitigé par une sensation de redondance à l'écoute d'autres titres...

like the melody 7/10

It's a pretty good album without blowing my mind. Solid 4.5 for me.

This was so fun and creative. I had it in my head that I don't like this band, but turns out I was very wrong. I loved it!

Started strong, Take Me Out is legendary, the rest is okay.

I associate this so deeply with my Dad I thought this album was from the 80s for my whole childhood. Does it deserve a 5? No, but, it's getting one. 5/5. Dark of the Matinee is the only reason I have social skills.

Scotch music. I’ve probably listened to this album hundreds of times and listened to all other Franz Ferdinand albums about four times in total.

I love Take Me Out and This Fire (though I do live the This fffire version more), but the rest I find rather lackluster. It feels quite repetitive and lacks the standout interesting vocals and musical choices (like the tempo change in Take Me Out for example) that make those two standouts so strong. They genuinely make the rest of the album feel weaker because they show you that they could be doing more interesting things each time than they are. At the very least, I think it was a mistake to have them so early instead of treating them like show stopping finales.

Excellent album

Alternative rock band. Some good music.

"Take Me Out" is the single and stand out track.

It's good, but I guess I would choose to listen to Arctic Monkeys if that was the choice, and it feels like it is.

Great album that I own. Good lyrics. Upbeat tempo.

Like lots of similar bands generating this type of indie rock they will be great live but the music doesn’t transpose as good onto records. Not something I could sit and listen to. At best would be OK on a playlist for the gym or out running.

It has to be on my top 5 list pf the 2000s albums. Short and powerful taking post-post punk to a higher level. In context the USA was taken over by hip-pop and tons of mediocre rappers were on the airwaves not leaving space for rock bands like this one. Rock and Pop Rock had a big bang left at the time to fight the ressistance with bands like Muse, Killers, Darkness, Velvert Revolver, Evanescence, Audioslave, White Stripes, Cold Play, Modest Mouse, Von Bondies, Sugarcult, Strokes, Amy Winehouse, Lot, Keane, New Found Glory, Linkin Park, Papa Roach, Zebrahead, FOB, Fastballs, MCR, Maroon 5, Razorlight, Bowling for Soup, Tegan and Sara, Interpol, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and some other was still not enought to balance the wave of hundreds of rappers getting signed and releasing 💩 on a daily basis. It was a good fight and a great year for rock and pop rock. First song put me off a bit but once that starts the CD just gets better and better. Maybe it should have been the last song.

Yay, I love this album! This is my jam, I absolutely adore it!

Pretty good overall - kind of reminds me of a big blend of arctic monkeys, killers, and maybe two door cinema club a little? Either way, its solid and I could see myself coming back to this at some point as an entire album listen instead of just listening to Take Me Out.

I know the hit from this record. “Take me out”. I think I thought this modest mouse. And now that I have heard the hit. Every song after sounds like the hit. Really digging “this fire”. This album reminds me of the British new wave punk stuff in the 80s. Stripped back, more refined and juts rock and roll.

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

Definitely has a distinctive sound to the album. ‘Take me Out’ is definitively a great song.

¡Fantástico!

blood breaks out of me, i deserve it. i dont deserve to keep it. i figured it was only a nightmare, but now it seems like a dream. theres a shadow hanging over my bed, every night it gets lower. i get shivers from its gleam, every night it gets colder. its finger counts my days, every night i get older. its hole its an oracle, every night i get closer. its the morning again. the sun cast a light over my regret, its shadow picks from behind bed. opportuniyies squandered, dont have the life to care, only to sit and ponder which one will leave next, the answer wont make me calmer. please let it be an armor, no weight, but thats just the opposite of hate. i cant relate. shots fired on the streets make me shake the bed, makes me wonder where the bullets will be lead next. please paint with red, please shatter my neck.

A classic and simple indie album. Obviously take me out is the highlight but it is just a standard fun indie album. I don't think it is really special but I have listened to this album a long time now so clearly does the right thing. In the upper middle of the road just a nice 3/5. Stand Out Songs: Take Me Out The Dark of the Matinée This Fire

3 or 4

It was alright, don’t really remember much from it after listening to it

Instant Classic. I was washed over with memories as soon as it started. The angular guitars defined indie releases for the early 2000s the near disco beats make rock music danceable, and the iconic voice all have held up well to the test of time. It will be back in the rotation for some time

I've given this album a 2 star rating for the two songs I think make this album and likely their entire career.

