Reviews (page 7 of 15)
Lp that started a wave of mediocre indi of 00s. Overal best of them all.
good good, had to turn down the sound system in my dorm
8/10
Yeah that's the jam of my teenage years and do I ever love it still
Heard it before. I have a soft spot for early 00s indie rock from the UK. Also Michael > Take Me Out 3/5
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
Album 893 of 1089 Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004) Rating : 3 / 5 It was enjoyable enough, but I didn’t really take much away from it. Several of the tracks had a very similar sound, and the lack of variety kept it from standing out. The musicianship and overall sound were fine, but nothing truly grabbed me or made a lasting impression. Just another “meh” album in this project for me.
Thought that it was a great mix of experimental jazz and mixes of rock and pop. Lots of creativity throughout the album and was engaging with its upbeat songs. Standout for me was Take Me Out which I recognized from somewhere but can’t put my finger on where it’s from
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.
Epic
This is such a fun jam.
very very good
Okay
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.
Was excited to hear the rest of these songs since I like their hit but was not impressed. Kept looking for skip forward to see if the next one would satisfy and it just didn't.
Not my taste
This is pretty good. Not sure why it started a war. (3.5)
This album is from the time of my second major musical awakening. The first one was Britpop in the mid 90s and the second one was the indie rock boom of the mid 2000s. This album was one of the flagships. I listen to it sooooo many times, and was on board until album #3 (Tonight) abd then stopped. I still like some albums from that era (The first Bloc Party album, the first The Zutons album, the first Maximo Park album, Interpol's first three), but this one did not hold up for me. It's still a fun listen, but it's the textbook example of mediocrity for me: OK songwriting, OK playing, OK songs, OK sound. I'll listen to it if I have to, but I'd never seek it out.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I liked the plunky, metallic guitar parts and lyrical content but it's probably something I won't return to. Although I'm sure I'll hear "Take Me Out" in passing about a million more times before I die...
When this album first came out, I really enjoyed it. A post-punk/dance-punk record with a playful, energetic vibe. The following year, they went on a co-headlining tour with Death Cab for Cutie. A band I’d been following since 1999/2000, after stumbling into one of their record store shows without even knowing who they were at the time. They were incredible live: a few self-described nerds making powerful music with heartfelt lyrics. When the tour came through, Death Cab was supposed to headline (the bands were rotating who closed out each show), but for some reason they switched things up at the last minute. Death Cab’s set was shorter, but solid. Though seeing them that night felt a little bittersweet. No longer the unknown underdogs I’d first discovered during that recod store experience. By then, The O.C. had catapulted them into mainstream attention, and I Will Follow You Into the Dark had become a teenage anthem. Franz Ferdinand took the stage in cowboy hats. Maybe as a nod to Texas, or maybe just part of the tour’s shtick, I’m not sure. Unfortunately, the sound was off, and their semi-choreographed dance moves felt awkward, as did their half-hearted attempt at Western attire. The whole performance was distracting, and it just didn’t land for me. I ended up walking out before the show was over, disappointed. After that night, I wrote them off, assuming they were a band that could only really shine in the studio, and feeling a bit bitter that they got the longer set since they were closing. Since then, I’ve met plenty of people who had much better experiences at their shows, but I never felt the urge to revisit their music. That’s why I’m glad this album made the list. It reminded me of what first drew me to them: that infectious, fun energy. With the bad live concert experience faded with time, the record itself shines through again. It’s a great album, and one I’ll definitely be spinning a few more times in the coming weeks
Good stuff
It's ok, bit samey throughout
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!
Remember 2004, when everyone sounded just a little bit like The Killers, but not quite as good? Ah, good times!
Like a 21st century Elvis Costello in some ways. Just good.
Actual party rock! Good songs, well played, excellent 2000’s vibes
2 good songs - Take Me Out and This Fire. That's it. Everything else is a struggle to listen to.
