Franz Ferdinand

Interesting album. I knew of ‘Take Me Out’. The rest is very cool

It's a fun album with interesting songs that are different than others.

A cut above the indie dross of the time. 3.5

Great fun, good musicians, very busy

"Take Me Out" came out while I was in college. It was a jam then. It's still a jam now. The rest of the album is fun. Not revolutionary or anything, but an enjoyable listen. 4/5

It’s punchy, it’s cool. It sounds so specifically like a certain hipster time, but also sounds like a lot that came before it. It’s catchy shit.

A Scottish classic.

This album is great - Take Me Out is really a masterpiece, but the rest of this is so fun.

Excellent early aughts album.

I liked some of their stuff back in the day but it's not music that I search for these days.

I have enjoyed this album since it was first released. My oldest son became a Frank Ferdinand fan after hearing this around our home as a child.

Really surprised at how much I liked this one

leuke liedjes maar iets te veel van hetzelfde voor 5 sterries

4.4

A great sound, very nostalgic

buenas vibes

rock album of hell

An excellent first album. Enjoyed revisiting the past.

This was pretty good, vocals kind of reminded me of the SOAD type drawl, just a bit too repetitive and samey to get much more appreciation from me

So many hits.

Very in-line with my tastes. The album isn't stellar, but Take Me Out is a classic and Come On Home is surprisingly good.

66. so if youre lonely 🎶

Another album that shaped my youth. I know it back to front and it is a solid album, but I’m not sure that even with nostalgia I can give it more than a 4

boppy, good, energetic

The songs did sound rather similar at times. However, I enjoyed the beats and his voice. It was a pleasant surprise.

I've listened to this already

Decent album, one I know very well. Some bangers.

Straight bangers. This was such a fun album

Take me out obviously a banger but there were several others, album was kinda hype 😎

I enjoyed it a lot. All good fun.

Held up better than I expected, except the line about Terry Wogan. Reminds me of being free of school and starting to go out on the lash. Enjoyable. Take me Out will always remind me of Back Off Boogaloo though. The vocal on Michael sounds like Mr. Weebl... remember him?! Not 5 enjoyable, but good fun and a nice throwback.

Quite fun

Fun rock album from back in the day

Wow! This is by far the sleeper hit so far. I remember this album coming out and being enamored of the single Take Me Out like everyone else at the time (it has over a billion streams on Spotify). But I also recall listening to the rest of the album and being frankly unimpressed. How wrong I was. Not only is this an excellent guitar rock extravaganza but I surprised to find that I now knew a lot of these tunes. It seems that in the intervening time since its release this album’s songs has been gaining traction in the zeitgeist. In this case, I’m glad to admit that I was wrong and happy to have found another audio gem to listen to.

I generally like Franz Ferdinand, and beyond "Take Me Out", which is an essential listen, this album is a good representation of the early/mid 2000s rock revival.

Yes

The hits are awesome. The rest is very good as well. Not quite 5 stars, but still very good.

Gotta love the early 2000's indie

I love these guys. Their sound was unique and they hit the scene with a bang. In 2004 you couldn't go anywhere without hearing "Take Me Out". Impressive Spotify listen counts from top to bottom, with "TMO" clocking in at 1.3B listens, but no other song with fewer than 7M. They're clever, fun, quirky, energetic and easily consumed. "TMO", "This Fire", "Come On Home" and "The Dark Of The Matinee" all got radio time. The glue tunes are what makes this a great record; "Michael", "Jacqueline", "Cheating On You", and "40" do what they need to to hold this album together. Saw them live a few years later, solid solid performance without a single slow song, 100% high energy. It had impact, influence, hits, airplay and longevity. It deserves a spot in the T1001. 4 stars but closer to 3.5 if they offered half points.

Upper tier 2000s indie rock. It's not post-punk, it's post-post-punk with an art rock twist. They certainly make it work, thanks to excellent guitar lines and convincing vocals that sometimes sound like a less zany (but also less pop-ish) version of Talking Heads. I also appreciate the fact that it's a lean album with no fluff or filler, and basically not a single bad song. I enjoyed it more than I expected, and ended up listening twice in a row. Despite great vibes and an undeniable energy, however, it's not mind-blowing either, and I'm not sure I can really consider them "essential" (as a matter of fact, it's been removed from the 2018 edition of the book). The music sounds too polished at times, and I probably would have loved it more if it was dirtier or crazier. Hard choice between a 3* and 4* - ideally it's a perfect 3,5* for me. I'll give it another try in a few weeks if I have time to make up my mind... 7/10 ?

Good album overall. Especially for 00's

Great

Everybody knows "Take Me Out", which seemed to be played non-stop the year the single came out. I had heard a couple of the other songs on the album, but wasn't familiar with most of it. I think this is a really fun album and really well done. There wasn't really a song that I didn't like or that I didn't think fit the album. Franz Ferdinand is definitely in my wheelhouse of music I tend to like and I thought this was a very solid album as a whole.

Probably better the next time I listen to it

Dynamic sounds. Very captivating. 7.5/10

When people ask me what my music taste is, I can point to this as a very formative album. I've listened to Take Me Out more than 1,000,000,000 times in my life Best Song: Take Me Out Rating: 8.5/10 Stars: 4

Que bem que soube voltar a esta banda que muito ouvi no ano passado. Um dos melhores concertos do ano passado. É um 4/5 muito forte. Destaque para Jacqueline, Take Me Out (claro), Dark Of The Matinée, This Fire e Michael. Mas todas as músicas são top. Depois de alguns dias com álbuns medianos (para mim) soube bem voltar a um álbum que goste.

нормалек, но не вау.