The band sound as bored as I am. Jingly jangly guitars performed by mediocre musicians. There isn't an ounce of originality amongst them. 1 extra point because Take Me Out has rattled around in my brain for the day, annoyingly.

not many singles on here but fun to listen to!

this was a nice album

The guitars go brrr, but I don't connect with the lyrics at all.

3 stars. meh

Synth offended Joseph

Great album. This was one I had mostly listened to before this project, so I was familiar. Great band

I remember the song Take Me Out but until now, didn't know who performed it. Franz Ferdinand is actually a group of Glasgow men, who named their band after the Archduke and a racehorse who shared the name. The band's strengths are in the guitars and drums, working together to play music you can stomp to. Lyrically, eh, no. Lines repeat endlessly, which I guess is fine for mindless dance music, but I'm unsatisfied.

Did not like this at all

I wasn't expecting much but this isn't bad. Some cool guitar work on several tracks.

Take Me Out was the only song on this album that I had heard before, and no wonder as none of the others match its quality or come anywhere close to doing so. If they had, this might have been a 4.

Pure nostalgia! Banger after banger. I still know all the words despite it probably being 20 years since I last listened. Simpsons: The Archduke yes, but not the band.

Barely minutes after finishing the much anticipated 'midnight feast' at a sleepover, a 10-year old Danny has just unearthed an absolute gem of a player on FIFA 05, signing the unknown Luis Fabiano on the cheap. Game after game he would bang in goal after goal, his rating going through the roof in the process. Meanwhile, in the Career Mode menu between games, an equally legendary song would grace the ears of young Danny - Franz Ferdinand's 'Tell Her Tonight'. This was a golden age for FIFA Career Mode. This was a golden age for the FIFA soundtrack. And with a crossed-armed Patrick Viera, poised Fernando Morientes, and skillful Andriy Shevchenko, this was a golden age for FIFA Covers. It wasn't long until young Danny ventured into the rest of Franz Ferdinand's catalogue, procuring himself a bootleg CD-R copy of their self-titled album. Banger after banger would be played continuously on repeat. So much so that 20 years later, an almost 30-year old Danny can still recall the lyrics to every tune. He even considers the band's most successful song, 'Take Me Out', to be in the so-called 'Big-Two' of all-time greatest songs, along with Shakira's 'Hips Don't Lie'.

This album was full of nostalgia. However, I just can't give it the full 5. This is probably as close as you get without getting full marks. Auf achse intro is far too long and probably what cost this album If it had come before take me out then I might have forgiven it. Also really like Tell her tonight and the dark of the matinée

Maybe I need nostalgia but this didn’t do a lot for me. Liked some of the songs but I’ve already forgotten what it sounded like.

This album was my jam when I was 12/13 and then I found Wire... and Pere Ubu... still has some bangers and is still a solid album but doesn't quite have the bite of all the art punk bands they were influenced by... sorry Franz Ferdinand ur getting a 3...

Solid. At the time I felt just as I do now about it, some bangers but I get a bit bored by the end.

This might be one of the first records I bought. Not sure how much of this rating is nostalgia versus the quality of the album but it's a banger...I think

Neither nor …

I didn't know about their other songs except the one song and damn, shit slaps, 5/5

I always loved this album so much. Take me out is literally peak indie rock

I only like one song in there, the rest were not super pleasant unfortunately

Love the funk sound in Rock

Great!

I remember listening to this album in college when it first came out and being fairly bored with the songs outside of the monster hit singles. This is still the case for me so many years later while doing my first re-listen for this project. Luckily this is a pretty short album at just under 39 minutes total, so I didn't get too cranky about it. Franz Ferdinand the band is at their best when they're cranking out slinky earworms like Take Me Out, This Fire, and The Dark of the Matinee. Are they an "album band," though? I don't think so; not on this debut anyway. I didn't find Franz Ferdinand the album particularly enjoyable as a whole, but I do enjoy the singles enough to give this 3 stars. Listening to FF the band takes me back to my favorite times in college during the early aughts, when life was simpler and my friends and I would listen to hipster indie while driving around to obtain a late-night Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch and Shamrock Shake for a midnight snack. Take me back... Interesting factoids from Wikipedia: n/a (This is the first album I have listened to on this journey that had a very boring Wiki page for the album. Nothing notable to include here) Standouts: Take Me Out, The Dark of the Matinee, This Fire