Never listened to this whole thing. It's fine. It's just the same. It gets really boring by track 5. I was hoping a full album listen would be exciting, but it wasn't. Take me Out is a killer jam though. Played everywhere, all the time, but i still bop around to it when i hear it.
Really liked their singles. More than some UK bands at the time but 4 stars is high praise from me, and while take me out and dark of the matinee are fantastic songs, the rest are less so. At least they don't have that laddish band feel about them that I dislike. Hello Ocean Colour Scene and all the rest. They seem more art pop which is great.
Didn't like this as much as I thought i would. Take Me Out is great but overall the album felt quite dated and not very interesting.
Good.
Take Me Out is that god damn song. Besides that song, the vocals irk me in a way I can’t explain otherwise. Similar to the full body visceral reaction people can get to the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. A full album of this was a lot for my ears to consume, but good in small doses.
Excelente opera prima. Me hace acordar mucho a Talking Heads.
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.
This was good and enjoyable! It is very rare for me to find something that is good and enjoyable on this album generator. Many times, things are good and I do not enjoy them. Or they are not good and I do not enjoy them.
First 2 songs were in the low 3 range. Take Me Out, the radio single, was much better. I generally liked the music but the production was muddy and just added a nervous, unpleasant air to the album. A few songs stood out, but in the end, wasn't something I'm going to reach back for.
Overrated but has more than the one hit
I like it a lot! Didn't make the connection between this band and 'Take Me Out'. - Auf Achse
Good energy! Let’s go!
The most recent album that has been “assigned” so far. I knew a few of these songs and enjoyed hearing those again. Some new ones for me, which I found myself signing later in the kitchen.
Nothing special
3/5
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"
There really is only one decent song on this album, and that's Take Me Out. The rest is pretty bland.
Nice enough and rather engaging art-pop, not bad for a debut album. I'm still most familiar with their collaboration with Sparks.
Didn’t grab me too much, couple bangers.
Overall enjoyed it… a couple songs in the middle started to sound the same with that gritty/clipping noise
Killer vibes - double meaning
Good, but not great. 7 out of 10. Rounding down. Typical of a lot in this project. Almost half of this album's sales were in England, which is also typical of a lot of music in this project. 3 stars.
Amazing. Love "Take me out".
I like this record, it’s fun. I love a rock band that plays dance music. Rock and roll is supposed to be fun and these guys get the party started. They are solid live. Is there anything earth shattering or even slightly original here? No there is not. Is it a fun listen anyway? Yes it is
Oh well. It's okay, but a bit too stiff rhythmically.
More my style
Very fun blend of pop rock and garage punk. Works very well for radio singles, but starts to grow stale by the end of the album after listening to what feels like the same song pattern for 40 mins. Not bad, but not something I'd clamor to hear again. Top tracks: The Dark Of The Matinée, This Fire, Michael
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...
Daaaaamn!!!! Such a good album!! Added to library!!! great vibes and everything and the voice of the singer is very pleasant!! I like the text and the melody!!! It's a great album
2.18
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
Ihan kivan menevää, jos soisi radiossa en vaihtaisi. Musiikki oli monipuolista, mutta albumin loppupuolella olisin halunnut lopettaa kuuntelemisen. Johtunee siitä ettei albumia ollut keventämässä yhtään rauhallisempaa kappaletta tai sitten musiikkiin tuli lopussa ripaus psykedeelisyyttä ja se alkoi tuntua ylistimuloivalta.
Peak
The album has "Take Me Out," which is a solid track, but honestly, it doesn’t bring much else to the table. Even "Take Me Out" might shine brighter as an instrumental.
First album I fell in love with. I remember listening endlessly on my Sony Walkman portable CD player. A lot of albums from UK guitar bands in the 90s haven’t stood the rest of time, but this isn’t one of them. An all time great in my opinion and more than deserving of its place on the list. Shout out to Bob Hardy, bass guitar on this record is class.
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.
Besides Take Me Out, it’s pretty forgettable.
Realistically it felt more like a 2.5, but there was nothing "wrong" with the songs it just felt very boring.