Extremely energetic, the riffs are catchy and the vocals are very classic for the time. I thought the songwriting was kind of lacking and a lot of the tempos repeat. Overall very good!

3.5/5

great melodies

More hits than Gavrilo P 🔫🔫🔫

7/10 really good album.

Fantastic. Every song in this is so much fun. Every listen brings something new

Has its own sound, great songs from start to finish. 40’ is under appreciated

Μαρεσουν φουλ οι κιθαρες κ γενικα το vibe που ακουγεται σαν raw mix. I would listen again

Take me out...!

Coldplay left me well, cold

The album can get a bit samey (which is a bit of a curse of the genre really) but all the hits are still great

Good

Take me out is iconic but multiple songs here are slept on

Sounded about how I expected. Nice record but didn't blow me away

Guitar Hero 1 memories forever. I also bought this CD at a goodwill in Queens for $1 in 2011 but this is the first time I've listened to it. Solid album, probably don't need to hear it again.

Jacqueline: Good Intro song. Sounds super raw, and he’s got a cool voice. Guitar coming in was awesome Auf Achse: I like this one a lot Didn't write much but I really liked the vibe of this album.

Arctic monkeys meets the strokes

Similar punk/garage energy as Arctic Monkeys, but more danceable. Another 2000s classic that has aged wonderfully

Take Me Out used to be one of my favorite tracks to run to, and I didn't realize it was this band until it started playing! I think this entire album is going to turn into a go-to workout playlist of mine. There's so much energy pumped into this. So much so, I almost wish there was a moment of reprieve - each song really has a similar vibe and there's not a ton of variance in sound. However, the performance is really good. It sounds like it could have been made well before 2004, but also sounds like it belongs when it was made as well. No skips except for Cheating on You. What an awful, horrible, no-good song. I had really enjoyed everything up to that point, and it almost soured the rest of the experience for me. Michael redeemed it back almost where it was before. What a glorious song, nearly unheard of in 2004. I'm sure that had to be the awakening of many queer people back in the day. Certainly going on a playlist and will probably be my favorite song for a little while. Vocals are very strong and very fun. Love hearing the accent peek through, and the foreign language moments are fun. Instrumental performance is solid. I think mixing could be a little bit cleaner, especially for the time. It's just a little bit too loud. Something feels really special about this album, the quality, and contribution to the advancement of rock music. However, I really can't excuse the cheating song, and I think the production could have been a bit cleaner. I really want to bump my rating and it's tempting to, but I think it's more of a 4.3/5. Cheaters begone.

This has to be the third 2004 album from this week. The definitive 2000's British Rock record for me, I prefer this over Arctic Monkeys and others. A bit short but a ton of fun and straight to the point songs. The guitar playing and vocals especially I quite dig. Shame they never had an album quite as good as this afterwards.

Really liked this one lots of fun songs

3.5/5

BEST SONGS: - The Dark Of The Matinée - Auf Achse

what a debut

pretty good! I liked this more than the last couple albums 4.2/5 stars 7.7/10

banger

4.5 Me gusto muchooo, el cambio de Jacqueline me dejó explotando el cerebro, ESA BATERIA DIOS aun no lo supero, y Take Me Out ya la había escuhado, es buenísimaaaa. Fue dificil hacerle un ranking porque me gustaron mucho todas. Top 3: - Take Me Out - Jacqueline - Auf Asche

i fear few song can revive me in the club quite like take me out

1: *** very arctic monkeys vibe 2. ** 3. *** famous 4.** 5. **** 6. ** 7. *** 8. *** 9. **** i love that progression upwards 10. **** fire 11. *** Overall very similar to Arctic Monkeys. Got that grunge rock vibe. I really like the bass riffs they have. Overall pretty musically unique imo. I enjoy.

I don't like this band in general, still their debut is totally fine

"Take Me Out" is a triumph of indie rock catchy weirdness. It might even top a few lists of "best indie rock song of all time" because it really encapsulates what is so great about the genre; the guitars are inventive, the vocals are so genuine and cool, it grooves so well, is completely unpretentious and does its own thing, and the whole vibe is really awesome. When I hear that first guitar strum I immediately get ready to feel pumped, and when the groove breaks at 1:05 I am compelled to do my one little cool guy indie rocker head bob dance. It's an awesome song. It's just a shame that the rest of the record doesn't have other tracks of that magnitude. Listening now full through for the first time in a long time, I'm kind of perplexed actually, because it seems like all of these tracks have the ingredients of a truly great indie rock song, but they are maybe just spread out too thin. The opener, "Jacqueline" has amazing guitar parts that are crisp and technical and have that great Strokes-esque spanky indie quality that's in "Take Me Out". But the vocal melody is lacking- it's kind of subdued and not as in your face. And this listening and analysis experience happens throughout the rest of the album. Cool parts, but nothing comes together and meshes as well as that track. I do really like the contrasting B sections / bridges / breaks in this album. They're not only great glue for the more prominent parts to hold together, but they are in my opinion often just as memorable and catchy. I love this album cover. Those tan yellows are so perfect, and the type and font choice is all so clean. It's a hard rate for me, because it's probably between a 3 and a 4, but "Take Me Out" is just so good that even if it's a 3 I gotta raise it up to a 4.

Fantastic album. Loved how it sounded. It's very catchy, I was bumping my head the whole time listening to it.

Really good and I liked seeing the influence on the future.

"Take Me Out" is one of the most iconic 2000's indie/alt rock songs of all time. This album rocks.