Kovaa rockia. Take Me Out ja This Fire klassikoita. Muuten ihan solid eikä muita kohokohtia. Michael kanssa jostain tuttu. Parhaat: Take Me Out, This Fire

Sans souvenirs mais promis j'ai écouté

That's not my taste in musik. But ok

Guitar driven pop. Good album. Would be good driving album.

more fun than i remembered

This album could’ve either gone the “has one banger and the rest sucks” or the “it’s a good album that also has an all timer on it” route and thankfully it was the latter. If Mr brightside didn’t become the phenomenon it is now back in 2004, take me would’ve been right there to take its place. That being said hot fuss is by far the superior album; the rest of this album wasn’t mind blowing but was still solid. I also liked dark of the matinee.

An extra point just for being Scottish.

The only song I was really familar with was Take Me Out. This whole album was so groovy. It reminded me of The Strokes who I love. Honestly this one is in my standard rotation now. Easy 5 stars

Take me the fuck out

not terrible, a little boring though. quite predictable nothing hugely outstanding except for Take Me Out which was very good. I'm Cheating On You was also alright. Overall lyrics were very weak i thought. 2/5

Pap pop

3.5

The catchyness of Take Me Out doesn't make up for a bog standard album

Pretty good

Most of the white indie rockers who brought upon the return of garage rock were interchangeable. This is better than I remembered, but I was more of a The Stills kind of girl.

Not my thing.

Had this album in high school. Take Me Out is head and shoulders above the rest of the album

Franz Ferdinand (Franz Ferdinand, 2004): 3/5 Summary: First, the pros. The tracks all sound fairly different to one another, and for the most part are good pop compositions. However, the album feels a little incongruous or lost, like they band can't decide which instruments they want to sound consistently good. Sometimes it's the guitar riff, sometimes it's the vocal - but no matter the focus, all other instruments tend to get "downgraded" as a result. It's strange, really. I've never heard another album that does this. It's not quite convincing, but I'll give credit where it's due: the music is still pretty darn good. Jacqueline: A pretty, acoustic ballad, before a jarring bassline leads into a punk-esque breakdown at 45-50 seconds in. Cool guitar riff, if a little simplistic. The vocals (and indeed all the instruments) sound slightly muffled, adding to the punky feel. Even though the vocalist seems pretty good at his craft, the actual melody and lyrics are so uncatchy that it's a mystery as to why this was chosen as the album's opening track. This track didn't do much for me. Tell Her Tonight: Hmm, looks like that muffled production has continued into the second song. I hope this doesn't become a theme, because it's pretty distracting. The chorus is pretty good here. Slightly rockier than the previous track. Take Me Out: Immediately, the vocal distortion works better than in the first two tracks. The relatively clear percussion and right-channel guitar helps with this. Cool tempo change leading to an entirely different sounding song just 60 seconds into the song. The multi-vocal thing is very messy sounding (single-track vocals would work much better). Chorus is pretty catchy; outro is similarly strong. Best track so far. The Dark Of The Matinee: The intro is decent, and the vocal distortion seems to finally be absent. First time the vocals sound good, and they work well through self-harmonising(?) in the chorus. A solid track. Auf Achse: Simple and effective bassline that easily steals the spotlight. An energetic, almost frenetic (at times) track that doesn't quite manage to be catchy, but is still really engaging. I'm not a big fan of the percussion, which would sound pretty darn nifty if it went all-out. Cheating On You: See - this drumming is already noticeably the standout instrument. Unfortunately, nothing else really interests me. The riff is played so confidently that it's easy to miss the fact that it's... pretty terrible. This Fire: this fire is out of control i'm gonna burn this city burn this city this fire is out of control i'm gonna burn this city burn this city this fire is out of control i'm gonna burn this city burn this city this fire is out of control i'm gonna burn this city burn this city (tl;dr: chorus, which is meant to be the best part, is very repetitive) Darts Of Pleasure: Thickly-textured. High energy, and a good, decisive ending. This is a good track. Michael: Something about the vocal really stands out here. Lots of passion and an almost Elvis-like timbre that jells well with the heavy indie-punk-rock backing. Great track - probably the strongest on the album. Come On Home: C'mon Franz Ferdinand, why'd you have to hold off on genuinely fun vocals until the final few tracks? Also, the first track to have a noticeably good chord progression. Me likey. 40': A jangly, country-sounding guitar riff steals the spotlight here, cutting its way into the post-chorus amidst smooth, slightly timid singing. I particularly enjoyed the sudden juxtaposition between the lighter and heavier textures.

mega

A fun listen. Really catchy tunes and hooks.