Franz Ferdinand is nondescript music in my opinion. So many mid-2000s bands sounded similar and I can’t tell them apart nor do I want to. I don’t gravitate to this style of music and find myself really bored with it. I mean, it’s fine. That’s the thing that kills me about it: it’s just *fine.* I’m apathetic to it; it doesn’t rouse me in any way. I’d rather music cause complete hatred or intense ecstasy. I need to feel *something* when I listen to music. Otherwise, what’s the point?
After Oasis, brit-rock took a sabbatical from mainstream radio, but that ended when Franz Ferdinand showed up in 2004. From a Pop perspective this album was a smash hit and it’s absolutely unsurprising that it’s on this list. In the same vein as bands like The Killers, Bloc Party, and The Strokes, this is indie rock built more for a good time than a long time. I hadn’t heard the term “landfill indie” before reading reviews for this, but it makes sense. These bands were the soundtrack of an era where everyone bought hipster clothes at H&M and Urban Outfitters. But where are all those outfits now?
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.
yeag
Fun, imaginative, unique. The British Strokes. I like these guys a lot.
classics are classics for a reason and this is a classic
So ‘Take Me Out’ is an all time banger. The riff is one everyone’s heard or would definitely enjoy if they did! But none of the other songs match this level unfortunately. There are other good songs on the album but they do tend to sound quite similar. Back in 2004 though, I imagine this was exciting as it has them choppy guitar licks and hooks with toe tapping rhythms.
My least favorite of the strokes, hives, rock revival of the early 2000s. But take me out still fricken SLAPS.
quintessential 2000s indie dance pop
Seems like a one-hit wonder band, but their minor hits are good. I really enjoyed most of this
A super solid 5 star.
3 stars It’s consistent and catchy. But it feels of the time. You can’t deny the quality of the music, but it feels a little samey and really only works when you’re in a certain mood. But not a dreadful listen in the least.
Great time capsule. A fun and honest album that shows how life in 2004 was.
Went in expecting terrible but wasn’t terrible
Very familiar with Franz Ferdinand. I’ve already listened to this album, it’s good but not my favourite.
Mid
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
This album made me feel like getting shot in the head by a Serbian
Not bad but definitely not needed here. 2000s rock revival seems to be overrepresented on this list.
Good
4/8
no complaints here. borderline great
This is a FIFA menu distilled and flattened into an album. A time capsule of indie Brit-pop sensibilities that seeped into every corner of British culture in the mid 2000s. This album is a flashbang for any millenial born in the 90s, you'll know over half of these songs from just how prevalent and unavoidable this was as a movement. Not my taste but I cannot deny the cultural relevance of Franz Ferdinand and their contemporaries.
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.
Un album à écouter chaque matin pour commencer la journée avec joie et énergie ! (Les équipes marketing n'ont qu'à bien se tenir)
Joie de vivre et accent écossais 👌
Jacqueline is really surprising start for the album and the spoken word bit almost took me out, Take Me Out; it's THE SONG™ but the rest of the album feels like equal parts Pulp (Dark of the Matinee) and The Killers (Darts of Pleasure) occasionally even dropping into the weird post-punk discordance of something like Wire (Michael) Surprising, quick and fun album with some very solid deep cuts. Personal High Points: Auf Achse, This Fire, Micheal, Come on Home
Mostly fun but a few very forgettable tracks throughout. 7/10
herky jerky, knowing, Art School pop
I thought worse
They want to Panic at the disco, the Beatles but chat shit like the streets. It's a mess of specials needs kids given instruments and told to go wild n
Ironically this album makes me want to smoke and act as if I'm a cool edgy teenager again lol
There were 1 or 2 4* songs, all in all it was nice album that just failed to offer that one extra thingnto place it in the 4* catagory
قيمه ثنين
Okay
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
One of my favorite albums from this era. This was one of the first indie rock albums I got into and opened up a new genre for me. Catchy as hell.