Indierock-Lowlands-Darlings Franz Ferdinand, een band waarvan ik heb gehoord maar nooit echt naar heb geluisterd? Althans dat dacht ik tot Take me out voorbij kwam, deze ken ik wel! Het tempo ligt best wel hoog, zowel qua BPM als qua tempo door het album, de nummers zijn niet te lang en zelfs het album is met 11 nummers allesbehalve te lang. Dat alleen al is een hele fijne 'change of pace' van de lange ingewikkelde of ontzettend trage rock albums die ik heb gehad en dat zorgt er al voor dat ik er wat meer voor ga zitten. Iets verder op het album durf ik te zeggen dat ik het echt naar mn zin heb met dit album! Het rockt, en niet op een vervelende boomer manier ofzo, maar gewoon op een goed tempo wat ik wel echt ff kan waarderen. Misschien is het omdat het een vrijdag is, maar zo af en toe kan ik best wat rock hebben, gelukkig maar want ik moet nog zo'n 500 rock albums. Instrumentaal gaat Franz Ferdinand echt goed, het tempo zit hoog, en het klinkt ook vrolijk. Ik zit hier eigenlijk wel echt met een lach achter de pc, dit voelt als een perfect vrijdag album. Heerlijke muziek, zang is prima en het rockt gewoon goed. Dit is een goed verdiende 4 sterren. FAVO: Take me out, The dark of the matinee, Cheating on you, This Fire

I was expecting some pretty mid Strokestic Monkeys type stuff here, but these guys sound loads more confident and cool than their contemporaries

Um clássico millennial. Passava toda hora na 89 e mtv. Valeu a nostalgia

Great album. Maybe 4.5?

Looking forward to revisiting this album.

4/5

Very listenable, even though I’m not sure whether I would gravitate towards it while I’m on a walk or exercising. Listened to it at work while I was working at the office.

Before Listening: I know a couple Franz Ferdinand songs and really like them! Looking forward to this one! After Listening: This was so much fun and I was just dancing the whole way through! I didn’t realize “Michael” was on this album, but it brought back so many great memories of karaoke with my friends and just jumping and dancing and living! There wasn’t a song I didn’t enjoy!

Back in the day when people bought papers and magazines I used to read the NME quite a lot. Mainly my mates unless there was a freebie or so going (as I was all about the Magazines Like Q, Select, Vox and later Mojo). The NME were responsible for helping break a lot of bands and one of the things they used to do was an annual NME tour (Brats, shockwave and so on). They used to have 4 up and coming bands. In 2004 the first band on in the evening and possibly the best IMHO was Franz Ferdinand. Energetic, stylish and poppy you kind of new you would hear them again. The debut album also came out in 2004 and having seen the tour on the 8th February and no doubt having voraciously consumed all of the reviews I would have bought this the very next day when it came out on the 9th. I am grateful to have purchased in the days when ltd releases and bonuses came if you bought early (not in a repackage) so the CD came with a bonus Live at the Paradiso CD as well. The main album is just around 40 minutes of Art School Punk Pop. Yes it does seem to draw influence from bands like Gang of Four and Television but this was the early naughtiest and so having a fresh hound vibrant band like this was great. I seem to remember that in an interview they said they just wanted to make music that Girls could dance to and they certainly did that. Indie discos every wear played tracks like Take Me Out and I imagine they still do now. In fact seeing the, recently on the telly box playing Glastonbury or somewhere they were still playing a fair few from this album and the audience certainly knew the tunes. Whilst making people dance you can certainly tell that this debut album was made by art school kids and they certainly had an image, but that’s what we want yeah? The album is quite varied musically but relies on angular and tight playing structured so some songs switch tempos and move from laid back to punchy and in your face. Perhaps Germanic? It is also lyrically interesting as well and it is certainly a great debut. It does stand the test of time and as it is a debut I would give it four stars. It was good to catch up with it again. For reference the other three bands on the NME tour were The Von Bondie’s, The Rapture (also great) and the headline act Funeral For A Friend

Really fun album. Had a great time listening, just super upbeat and enjoyable overall. My favorite was Tell Her Tonight or Take Me Out.

January 4, 2026 - January 4, 2026 -After listening to two Beatles albums, I feel like the influence they had on bands moving forward is more clear. -Waaaait I totally forgot they did the intro song to Cyberpunk!!! (This Fire)

i’ve discovered this before

Meshes together really well without being too samey. Good energy. This Fire is a bop.

Knew take that

This is so good. 4 stars

Top notch rock with a few classics

Energetic and artsy. What a great album to dance to. They do have the try-hardness of an art school band but unlike my friend ruaridhs band they actually pull it off. Imagining playing the barras and saying “this next songs called The Dark of the Matinee” and people actually cheer. That’s how cool this band is. I think it’s probably my favourite of the British garage rock stuff.

pretty good!! nothing crazy

great album with hyping vibes fav song from the album: 40'

Would

Classic indie rock/alternative album, it's from the era of it

Great album, really enjoyed this one. Only knew the one hit 'Take Me Out so was pleasantly surprised by some of these, especially The Dark of the Matinee, Michael, Tell Her Tonight and Jacqueline. A high 3.5/5

Can’t believe I never thought to listen to another song by them. Actually criminal behavior on my part

Forgot how good this was. Reminds me of playing tony hawk for the ps2

an indie classic and an album I listened to a lot back in high school. Feels somewhat dated now but some of these songs still hit with the same energy. Solid good album!

Reminiscing on middle school was very fun, loved this group. Hadn’t listened to all of it though which was great.

Saw a girl in a Franz Ferdinand t-shirt. She couldn't even name 3 other main causes of the outbreak of World War I.

This one took me back as I owned this CD back in the day. Take Me Out, Jacqueline, The Dark of the Matinee, This Fire are standouts on this album. Solid album.

Very nostalgic for me so it's difficult to be objective or imagine I'm listening with fresh ears, but I think it definitely holds up.