I've really only listened to take me out, that song was huge when it came out. I like this album, it reminds me of the strokes. Will probably listen again.

Putting aside that take me out is one of those songs that I turn off instantly as over played, see mr brightside as well I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of this album which I really enjoyed The 00s were my era for listening to and buying the most music and I liked a lot of similar bands but never bought this album, no sure why, but before streaming it was harder to listen to music without buying the cd Overall a great listen, skipped take me out though

Was a good album. Listened while working from home

Take me out - ansonsten ein solides Album.

I knew a few of the songs. After listening to the whole album, I think they make good, simple rock songs, and by that I mean that the songs are lyrically repetitive. I'm biased because I like to sing music, but the songs were still good at setting a tone.

So I'm already pretty familiar with this album as it was in my listening rotation in high school, therefore this review may be a bit biased, as there is an added nostalgia factor. This album does everything that a 2000s British alt rock album should do correctly. This genre of music was apart of the foundation of my musical tastes, and Franz Ferdinand, in my opinion, captures the essence so well. To me, it's all about the catchy but not too complicated lead guitar riffs, ever-so-complementary bass, and the non-basic rhythm guitars. Apply all these and you got yourself a hell of a record. Check, check, check.

Take Me Out is a certified street banger. That being said, none of the other songs shine as bright. Most got my foot tapping though. Maybe I was just enjoying the respite from artsy fartsy 10min 7 minute long songs on some of these other albums.

Unfortunately for Franz, he had to follow Dark Side of the Moon. But to be honest, I'm not sure that would have adjusted my rating that much. Take Me Out is a great tune. Other than that a lot of generic pop sounds. It was OK as background music, but nothing stood out that made me want to revisit. But I do have the say, all the random Spotify play after this album has been great. Right down the middle for me. 2.5 Ill round up to 3 for Take Me Out and the great tunes that followed.

3 Take Me Out is a great song, but outside of that this is a pretty generic 2000s alternative rock record. In many ways this just feels like a natural continuation of the whole garage rock revival thing that The Strokes started and perhaps a precursor to where the Arctic Monkeys would later take it, but ultimately, it’s not quite as catchy or as interesting as either group’s spin on the genre. The only song I would say that I particularly enjoyed and that stood out to me besides the mega-hit was Michael, which has a really solid, catchy chorus to it - outside of that, everything felt like pretty standard, forgettable alternative fare from the era. I guess you could say the dude has a bit of a distinct voice, but even then it seemed to have the same kind of general quirky flair to it that a lot of indie male vocalists were experimenting with at this time. I can see how this could have been a big deal when it came out, but sitting here twenty years later, I just don’t feel that it’s an album that has or will stand the test of time (though compared to a lot of other stuff from this time period, it certainly could have aged a lot worse). Don’t have much else to say on this one besides that. It’s a fine album and far from the kind of thing I would avoid as an alternative rock fan myself, but I just don’t ever see myself opting for this album specifically over a lot of similar ones - will probably just keep it to Take Me Out appearing in the shuffle once in a while.

Crisp, brisk, catchy.

I've been loving this album since I was a young teen. Absolutely iconic alternative rock.

Day 1 - Franz Ferdinand (2004) I genuinely don't know what's to expect from Franz Ferdinand's eponym. The album, however, is noted to have won the 2004 Mercury Music Prize whilst selling over 3.6 million worldwide, so I'm looking forward to give it a spin :> ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── Listening to "Jacqueline," my first impression of Franz Ferdinand is that it is a bit dry and monotonous. It doesn't grab at me and sounds similar to any other 2000s Indies act, let's say The Strokes, but watered down... "Tell Her Tonight" is a bit more upbeat and an overall funky song (♪ I have to tell her, you tell her tonight! ♫) - it doesn't cut it for me though and nor does "Take Me Out." I can't really decipher the vocalist's on "The Dark Of The Matinée" but it's got a good beat. And unlike its predecessors, the song is upbeat and full of life, with a groovy bass riff. Now we're talking! "Auf Achse" seems to be a more mellow, and superior, sequel to "Tell Her Tonight." It starts off with a rather cynical stream of verses ( ♪ You see her, you can't have her. You hear her, you can't hold her ♫) before suddenly exploding into an indulgent frenzy (♪ She's not so special so look what you've done ♫). I've a feeling that Radiohead fans may enjoy this song. And, oh God, "Cheating On You" heads back to the dry and repetitive formula... this time the band brings in a hint of garage rock. "Cheating On You" sounds suspiciously similar to Nirvana, if they were 2000s and nobody cared for their music. Neither "This Fire" nor "Darts Of Pleasure" are particularly remarkable, nor deserve their individual entry. "Michael" is just too much for me; ♪ Michael, you're the boy with all the leather hips, sticky hair, sticky hips, stubble on my sticky lips ♫. It's a bit sickening, really, and sounds like royalty-free rock music, although most tracks on Franz Ferdinand do. "Come On Home" is surprisingly good - the synths and distortions really add depth to the song. It's a bit similar to "Auf Achse," except more angsty, dark-tinged and heavier. If I were to pick a favourite on the album, "Come On Home" would be it :> The closer, 40', similar to most of the album, is a bit unremarkable. Overall, although they're a few bangers in the album, Franz Ferdinand's setlist are spinoffs of similar bands in the indie rock scene. They're not horrible but you won't miss much skipping the album.