Pretty cool, catchy tunes. Alt/punk vocals. Pop leaning rhythms but with more of an alt rock instrumentation across the board.
It was alright
Another great debut album. FF has a unique sound (thought similar to The Killers and others) that I dig. Good song writing, good execution.
HELL YEAH! I grew up with some of these tunes and I'm biased but fuck you I don't care, FOUR STARS!
HECK YEAHHH 5 STARS!! I love this album so much, I’ve listened to this so many times and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪
This is a 4 that could be a 5 if I relisten to it enough honestly. I already liked Take Me Out and This Fire prior to this whole album listen, but there were even more bangers in store! The only thing is... I think it's missing some sort of zip. It's really solid, but it was never quite 'Holy FUCK this is amazing' music. Still really really good though.
Maybe the most 3.5 album I've listened to on this list so far. The hits are good, the music is fun, the instrumentation is tight, but as an album it falls flat and fails at being a certified classic outside of getting really excited about playing Take Me Out on the bar jukebox. It just kind of unfortunately overstays its welcome and gets a bit annoying like a guest who's had a bit too much to drink and isn't taking subtle hints that the party is over.
A solid collection of 2000s alternative tunes - nothing especially special to my ear, but a good collection of bangers nonetheless.
I liked a lot of this. Some crisp sounding rock. But my brain goes back and forth on whether I really loved it. Jaqueline was a great start. Take Me Out is awesome but half the time it annoys me. Most of the time I think the dude’s voice works really well with this, and other times I find it annoying. Really surprised by how much I liked 40’ also. I’m giving it a 4 I guess. Like a 3.5 rounded up.
For every good idea this band has, they somehow have an equally annoying part to balance it out. Tell Her Tonight achieves the perfect split of great and awful within a single song! My takeaway is that Franz Ferdinand is best enjoyed in moderation. They have some excellent songs, but as an album it gets old real fast. Standouts: Take Me Out • Auf Asche • This fffire - New Version (technically not on the album, but it's way better than the original)
This was like the world's easiest 4 on my first listen. I liked almost every song and it was a good time. Then I listened again and it felt bland, uninspired, and I didn't care for more than a few songs. Very weird and this has not happened to me yet.
There's definitely a bit of nostalgia factor with this one, as it was in heavy rotation for me in high school when it came out, but it holds up 21 years later.
not really my type...
Great
8.5 Wall to wall indie bangers. Feel like an 13 again x
A refreshing sound, especially for the early 2000's.
Such an important album when it came out. Haven’t listened to it in years but really enjoyed the opportunity. Still awesome.
great album - love the energy
What a great little album from a great little rock band. As the band says about its name: it's music; it's just supposed to sound good. 3.5
Absolutely fire🔥
This was great, I never had listened to the whole thing
The fact Take Me Out has over a billion listens on Spotify goes to show you the impact this band had. I've probably listened to that song at least in the 1000s of times since it came out. That being said, I can't name a single other song of theirs off the top of my head. Listening to this album their dance post punk meets indie rock is on full display. There's a lot of interesting things happening here with the dance beats and pointed guitar riffs. Overall, this album has a lot that's worth revisiting and I could find myself coming back to it when I am in the mood for this genre.
Jacqueline 3.7 Tell Her Tonight 3.4 Take Me Out 4 The Dark of the Matinee 3.8 Auf Achse 3.6 Cheating on You 3.5 This Fire 3.5 Darts of Pleasure 3.3 Michael 3.4 Come on Home 3.2 40 3.5 Score: 3.536363636
Apart from Do You Want To, can anyone name a Franz Ferdinand single post this album? Take Me Out is great but it's hard to find much variety in their sound or many depths.
aside from take me out this is a forgettable album
This was good! I saved three songs so I have to give 5 stars. Idk that this is top tier 5 stars, it's bottom tier 5 stars, but 5 stars nontheless.