Estuvo bueno, es un rocksito tipo indie. Me recuerda mucho a arctic monkeys

4/5

Loved it listening to it in Tassie eating dinner with Lisa

80

I don't remember ever hearing anything on this album besides "Take Me Out" which I have always loved. Glad to hear the rest.

This was the pick me up album on the indy scene at the time. Still holds!

lowk jacqueline my favourite despite take me out being on here

already knew take me out, but it’s an amazing first pick. loved the vibe

This was quite good, especially compared to a band like the libertines. The first half was exceptionally good, especially the first track and the obvious, take me out. However, the album began to run a bit thin in the middle before picking up a bit on the last 2 tracks. 4/5

I'd only heard the one popular song, but quite liked the whole thang.

8.0/10

Wonderful indie rock

What can I say? It's a good album. It has good songs. Does any of it blow me away? No. It could just be me. I do like their songs for a time and then it fades quickly. The one exception to this is the song "Ulysses" which came later than this album. I would definitely listen again to this, but its not really my favorite. Biggest Hit - Take Me Out Miss - Jacqueline Surprise - The Dark of the Matinee

Bon, quelques morceaux qui sortent du lot, le reste un peu générique mais très agréable, album cohérent

take me out mejores canciones de la historia cambio al rock para siempre innovacion 4/5

🔟

Take me out. 4/5

Heck of a debut album from these boys. "THE" Bands ruled the airwaves in 04 and it was in heavy rotation for me when it dropped. While they didn't reach these heights again this is just an all around great rock album. Fun, catchy songs with bravado. Hard not to enjoy this.

One massive hit. No bad songs really. Short.

I was surprised to open this albums reviews and see so much negativity for what I remember to be a very good very competent debut album but then I see this term of "landfill indie" being thrown around like a hot potato. While I totally get the concept, the idea of the revival of indie being pretty disingenuous and repetitive/lacking a future makes sense. That being said this album does not apply. The album is a clean and finely tuned indie showcase, and even if it wasn't I couldn't even consider putting down an album that has both Take Me Out and This Fire on it. Suave and charismatic vocals both play a pleasant lead or an entirely fitting supplement to what is a collection of very very good riffs. That being said, two lead singles with the strength of the aforementioned songs does mean that I was hoping with every song to get something of the same quality and while the album was well beyond serviceable it never quite matches those highs. Michael comes close though. As annoyed as people may be about the genre and ultimately blame this album among a handful of others for leading this genre this is easily a cut above much of the rest, and I am far for blaming an entire genre, whether I like said genre or not, on a band who had no intention of causing that influence. But that does indeed make it influential beyond just being a fun record that I'd recommend entirely giving a listen for just two or three songs but thankfully this IS a good album top to bottom, just inconsistent in how it bounces good to phenomenal and back to just good. Best songs: Take Me Out, This Fire Worst song: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 12/24 (Below The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady, above Heavy Weather) Worth noting looking at this list that I was too harsh on Heavy Weather, so I am swapping it at Nighthawks At the Diner (now 13th and 14th respectively)

Fun album, great indie sound.

"Franz Ferdinand" is the debut studio album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. Post-punk revival and dance punk are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was recorded at Gula Studios in Malmö, Sweden, with producer Tore Johansson. The bandmembers included Alex Kapranos (lead vocals, guitar), Mike McCarthy (guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Bob Hardy (bass) and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album reached #3 on the UK Album Chart and #32 on the US Billboard 200 and had universal critical claim as a "masterpiece of funky, punky, suave cool." In 2004, it also won the UK Mercury Prize. "Jacqueline" opens the album with soft vocals and an acoustic guitar. The band kicks in with a rockin', driving post-punk guitar. A weird story lyrically about a drunk man, Ivor, and a 17-year old Jaqueline...a desire to escape the mundane work for holiday. The first song I remember from the band was "Take Me Out." An anxious guitar and beat. A dance groove develops. A great guitar riff and a song where the a guy is hesitant to make the first move. The next song "The Dark of the Matinee" is just as catchy. A slow-fast-slow dynamic going in another song about trying to evade the mundane. Antsy guitar slashes open "This Fire." Layered vocals with a repeating chorus. A paranoid anxiety vibe pervades as the song ends chaotically with the guitar. The next song and first single, "Darts of Pleasure," continues the theme of passion, desire and seduction. Kapranos doing his best Bryan Ferry. The music on this album is mostly driven by jittery, urgent and layered guitars with rock and dance beats: Pop, rock and dance-fused songs. The influences are post-punk for sure recalling Pere Ubu and Joy Division. Catchy beats, riffs and vocal choruses. The songs have clever lyrics with themes of frustrations in relationships and life in general although there are several songs about pure and simple sexual desire. This is a solid album; The band has never quite reached this level of music on subsequent albums. A album worth checking out.

I only knew their hits, but this entire album is quite solid . 8/10

Very good album for driving. Highlights: Jacqueline, Take Me Out, The Dark of The Matinée, Cheating on You.

This started out great, but I just found that it lost steam towards the end. Got a bit monotonous. Still, some good stuff on here. Take Me Out is a great song, some others hit for me as well. Liked it, better than average, not amazing though.

Super fun!

3.5*

reminds me of my dad. good!

Similar to the pixies, British rock standard pretty good 9/10

A good rock/pop album! I remember listening to these guys late elementary- early middle school days.

Fun album.