Never a fan cause I was WAY too cool listening to Phish and the Dead but as a mature adult whi is a fan of new wave fro.the 80s I see a good bit of value here.

Up there with the best U.K. indie albums of the 00’s. Probably doesn’t get the credit it deserves due to how overplayed take me out was at the time. Really good to come back to this album today and appreciate it. Franz Ferdinand a very underrated Scottish band in my opinion.

Very good album

Straight Brit-Pop.

I actually heard this album a lot of times, there are a lot of pleasant memories associated with it and in general it sends me back to a calmer and more carefree time, which, unfortunately, I will never return to. I really like this album, Franz Ferdinand always lifts my spirits. ez 8/10

Boy did this one come out of nowhere. The first time I heard it, I was floored. I had never heard anything that was amazingly melodic, danceable but also sort of dangerous. It had all of the best parts of rock n roll, with all the danger of early punk rock. Sadly, many only know the one hit, but man does this one pack a wallop. They are still making excellent records which is incredible. Hell of a debut 9.3/10

Meh

I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying this record. I had tried it a few years back and didn't stick with much besides the iconic Take Me Out, but with a few years of growing I finally found something to love. It's not a perfect record, as there were a few songs with lukewarm hooks, and the version of This Fire on the album pales in comparison to the rerecording, but I enjoyed my time overall. Dunno if I'd call this a must-listen, but I see myself returning on occasion.

Very good alt rock.

Now this was underwhelming. On the positive side, there weren’t many bad songs per se, but on the other hand, there wasn’t a single good song that I want to listen to again either. Bland hipster rock for people who don’t really like music.

No idea why this is on this list.

Il a tellement marqué son époque celui-là. Il était partout, c’était les rois du monde. L’ouverture avec “Jacqueline” (“it’s always better on holiday…”), l’évidence de “Take me out”, “The dark of the matinée”, “This fire”, avec le recul je vois les titres un peu plus faibles, comme “Tell her tonight”, “40’”, “Come on home” mais quand même, le monde était pas plus mal quand ce genre de disque était populaire.

my introduction to this band is from one of my favorite anime, Paradise Kiss♡ favorites: auf achse, this fire and darts of pleasure

Take Me Out is a certified banger. I miss when music sounded like this

An above average album, but nothing great. Take Me Out is obviously a hit and there weren't any bad songs on the album really. However, I can't help but feel like I'm at a friend's band's show at a local bar with some of these songs. 6.5/10 (3.25/5)

Pretty good album, love the bass lines

Very familiar with this one. It's fun, but it's just about nostalgia for me. Nothing in here pushing me forward. Just a simple recall for the melancholic party boys era.

Fun and enjoyable rock album.

Early 00's pop doing its job. It is a toe-tapping, chair-bouncing, and dance-club staple. Surely a favorite for DJs to mix into old and new tracks.

some more classic indie rock garage rock revival from the early 00's.

Never could get completely into this album growing up, still rings true. Not bad though just not my taste.

Better than I expected.

It’s catchy…

Wow, what a surprise. Already knew Franz Ferdinand and Take Me Out is a regular on my playlists, but the band was never one of my favorite Indie Rock bands. Didn't expect the rest of their songs to be up to par, let alone on one single album. Nothing I would rate less than a 3.5. However, no 5/5 either.

The fact that this album is 20 years old is HUGELY depressing. That makes ME obscenely old...