Wasn't expecting it in here, but it would have been in mine! It's fun, funky, dancey, catchy, arty, poppy but all in a great way. This album was an a big one in my formulative years and probably explains why I love it so much. Even taking that out of it, it's a banger. Genuinely believe if you wanted pop music made by rock people for rock people, this is what you'd get.
Quite good
Don't kill me but it's like a more catchy Talking Heads
a mid-aughties classic. could be a five if it also had Do You Want To on it.
full disclosure: i am a millennial who was around when this came out. still, i think this is a really solid britpop/indie album. the songs mostly hold up, and take me out is as grand as it ever was. in retrospect, FF kind of feels like the last time a band really innovated on this indie rock sound, before it was absolutely everywhere for about 5-10 more years. i wouldn't want to hear this album every day or anything but it's good at what it's trying to be. favorites: jacqueline, take me out, auf achse, darts of pleasure, michael, 40'
I honestly thought I wasn't going to enjoy the album as much as I did. At first I was like oh this one hit wonder, and realized he had 3 or 4. It definitely had that early indie vibe, post-punk sound. Who doesn't love "Take Me Out" on 10!
Not a fan
I remember all the hype in 2000s about Franz Ferdinand. Lots of positive reviews in music magazines, like they were the new Beatles or something like that. Didn't understand it then and don't understand it now. This album is okay but really nothing special. Liked the song Michael though.
Feel good indiens heliga graal. Älskar detta album. Bara hits, men ändå smart
Strokes wannabes, very proficient, catchy but nothing original.
I wasn't convinced at first. But the more I replay it, the more I started to like it. It is an album that requires relisten a few times.
2000's Indie really does nothing for me at all. Everything about it grates on me. The twiddly guitar and obnoxious/self satisfied vocals. And I could happily go the rest of my life and never hear 'Take Me Out' again. That being said, this is fine. 'Darts of Passion' is probably, for me, the best song on the album and 'Tell Her Tonight' unlocked a forgotten memory of hearing it on FIFA 05.
A great album
dark of the matinee and take me out go so hard it's not funny
Not bad. I recently listened to an album by Sparks and learned both bands have collaborated under the name FFS. Can definitely hear the influence of bands like Sparks and britpop in the weird but fun songs.
First song was great then down hill from there.
I hate Franz Ferdinand. I’d rather listen to every country album or every Metallica album on this list again than listen to this again. Franz Ferdinand (and others like The Kaizer Chiefs) was everything that was wrong with British music in the 2000s wrapped up in 38 minutes. A big warning sign is that it won the Mercury Music Prize, which seems to pick more losers than winners over time. It’s not a very good album. It is high tempo, but jettisons any sense of quality and longevity in the pursuit of what in the 2020s would be referred to as ‘vibes’. The band seems talentless other than having the ability to make noise and, most irritatingly, it was overplayed, which in itself shows you the quality of the music available to radio stations at the time. The band, and in particular the lead singer, were deeply irritating and smug. Who is listening to this now? No-one digs out a Franz Ferdinand album to have a listen to 20 odd years after it was made. No-one is that stupid. If I could give this 0 stars then I would. Makes a mockery of the list.
Only one decent track
Unreal album! So good from start to finish.
The music is fine. Some catchy and horny songs. So much Rock Band was played
Some classics on here. This defined a lot of the rock sound of the 2000s. Good stuff!
This album is fine. I played a lot of NHL 2005, Take Me Out is a classic
The top general review of this album is a 5 and it reads as follows… “I love that this band doesn't sound the same in every song”. Now either the reviewer is being super ironic, or is totally deaf. Because to me every single track sounded EXACTLY the same. I liked the first track. Hey it sounds quite like “Take Me Out” by… erm … Then the second one was… the same jangly guitar riffs. The same drum beat. Ok a slightly different melody and different words, but… And then the next one..oh that IS ‘Take Me Out’. And then the next one. Same tedious riff. Same beat. And the next. I was praying for it to end. And surprised when I looked at the track list that I only actually suffered for 40 minutes. Felt like over an hour. I’ll give it a 2 because I quite liked the first track. I just didn’t want to hear it 11 times!