An indie rock staple. Half of it is some of the coolest rock of the time and I don’t remember the other half already but recommend Jacqueline, take me out, 40’, come on home, dark of the matinee, cheating you and take her home. It is very strokes inspired but so solid

Def a vibe

Really good album, no songs I didn't like and there was a lot of variety in each song that kept it interesting the whole way through. Just a lot of fun the whole way through and good music for the gym. Might be my first 5? Fav song: Dark of the Matinee It was pretty good, some banging songs. Still only 4 stars for me tho! Fave songs: Dark of the Matinee and Come on Home

From the outset Franz Ferdinand's eponymous album has a great use of dynamics, it's full of melody, driving rhythms and dramatic, jagged guitar riffs. The vocals suit the music perfectly. The production is tight and polished, allowing each instrument to cut through clearly, showcasing the band's musical precision. The result is a collection of songs that are both clever and for the most part, irresistibly catchy, punchy and fun. Four-stars. Stand out tracks "Jacqueline", "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée", "Darts of Pleasure" and "Michael". 1 "Jacqueline" (5/5) 2 "Tell Her Tonight" (4/5) 3 "Take Me Out" (5/5) 4 "The Dark of the Matinée" (5/5) 5 "Auf Achse" (4/5) 6 "Cheating on You" (3/5) 7 "This Fire" (4/5) 8 "Darts of Pleasure" (5/5) 9 "Michael" (5/5) 10 "Come on Home" (4/5) 11 "40'" (4/5) Total - 48 Average - 4.36 179/1001 97/179 albums reviewed were new to me.

Great album, great energy, ok lyrics. The vibe is there though, very uplifting, and -hate to admit it- irrotatingly catchy, in a good way.

Just a very good banging indie album

Good rocking LP.

Great alt-rock hipster anthem album.

Aka "Scottish Strokes by Scottish Strokes."

As fun and dancey as the day it dropped. They have a very limited range of what they can do, but they do that one thing very well.

Solid album that brings mw back to high school. A tight album with iconic guitar riffs, that distant but intense vocal tone, and drums that give a sense of urgency. Overall, a great album, but a few cuts short of perfect. 4/5

Take Me Out is an all time indie club banger, unfamiliar with the rest of the record but I liked it

Estou até surpreso por ter gostando tanto deste álbum que, por algum motivo, nunca quis ouvir e sempre julguei como ruim. Já conhecia "Take Me Out" (que é uma baita música) mas, por algum motivo, nunca quis conhecer a banda. Que grata surpresa ouvir esse disco, me levou de volta para 2016 (apesar de ser de 2004), me lembrando ótimas bandas como Arctic Monkeys e The Killers. Dou 4 estrelas mas, por pouco, não leva um 5. O melhor que ouvi até agora.

Njihov debelo najbolji

Good distinct sound without being repetitive or boring

4 out of 5. Credit where it's due, this album was better than I thought it would be.

Solid, fun pace and felt like I was playing Madden again.

I hated this band when they first came out but going back and visiting many of these 2000s indie records is a great experience

Really dug this one, great pop rock album

i havent listened to this and i'm blind calling it a 4 or 4.5 outta 5. never callin a 5 early... but.... ok i listened to it 3.75/5, round up

bangers

I occasionally find myself with albums I can’t get through when I’m listening to them for the first time. This is one of these records. Initially it did not click with me at all, I did not vibe with it. I was actually annoyed by the guitars and the screechy singing. But I’m committed to finish each album on the list. So I had to return to it multiple times because I could never get through it in one sitting. But what can I say? This album is a damn grower and it grew on me a lot. I’m still a bit annoyed by the parts I mentioned before but now I’m stick with these catchy songs and choruses. Damn.

Nostalgia boost but genuinely a really good album! Loads of variations between tracks whilst still maintaining a consistent sound

I love this band and I like this album. It’s pretty good. Few of the songs live up to “Take Me Out,” which in my opinion is a stone-cold classic and one of the best rock songs of the ‘00s, but I do like “Dark of the Matinee” and “Michael” a lot. This is probably a 3.5 album and it’s pushing the limits of the designation but I’ll still put it on my must-listen list, #251.

The nostalgia I feel for this album clearly plays a part. But I enjoyed listening to this album again way more than I thought I would. Criticisms that it rips off television, the wire, sparks. Well yea, that’s music. Otherwise we might as well all go back to listen to beethoven. You could have a “indie disco” night and just play this album twice and call it a night. If you hate that you won’t like this album. But I remember those nights and they weren’t all bad.

In the Take Me Out video, the drummer looks like Jim Carey. Moving on. This is the type of band that you’re never looking for but when you hear them you realize it’s not so bad. But also, it’s not great. Don’t get me wrong. There really isn’t anything wrong either, it just hovers in that realm of ho hum. The music keeps on moving. That’s good. It’s sort of poppy rock . More in the realms of Pulp without the naughtiness . Choice cut: Take Me Out

Stunning for a debut album, definitely their best. Captured a moment in time that became Indie Sleaze. #GlasgowBand

Ye it's cool

Great album, dry at times

A staple of modern alt rock with hits like take me out

I really like the whole Indie/Punk Revival kind of scene from the 2000s, and while this is definitely one of the weaker albums from the whole scene I've listened to, that's more of a testament to Post-Punk Revival than it is something against Franz Ferdinand. I like the album calling back a lot to the CBGB Club kind of sound from the 80s, especially in Tell Her Tonight. The band sometimes gets a little too early Arctic Monkeys, but the album as a whole is at least a good time and at most incredibly fun.

Nice

Franz Ferdinand’s debut still hits with a sharp, nervy energy that made early-2000s guitar rock feel exciting again. The band’s knack for tight, angular riffs and dance-floor rhythms is undeniable, and Alex Kapranos delivers each line with a sly theatrical flair — nowhere more perfectly than the iconic “Ich heiße Super Fantastisch!” on 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦. The full tracklist stays remarkably catchy, stylish, and immediate, and while the formula eventually became overused by others, here it still sounds fresh, confident, and effortlessly cool.