Peak indie rock. The energy, performance and lyrical blast is an era of its time that holds up to this day.

It was OK

I forgot how much I liked this album. Also, how has it been twenty years?

really solid sounds throughout, Take Me Out is especially iconic. missing another truly memorable song or two to take this to the next level but this is a must listen for any fans of indie rock

One of the most fun debuts from an indie rock band in the 00s.

Kind of boring but some good tunes. Can hear a lot of what indie rock sounds like today. Way ahead of its time

OK

I owned this album! I listen to it quite a bit. This really an album I have to hear before I die? My memory says it’s barely average. I mean wasn’t Franz Ferdinand the millennial equivalent of Foreigner? Styx? Foghat? Are those albums on this list? If not, why is this? And if they are on the list, why? (Note: Reading the reviews I guess this is no longer on the list. It’s an extra) Before I re-listen to it let’s rate and see how close I am afterwards. My pre-rate is 2/5. Ok let’s go - Jacqueline - always thought this was a weird way to start this album, the spoken word thing. Good song. 3/5 Tell Her Tonight - yeah. It’s fine. Not bad 2/5 Take Me Out - THE SONG! The one I still remember cause they still play it on the radio. Pretty stellar song, and nice that it has that change-up at the beginning. That made it stand out. 4/5 The Dark of the Matinee - Eh. Once again fine. A big step down from THE SONG. 2/5 Aug Achse - utterly forgettable. 1/5 Cheating on You - man, this is the douchebag song. I remember liking this song. Once again fine. 2/5 This Fire - I remember this song at the same level as Take Me Out. But it’s not. Good though. 3/5 Darts of Pleasure - I mean it’s suppose to be a party rock album right? Pretty lightweight. That’s the problem. I mean that was always the problem with this band. 1/5 Michael - This song jumps out. I don’t remember it that way back then. 4/5 Come on Home - uh. 1/5 40’ - eh. 2/5 So, competently made. It’s not a bad listen. Enjoyable. It’s just not memorable. It’s one ear and out the other. I can mix this with other similar party rock songs and it would fit. It has to be surrounded by more solid songs. I imagine it plays well in a cocktail setting. I think FF was a critical darling because of the frustration over the dominance of nu-metal and pop punk, a kind of wasteland of commercial rock that needed to be swept aside. In the end hip hop just pretty much just took over around this time. It was the last ebb of rock music. Going out with a whimper. 2/5

Stress inducing music

Not my thing

This album has aged pretty well. I liked it back when it was released, but haven’t listened to it since then. A lot of the songs are still strong. Take Me Out is still a five star song.

Big fan of this one as well. I remember my friend Adam Neubauer playing Take Me Out and saying it was going to be huge. I really liked the disco inflections, this was one of the dancier albums of the early oughts.

You ever get excited to see what today’s album is, pull it up, and then get really disappointed? That happened to me on this one. Then, for the first time in a few years, I listened to this and remembered how great it is. I’m not sure why I was disappointed at first, because I’ve listened to this album quite a bit in my past. I think I lumped them in with The Killers in my brain. This was better. Favorite tack: Michael - a million stars

I go back and forth on this kind of art rock from 2000s. 3.5 on this one.

This is a pretty critical album to the continuing success of rock and roll music in an ever-saturated landscape of newly developed genres of the 2000s. While nothing Franz did after this debut would quite reach the same level of success or importance, without it, I think we would've seen a much different environment in the later aughts.

Franz Ferdinand is the best named-after-an-archduke band of all time, and their potent debut instantly assassinated any doubts that they would have a major role to play in rock and roll's early 2000s revival.

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

Fun album. Recognized like 3 songs.

i hate this i hate this i hate hate hate this i hate this i hate this i hate this i hate it

Mid

Franz Ferdinand is considered a one-hit wonder in the States. "Take Me Out" is a hugely popular single with covers, spots on video games, and plentiful airtime. The rest of the album is decent, indie rock. It is surprising to learn that Franz Ferdinand is well-regarded Scottish rock band which charted in the UK, nominated for several Grammy Awards, and received two Brit Awards.

Likable music. Had never heard of Franz Ferdinand, which blew my grandson away.

Great album with som jammers

2004! The greatest year for music! I already know I love this record, but I'll try to listen to it with new ears. I mean this is just straight up super fun and catchy rock and roll. A very good example of everything that was good about music from this time.