Great band, fun album
not bad I would probably get really into them with more listening 3/5
Yes, all the songs sound very similar to each other. Yes, they obviously nicked their ideas from earlier bands like Wire and Gang of Four. But that sort of thing is almost necessary for things to work: steal a bit, change a bit. And I found myself enjoying this more than I expected.
Don’t know about that one… it’s too pop-y for me
Goated album
Gives me Arctic Monkeys / The Libertines vibes with The Beatles-esque harmonies. Classic Brit rock sound.
fun album. i loved it.
Take Me Out is still a banger all these years later but the rest of the album was pretty forgettable in two listens. Why is this here?
a nice surprise! i obviously knew the one big song off of this and still adore it from when i first saw it on VH1 when i was in middle school. the rest of the album was brand new to me and i enjoyed it! i think if you know 'take me out' you're not going to be surprised by the rest of the album, but it's really solid and catchy.
My teenage self is flailing in joy
Love this album haven't listened to it in a while. Quite a few songs are already on other playlists.
Bland
One of the best debut albums of the mid 2000s.
This album is so so good. At first, I only knew Take Me Out. I then heard This Fire, which I didn’t like nearly as much as Take Me Out, even though it’s still a great song. Then one day months later, I decided to listen to the whole album. I didn’t really give it my full attention when I first listened, and came out of my listening experience only knowing a couple more songs than I had before, those being Jacqueline and The Dark Of The Matinée. A couple of months later, I decided to relisten to this album. And that’s when it clicked. Each of the 11 songs that make up the 38 minute runtime of Franz Ferdinand’s self titled debut is so good. They all sound different, but also unmistakably Franz Ferdinanz. Honestly such an amazing piece of music, and I’m glad that I ended up revisiting it after it not clicking at first. This album is so fun, and also so new in its sound and overall vibe. Easy 10/10
helt ok pop rock
It’s got that hit song
Classic for me
Awesome blast from the past
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Fantastische Scheibe!
Very energetic and angry. Lots of variety. I really liked the vocals and the production on this one. Might be a band I come back to.
SO GOOD. I’m a sucker for 2000s Brit pop alt crap. Very of the ara of arctic monkeys/kaiser chiefs/ etc. dance-y, nostalgic, and very fun (without feeling dumb)
Really enjoyed this album. Indi rock with a touch of punk, what’s not to like!
good
I have this album! Bangers from start to finish!
Solid and groovy Dance-Punk with raunchy riffs and loved up lyrics. 10/10
Pashamin
2/10 I entered this with an open mind, having heard (but never closely listened to) Take Me Out more times than I can possibly imagine. And boy oh boy, this is just bad. First things first, Alex Kapranos just has a bad voice. His delivery is weak, his control is poor and the production just makes it even worse. Which brings me on to the other aspect of this album that I thought was awful. The production was terrible. If a producer handed this to me, I’d be speaking to the label about getting someone else to give it another go. The obsession with vocals that sound like they were recorded through two yoghurt pots and a piece of string is baffling. To a certain extent, there’s an element of punk to it, but the music just has none of the attitude and energy of a punk record, and the band are really not tight players at all, so it just sounds sloppy and cluttered. The separation between instruments is non-existent and it just ends up sounding like a muddy, jangly mess. I don’t really have much more to say about this one, really. There were some catchy elements to the songs, and I feel like, with a really good producer, something moderately tolerable could be moulded out of this, but it sounds like a demo rather than a finished album. I’m stunned that this won the Mercury Prize. Jacqueline - Quite an uninspiring start to things. He’s not got the voice for such an exposed intro to the album, and some of the lyrics are pretty tortured. Rhyming ‘spectacle’ with ‘wrecked a girl’. Ew. When the song kicks in, it’s just too repetitive and fairly uninteresting. When you’re basing a lot of the song on a two-bar riff, you need to make things more interesting around that and they just don’t. Tell Her Tonight - This is just messy. Playing staccato rhythms requires better precision in the performances than this. Fells a bit like a cluster of demo ideas chucked together. Take Me Out - The big single. I’ve never