So 2004. Played it to death _21_ years ago. I don't want to listen to it again. Maybe "This Fire" gets a pass from me on the Burnout 3 soundtrack.

Great debut album, liked it from the first song. A couple tunes in I realized the singer was reminded me of Iggy Pop on Lust for Life, but way more skill and drama. Then the track Michael rips the album open and seals the deal. If you told me this was the missing great Bowie followup to Let's Dance I'd believe it. 4 on two listens, I'm sure it'll be 5 by New Years.

Franz Ferdinand was the eldest son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. His last words were, "Sophie, Sophie! Don't die! Live for our children!". When asked about his own injury, he repeatedly said, "It is nothing". He spoke these words as he was dying after being shot in Sarajevo in 1914. Franz Ferdinand was shot because the Black Hand decided to assassinate him because of his perceived threat to Serbian independence. The more I learn about this Franz Ferdinand guy I didn’t see the bands origin name connecting to the archduke. Turns out the band is named after a race horse that was named after Franz Ferdinand and the band liked the alliteration. Overall an enjoyable Sunday morning listen making pancakes for a bunch of neighbours.

Pretty solid album. Had some pretty fun and classic songs on here

Can somebody tell me which one Franz Ferdinand is? Bass player perhaps? Is Franz even in the band? If i focused more, Id have more to say, was listening mostly whole making waffles, and it improved the waffle making experience. Great voice, great guitar, and Take me Out is an absolute classic.

Franz Ferdinand really tapped into something here. Plenty of a bangers here, a few duds too, but a strong album overall. Still holds up pretty well.

Such an indie classic, the riffs are so on point and it's just banger after banger. Possibly the most seminal indie record of the early 2000s. In many ways it feels like a time capsule for another world and a time when bands were still relatively popular, in 2025 it feels that there are less bands like FF.

I've already listened to his album (27). Still holds up, and ages pretty gracefully.

Solid all the way through and holds up quite nicely 20 years later.

Went into this thinking it would be standard indie, but it had an interesting tinge of punk as well as really strong bass the whole time. Kinda expected to just know Take Me Out and that be it. Pleasantly surprised at how good the entire album is.

I very much enjoyed Franz Ferdinand at Oceans Calling this year. I also did not realize just how damn Scottish they were. Take Me Out was so much damn fun and is a song of my childhood. Auf Achse is incredible. Come On Home is going to be stuck in my head. That was great! Very easy to boogie to. After a few listens this honestly might be a 5, but going high 4 here.

It takes a few songs to get going but by the end I really enjoyed the album.

I would simply describe this album as enjoyable. Nothing groundbreaking, but there was no song that wasn't enjoyable to listen to. I especially enjoyed some of the less popular tracks in the second half of the album.

Funket da, funker fortsatt. Godt album og en monsterhit.

ooo the Mid 2000's... what a moment for quirky rock bands on the pop charts. i miss it so.

3.5/5

I really enjoyed this one. Knew a few of the songs before but had never listened to the album. Would definitely listen again. Maybe a tad similar to each other but it’s a short album so that didn’t really bother me. Fav song: Take Me Out - also liked Fire and Michael Least fav: Cheating On You

Very close to being 5 stars. Really liked this album, lots of great songs and while I'd heard a couple most of them were new to me. I'll definitely be listening to the whole album again! Favourite: The Dark of the Matinee Least: Tell Her Tonight

Love the hits, Loved some of the other songs too, overall solid representation. Wish Michael was on this album though.

Very solid. Couple of known bangers and more discovered. It's a good mid-range energy music for me.

Love the energy on this album. I know very little about this band aside from the obvious songs, but all members seem to stand out. Great guitar work, but the bass and drums are so on point driving each track.

very fun, i thought this would be mid but i really enjoyed it

Fun pop rock. Some gang of four influence for sure. Not all that memorable outside of the hit single, but decent throughout. 3.5/5

It's actually pretty solid, better than I expected. Take me out is legendary, but I am enjoying some other tracks as well, not bad.

Fun music, with plenty of tempo changes to keep things interesting.

Fun! I love Take Me Out, not sure why I didn't check out the rest of the album.

When this came out in 2004 it fit within the other guitar bands who were starting to make some noise as the ebb and flow of indie rock was suddenly on the uptick again. The Strokes arguably started the post-punk revival along with The White Stripes, Interpol, Maximo Park, Bloc Party, Modest Mouse etc and the Glaswegian Franz Ferdinand fit nicely along side those bands with a funky approach to post punk with razor sharp hooks and solid bass lines. Ignoring the monster hits, This Fire and perhaps Michael, this debut is interesting from beginning to End. Jacqueline with its lengthy intro and frenetic second half gets the party started and introduces the cutting clean guitar tone that is the hallmark of the album and repeated on several songs. Tell Her Tonight keeps up the interest with a catchy, albeit repetitive hook throughout. For me, the most interesting song on the LP is 40’ which is interesting lyrically, vocally and musically with a hook which sounds like an inversion of the hook in Take Me Out. The closest Franz Ferdinand gets to traditional post punk is Auf Asche with its synthesizer intro before breaking into a more traditional electronic post-punk track. It’s still kind of upbeat for a song about desire for a woman you can’t touch. There are no duds on this record and it captures a particular post-punk sound remarkably well. Alex Kapranos is a good vocalist and keeps the album from descending into just average. 4/5

Early aughts indie that struck big with Take Me Out. A fun, boppy album with pop influences along with rock and funk that fits in perfectly with the indie scene in England at the time. Not the most creative lyrics, but every song is catchy and high energy. Themes of being a young man and poor decision making, particularly where hitting on women is concerned. My main takeaway in the lyrics was the desperation and games that men played to try and seduce women and the frustration that comes out of the continued rejection. All that said, the guitar and bass riffs are spectacular. The vocals work incredibly well, and the drums elevate the tempo of every track.