Enjoyed this one, a lot sounds similar, but some good classics on here

I live here musically

Decent album to put on while vacuuming.

Some good songs

I quite like

Highlights: Jacqueline, Take Me Out, The Dark of the Matinee, Darts of Pleasure. In a nutshell: Sexy, witty, slick and catchy as all hell. Yes, yes, I get the comparisons to The Strokes, BUT Franz Ferdinand did it better. Jacqueline is an underrated opener. Take Me Out still gets your toes tapping. All this and more from a debut album. Nostalgia might be tainting my review, but fuck it. This album still kicks ass. Overall: 8/10

Thoughts before listening: I was into this album and "Take Me Out" is a great song. I seem to remember liking at least one or two more from this album as well. This is certainly one of the better 00s indie rock albums, but I don't feel it's a greatest album of all time. Review: I had forgotten how much I enjoy this album. I don't believe I ever had the CD, but I definitely had these MP3s on my iPod. The style here is very reminiscent of other 00s era indie bands i.e. Modest Mouse, Spoon, the Strokes, etc, but Franz Ferdinand wrote some great songs that make them rise above that crowded genre. "Take Me Out" is definitely the star here, but it's not the only high point on this album. I also really enjoy "Jacqueline", "The Dark of the Matinee", "This Fire", "Darts of Pleasure", and "Michael" which all show that these guys had a lot more to them than just one hit. Perhaps it's just my own preference for the 00s indie sound as compared to 80s new wave, but if I'm comparing this against other recent one hit wonder albums I've heard on this list like a-Ha, I'm choosing FF every time. This is a 4-star album.

British Strokes... yuck

Fun, peppy album, but I probably won't bother going back. Bass player is the best part.

I'm quite surprised by how much I ended up liking this. I tried it before last year and couldnt go into it. Perhaps the timing is right today, because it struck a chord. The guitar work is a bit poppy/indie, easy listening really. Quite fun. Reminds me of the strokes - a British/scottish strokes perhaps. Found a lot of songs I ended up liking a lot. Eg, Jaqueline, 40' (great album ender, great guitar work - ended on a high) and my favourite, Darts of pleasure. Really this is more of a 3.5, because 'technically' I'm not so sure this music is doing anything mad. But it was a quick easy listen, and I'd check it out again.

Did not realize this album is 20 years old, I still hear Take Me Out like every time I turn on the radio. Good album, never really heard more than the singles. Really enjoy the bass guitar tone, solid musically.

i vibe with some of the songs a lot, but i don't enjoy the general feeling of the album.

lots of absolute bangers, 2000s indie rock which is a genre i have had a long appreciation for. also recently watched cyberpunk edgerunners which uses 'this fire' as a great intro track.

Good, solid album. I liked it, didn’t love it.

Not quite my taste

The stand out single is obviously a bop but there are a decent number of really strong tracks as well as that. Not the best indie album of the mid 2000s by any stretch but very solid.

Having only known Take Me Out, I was pleasantly surprised that most of the album matched the same energy. Really playful instrumentation and good hooks. Only a couple songs felt like filler

Good album. One of the first ricks songs I liked was Take Mr Out. Finally nice to listen to the album where it debut. 8/10

'Take Me Out' was the only thing good on this album, and it was way overplayed on the radio. 2/5

I was only familiar with the single, Take Me Out, from this album before listening. I enjoyed it a lot, Could definitely hear traces of The Strokes and U2 along with the occasional Joy Division and maybe even a Devo style vocal in one spot. I love the way the guitar parts are different than each other as opposed to playing the same chords/rhythms. It’s like disco meets early 80s pre-synth new wave. Loved it!

Stompy Indie Disco!

Forgotten how much I liked this at the time, and surprised how fresh it still sounds

TAKE ME OUT

Known this album for a long time and over time my opinion has not changed much. The 2 hits from this album, Take Me Out and This Fire are still my favorite tracks and the album can't escape the mundane.

Mid rock

Good but not great; indicatives of uninspired rock music during the aughts.

FAAAAAAV - mis dieses

Pretty good, chill rock. But a bit similar from song to song, wish it was a bit spicier/harder?

good

Previous Familiarity: High. I bought this album when it came out in 2004. "Take Me Out" defined a new extension of the garage rock revival that the Strokes and White Stripes helped usher in in the early 2000's. Franz Ferdinand managed to mix the angular guitars of The Strokes, with the crooning singalong vocals and bombast of 90's Britpop. I think The Strokes took notes, as they seemed to borrow a lot of style from Franz Ferdinand on subsequent albums. Too bad Franz could keep up with their hype and faded away as quickly as they appeared. But, this flash in the pan was pretty nice!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ punk sound, some really fun songs - vibes of Blondie, The Killers, and The Beatles. Spotify brought up The Black Keys - so definitely indie punk rock.