listened to this closely before, but I’ve probably heard it half a million times. God damn is this production sloppy. The rhythm guitar part somehow clashes with the lead and just leaves a cluttered mess. I can see why it was the big single. It’s got a catchy riff and the memorable chorus. But that’s about it. The Dark Of The Matinée - This is probably a better song than Take Me Out. There’s a bit more invention to it, and more contrast between verse and chorus, and it’s got a decent groove to it. But his lyrics are so rubbish, and his voice still isn’t good. This also suffers from the undefined backing and cluttered production, this time between lead and backing vocals. Poorly structured harmonies and too much ‘singing down a phone line’ effect on the backing vox just leave another cluttered mess. Auf Achse - This has such a meandering start that I’m bored before the vocals actually start. The verse is boring, but here comes the chorus. Oh, that’s boring too. Cheating On You - Is this the best song yet? Probably. Manages to bring a bit of grit to meet the production half way. Decent riffs, but it does sound a bit like The Monkees cosplaying as Iggy and The Stooges. Not bad though. This Fire - Man, I really cannot get on board with this guy’s vocal delivery at all. Again, it lacks any sort of control, but without any of the emotion to make that make sense (no anger, angst or despair). The backing vocals just double down to make it messy and hard to tolerate. This is really boring too. Darts Of Pleasure - This one at least feels a bit more interesting. But it’s still like they’ve been listening to Joy Division, not really understood what makes them good, and stripped at all away. The gang vocals are annoying. The production is messy. And they don’t develop any of the ideas into anything that good. Michael - I can visualise the jerky staccato type of rhythm guitar playing that they employ all over this record, and it’s just relentlessly annoying. This song is boring and just lacks oomph. More sloppy production too. Come On Home - Oh, this intro at least sounds a bit more interesting. But when the vocal comes in, it’s just more of the same. Meh. 40’ - What happens when you remove the limited momentum that Franz Ferdinand has from their music? This. It meanders by and he restores to shit ‘la, la, la’ lyrics. I wonder if this track was titled 40’ because they wanted to make a 40 minute album, so they chucked this on at the end to fill up the time. They even failed at that, because it totals 38m 48s.
A lot of fun.
Really solidly consistent album with a few bangers in there, like Take Me Out and The Dark Of The Matinée
3.5* Solid indie record but nothing special
So good. This is dance music for people who aren't exactly dancers.
I didn’t get on this hype train the first time around. Sounded like a rip off of my post punk heroes back then. Sounds little different now. But not a bad album. I’d just rather go with the originals.
I haven’t listened to this album in a very long time and surprisingly it still sounded really fresh and like it could have been released this year. Very good, some brilliant songs on here and even the ones that don’t quite cut it are good.
I'm torn about how to rate this album. I've known Take Me Out for 2 decades now, but hearing the rest of the album I wasn't all that impressed. There's a lot of musicality in this album that clearly inspired other alt-rock artists of the 2000s, and they really took the ideas and ran with them. I do think it's important to recognize the trendsetters though, so I'll be a little generous with my rating.
This is #day339 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've never liked this band. I get why they were a big deal in the 2000s indie/post-punk revival, but they never did anything for me. Do you need to hear this before you die? Put on Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not instead. That record captures everything about early '00s UK indie rock in a way this one doesn't. Also, and I won't pretend this doesn't matter, this is one of those bands that openly fetishize Russian culture while separating "the people" from their "mad leadership." The truth is, the whole country is a landfill. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day340.
Very good, better than expected
Took this album for granted for a long time but every song could be a single. Some iconic songs on here and still fresh as when it was released.
Some great tracks - but not as coherent of an album as an initial listening promises.
Take Me Out is a jukebox gem that savvy bartenders know can sell rounds of shots in just one play. The rest of this is good but not great. Excellent band name.