Love this record.

Egentlig et ganske bra album.

Now this a solid alt rock album. Maybe not groundbreaking, but still a great listen.

I enjoyed it but it did contain a lot of indie cliches. But thats fine because i enjoyed it right?

Favorites: 40’, Auf Achse, Come on Home, Take Me out ( of course).

A classic and full of bangers

Reminds me of some punk music I like, and at times the Beatles. Upbeat.

This album basically defined indie rock in the early 2000s. Take Me Out still bangs 20+ years later. Easy and fun to jam out to and most of the tracks are consistently good.

Great debut!

Very solid. Some great riffs throughout, with only one song that I didn't particularly like. 4/5

Grew up on this one and it still holds up, and not in a simple nostalgia way. Unique sound, consistently fun and danceable, with a dark undertone. Love it.

So much better than I expected

Good, saved one song

Great early 2000s rock album

71/100. Some fantastic stuff on this record. It's a punchy, punkish indie rock debut. “Take Me Out” is the undeniable highlight.

Their first and best album. Everything after this had a song or two I liked, but wasn't nearly as solid.

This record still bangs. Maybe my favorite of the New Wave necrophiliacs to pop up post-Strokes, but I’ve always been partial to rock you can dance to.

Ich heisse Super Fantastic!

Nothing but clever bangers - THAT song transcended everything and makes a worthy entry into the rock/pop pantheon. There's genuinely something for everyone here, as the album energetically jumps between massive hooks and frenetic grooves. How the fuck is this album more than 20 years old? Totally of its time, but still sharp as anything! Favourite tracks: Jacqueline, Take Me Out, Dark of the Matinee, This Fire, Darts Of Pleasure - basically all of it!

Great album, chunky riffs, has a slightly rough production value to it. The songs are fun, energetic. Aside from Take Me Out which naturally is the best song, I think Michael is the track I've always enjoyed the most.

There's a few decent song in there but it doesn't really feel like a cohesive album. I think the indie classics rescue it

Instantly transports me to Portsmouth NH early 2000’s and holds up much better then other pop punk albums released around this time.

Better than I remember and I liked this before

banger

This is one of the first albums I discovered when I was in my early teens just getting into music, and it still holds up.

Well this was pretty good all around, and Take Me Out is such a great track. Some of the riffs on the later songs sounded kinda similar, but still, a solid 4.

An excellent debut album from an interesting time, I saw FF live in late 2004 following the release of this album and the songs left an impact on me.

Classic 2004 vibes

Sounds of Television and Talking Heads, a strong example of early 2000s rock. Although “Take Me Out” will always be on a level of its own, this album was much more interesting than I knew.

I’m not sure why I feel like this is a few years ahead of its time. I was 10 when it released, so can’t really speak on the cultural shift it may or may not have created. However, this type of music will always awaken a coming-of-age wanderlust feeling within me.

My sister def had this on rotation growing up

a primeira música do álbum ja me conquistou, o estilo indie rock é um dos gêneros que tenho mais escutado nos últimos tempos, apesar da segunda faixa ter caído um pouco, a terceira voltou a trazer um ótimo ritmo para o álbum, com o maior sucesso da carreira da banda; this fire retoma o gosto das primeiras faixas, seguida de outras quatro músicas que gostei bastante, fechando a trilha. apesar de não ter adicionado todo o álbum à minha biblioteca, reconheço que é um trabalho muito bem feito, e merece uma boa nota

Take Me Out classic

I only knew Take Me Out but the other songs are quite good too. I listened passively but I liked it. I feel I need to listen to the lyrics more carefully because I did not understand the first song was about a girl named Jacqueline.

Glad I listened to it rather than just listening to take me out over and over. There’s some other really good songs here. Last half kinda lost me a bit but overall it was a very fun listen.

Brilliant loved it then love it now. Still seems fresh great riffs good vocals and beats lyrically good. Cool alround it kicks in all the right places

Good album! Used to listen to them a lot when they were big in early 2000s

Distinctive guitar and vocals. Some "catchy" tunes. Not sure I can listen to an entire album, but one sound here or there is fun to listen to.

This album was much better than I remember.

Fey indie boys actually make quite a banger of an album. Cod-disco beats with hooks a plenty. Good fun and probably still gets played to death in indie discos. I remember the first time round when it did. Best Tracks: Take Me Out; The Dark of the Matinee; 40'

This album starts with a shot wow - Jacqueline - one of the great openers for a band. And is remarkable afterwards too. It’s still probably the best song but others round out their promise of amped up dance guitar rock with disco syncopations and ironic delivery galore.

Mostly all fire tracks - a few that are a bit too repetitive, but for the most part a great listen

That's a good one.

It feels a bit outdated, sounds a lot like early 2000s. Still a good album

My favorite band for a while in high school

Those funky, punky, exuberant Scots. Not my style, but I can see the appeal. Album ties together.

Wow this album brought me back to college.

Enjoyable en quite influential in the early 2000's. A bit repetitive musically but a good listening experience. 4/5

I shouldn't be trusted to give an unbiased opinion as this came out in my early teens and is embedded in my dna.

This evokes a fair amount of nostalgia- this album was big when I first went to uni in Summer 2005. While I never listed to the album myself it was impossible to escape many of these songs at the time and a lot of my friends from school were really into FF. I do like the sound overall, many of the tracks have an exciting driving tempo to the guitar. The production seems a bit thin- I dunno what I really mean by that and not sure I could describe it but just a feeling I get that there's a lack of some depth.