6/10

medium good

Nice

Amazing Franz Ferdinand recorded this album before his death. The audio quality is astounding for something so old!

It's okay

Talking about the album cover i have to say that i love the simplicity of it, just playing with the size of the typography and one yellow line, and that with a black background, love it. Now, talking musically OMG the sound of this is amazing, i love that it's not repetitive at all, every single song here is unique but still it doesn't lose their style, which i find fascinating.

Looking forward to this album but I didn't really the first 2 song. However, after that I loved the album.

I really like the sound of the guitars and most of the songs were good to great.

Not enjoyable, annoying vocals, musicianship is unremarkable

3/5 It's alright, with hits like "Take Me Out" and "This Fire", its not doubt a classic thrash rock album, but I'd rather personally listen to The Kooks, Interpol, or Bloc Party. Its still a decent album but not something I'd listen to regularly.

A modern indie-classic! Take Me Out slaps

Solidan ko Bogdan

Hhvfg

Good album, definitely something I wish I had found when I was younger

Did not like

Album is a one-trick pony, but it's a great trick.

Better than I thought.

Holy shit how did I never hear this before? All I knew was Take Me Out, and that isn't even in the best 50% of the album. This is a brilliant album that needs to be listened to ASAP.

Meh. But love the stand out hit "Take Me Out".

Teen nostalgia!

I think it's held up pretty well for being 20 years old. I wasn't a huge fan at the time but this sounded pretty good

Take Me Out is still an excellent track. Rest, perfectly fine.

An old favourite

Pretty dull soundscape. Similar songs with weak hooks. Ok but not for me.

Not my style

I remember a lot of fuss about this band and can still picture all the billboards for this album on my first trip to NYC. Despite that, I’d never listened. I only recognized one song, and the rest of the album was decent, though not particularly exciting.

Pretty good album.

Bastante monótono

I always loved this band. This was great overall. 4 stars!

It was blah. Reminded me of The Killers (I think the band had something with Kill in it). Liked the least of the three albums I’ve heard so far.

Good so far 3

Solid album, and Take Me Out is an all time banger

Very solid and fun. Some post punk influence. Torn between three and four.

I see why, but you know...it's not my bag.

One good song.

Love them

Album was perfect for cooking a hello fresh meal. Not too long, not to short. Good balance of songs and tempos

2/5. Was never a big swing, pop type of drummer so I never really liked Franz Ferdinand.

Great album.

Good album. ‘Take Me Out’ is a classic of the early 2000’s, and the rest is nice indie rock.

Pretty good album, but I don’t know if I will return to it.

Not a bad album. Some songs were fun and new and others were not my favourite.

Only listened to 3 songs, wasn’t crazy about it but it wasn’t horrible.

Ok!

You never have to wonder what you're getting with Franz Ferdinand. They're that fun rock sound that they along with a few others really embraced in the early/mid 2000s. Some people love it, some people hate it. But this was a good album through and through. Not perfect. They along with Jack White need to find a closer relationship with a guitar tuner at times, but still an enjoyable, fun experience.

I say this a lot on these reviews, but I'll say it again. This is OK. It's not amazing, and it's not bad. It's very OK. This came out when I was buying a lot of music and reading a lot of music magazines, and so I listened to this at the time - and it was OK then, too. Like so many other albums here I wouldn't be upset to listen to it again, and I'm also unlikely to seek it out for another listen. It's OK.

Well performed and executed, but ultimately faceless.

Some very good dance punk/indie, the members of the band are competent at their job, and the song writing at most songs is very good, my only gripe is that a lot of it sounds derivative of other bands from that time and the eighties

danceable

Just not my type

Yks klassikkobiisikin siel. Ihan jees

Not in my edition of the book! 2004. 5 stars. Quality, edgy Brit indie pop. Cracking tunes, sharp lyrics - what's not to like?

I knew some of their songs already but didn't really know who sung them. I would actively seek out their stuff now.

This is some well-seasoned rock. Franz Ferdinand have a magical ability to structure their songs in a way that's genuinely interesting - these aren't just 3-chord throwaways.