Franz Ferdinand, _Franz Ferdinand_ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It's solid and listenable all the way through and borders on _banger_. This came from a solid rock'n'roll era, so not easy to do. Particularly enjoyable for its jumps between multiple styles. While enjoyable, not headed to back to revisit. But if a friend or date put this on the turntable, I'm down.

Got this one day of release

Sounded like bowie the first couple songs. Then heard the one I new. Not bad, not my style

good good, had to turn down the sound system in my dorm

8/10

Outside of the colossal hit, Take Me Out, I really enjoy the unique voice and sound of FF. The entire album is a classic indie album for me. They may not have been able to endure it long term, but this one will live on my shelves.

I didn't think i would like this. I was nicely surprised though. Very tight album, good songs, VERY early 2000s. I'll come back to this one when the mood strikes. 7/10

Enjoyed this quite a bit. “Take Me Out” and “Michael” were my favorite songs, but I more or less liked every song here. It’s that early 2000s indie that actually succeeds at what it’s trying to do. I really wish I could give half star ratings because this is a 3.5 for me, but I have to round down in this case. I really liked it, just not quite as much as other albums I’ve given 4 stars lately. This is a 3, but a very high 3. Wouldn’t be surprised if I re-evaluate at some point and give it a 4. Definitely deserves its spot on the list. Edit: Nevermind, I re-evaluated quickly, and it’s a 4.

This is such a fun jam.

very very good

Take me out is fun and overall solid

I still remember leaving MTV or something similar on at a sleepover and watching the Take Me Out music video about 20 times as it re-aired like clockwork. The rest of this album is pretty good. Thankfully no weird experimental stuff.

Good stuff

This Fire and Take Me Out are some real bangers that lift this album up above average. This was a nice throwback to my changing of music tastes as I was in my late teens. Also guitar hero as frick.

Normally I think so called “iconic” mid 2000’s British indie rock albums are overrated as fuck. But this album had an energy and a sense of fun that really clicked with me. Take Me Out is the standout track but I’d forgotten about This Fire as well. Plus a song called Darts of Pleasure tickles me just right. Good time!

Pure early 2000s rock, sounds a lot like Arctic Monkey's records from this era. Pleasant listen all the way through.

Every dog has its day. And today, indie rock had its day.

I like it a lot! Didn't make the connection between this band and 'Take Me Out'. - Auf Achse

Good energy! Let’s go!

I knew a few tracks on this one from back in the day, and liked them all. I shouldn't say I'm surprised that most of the other ones were pretty damn good, too, but I will say that I'm surprised it took me this long (and this generator) to finally hear it all. Maybe my biggest takeaway is how melodic and lovely the vocals can be among the loud, banging rhythms and big old riffs. I never noticed that.

They have a great garage band feel. I like their song for Cyberpunk Edgerunners "This Fire", the songs "Take Me Out" and "Come on Home"

Nice enough and rather engaging art-pop, not bad for a debut album. I'm still most familiar with their collaboration with Sparks.

Overall enjoyed it… a couple songs in the middle started to sound the same with that gritty/clipping noise

Killer vibes - double meaning

More my style

super je ovo!

Initial impression - ENERGY. Every song has a driving quality, likely owed to the disco drum beat that they use so frequently, but it works for this style. Immediately listenable, no challenge whatsoever. Relatively simple in the song structure and lyrics, but the feel is consistently strong, and the vocals are a delightful mix of Dead or Alive, Talking Heads, and maybe The Killers. Several of the lead and bass riffs play in my head even the day after listening, and I'm impressed with what sounds the drummer created with a three-piece kit. Kind of curious about their later work now...

Holder sgu stadig

Classic album for the time but with a slight twist on the sound being a bit more brittish. not quite top tier but very good album

Peak

Excellent tone, iconic for the time period and the scene. Some tracks have an odd combination of choruses and bridges, that do not feel like they should bend together or need a slighter slide into each other. Some really great riffs, excellent vocals, and at best mediocre lyrics. Absolute Bangers: Take me Out, Michael, 40' Great Ones: Jacqueline, This Fire, Auf Achse, Come on Home Solid: The Dark of Matinee, Cheating on You, Darts of Pleasure Absolute recommendation, overall not required to be played as whole, a bunch of quality individual tracks.

Used to listen to this a lot in my late teens. Take Me Out was a huge hit of course but there's a lot of either fun or good songs on here.

This sound was everywhere at the time - for a good reason. I had actually never listened fully through this particular album, but it didn't disappoint.

Fun, imaginative, unique. The British Strokes. I like these guys a lot.

classics are classics for a reason and this is a classic

Seems like a one-hit wonder band, but their minor hits are good. I really enjoyed most of this

Great time capsule. A fun and honest album that shows how life in 2004 was.

I only knew these guys from "Take Me Out" and I figured there was a reason for that. Look this type of indie rock from the 2000's are always going to be my thing, even if this one toes the line, but I'm not going to pretend like this was revolutionary or something. 7/10

Good

4/8

no complaints here. borderline great

ok

Franz Ferdinand dominated the middle years of university airplay. I even sang it on Singstar I think haha. One of the first bands to make the indie angular post punk guitar sound popular in the early mid 2000s.

Mostly fun but a few very forgettable tracks throughout. 7/10

Sick, obviously Take Me Out and Darts of Pleasure are classic but found some other bangers! Not a 5 because a couple songs I didn’t absolutely love but this is the highest 4 in a while. I think I’m being harsh idk

Pretty cool, catchy tunes. Alt/punk vocals. Pop leaning rhythms but with more of an alt rock instrumentation across the board.

Another great debut album. FF has a unique sound (thought similar to The Killers and others) that I dig. Good song writing, good execution.