It's always fun to get an album that I not only already own but also enjoy listening to, even if I haven't really listened to Franz Ferdinand for many many years (and I think they've somewhat recently disbanded too? No, I guess I've confused them with Panic at the Disco...). One of the things that struck me back when I first bought and listened to this album was how consistent they were on each track, somehow without sounding *too* similar from song to song. My favorites are probably their big hits "Take me out" (and what a great and hypnotic animated video!), "Dark of the matinee" (with a fun video as well) and "This fire", but I also enjoy the remainder too, with a particular nod to their opening track "Jacqueline" as well as "Darts of pleasure" and "Michael" (as much for the latter two track's creative videos as the songs themselves). Given how much energy they pack into their songs, I've always imagined they were a lot of fun live, but never quite managed to seek them out. But I'm sure I would have chanted "My name is Super-Fantastic!" with them.
Solid album. Grinding guitar sounded at times like Jay Reatard's on Blood Visions, though here a little more dizzying.
No private session used for Spotify. I have this excellent album on CD somewhere and it was my vote for 2004's album of the year. I don't know if won, I don't care, if it wasn't this album then whoever these experts are were wrong.. This album rocks, happy to see it come up.
After that boring ELP crap...this is gold! Not wankers. Thank you 1001 rock-gods, actual rock and not wankers.
Indie rock for the ages!
Guitar driven pop/disco/rock with some keyboards as well. Very catchy and danceable songs, I’m surprised that they didn’t get more famous than they did.
Great album! Tight, powerful, guitar-driven songs. Only knock is that some of the riffs sound repetitive.
Dosadni su mi oni, ima par dobrih trenutaka gdje me podsjećaju na stari Muse, te pjesme su mi ok, ali sve u svemu stalno zvuči isto i ravno i nezanimljivo. 2/5, 3/10
It was fun!
Really liked this, music to dance to. The singles are the stand out tracks.
Nunca defrauda ferdinand, no sé si podría escuchar todo el tiempo pero si lo dejaría de fondo
Excelente,encima empieza con mi nombre
Me gusto pero no me fascino, este tipo de recomendaciones me hace acordar que determinada banda me gustaba pero por una u otra cosa había dejado de escucharla
Franz Ferdinand siempre es re pegadiza pero simple o normie a la vez. No deja de ser un disco divertido para escuchar
Such a great rock album! Unique sound, great beats, fun to listen to every single song.
This album arrived with a huge bang, heralded as part of that post-punk revival alongside bands like **The Strokes**, **Interpol**, and **Bloc Party**. But now it is just one of those albums you regularly find clogging up charity shops across the country. At the time I think I even felt it had merit, mainly on the basis of “Take Me Out” with all its self-assured swagger. Revisiting it now I'm left with the feeling that it is a pedestrian and souless affair. It feels horribly calculated and driven purely by aesthetics. It's a hollow, charmless album with no emotional depth.and a complete lack of sonic diversity. I question it's relevance and right to be on this list. At best it's a reflection of a moment in time, but that doesn't make it essential or a timeless classic.
The perfect blend of dance and rock. Felt like I was in college and at a concert.
It’s fine? That’s about as polite as I can be for this overall bland forgettable record. There aren’t enough peaks to outshine the boredom. It’s definitely produced well, tight, polished but that just spotlights the lack of rawness/depth/feeling. It’s noisy - and not in a way that’s feels authentic.
Not bad for an archduke
It’s alright. There’s some good catchy tunes on here. Sounds a little like heard it before vibe but so what, following a long line of British arty rock, which is no bad thing.
Not great, not bad. I feel like I keep repeating myself. It seems I'm getting a string of average albums, and I really shouldn't on a list of albums I must listen to. I'm not turning this off, but no, I don't have to hear this. Take Me Out is the best thing here, but it's still just above average. At least they managed to make each track sound different.
Fun
This albums reminds me of being young, careless, and without real responsibilities. Take me out bring me back. It is still an instant classic!
Take Me Out is great.
A very okay album. Nothing that special since their just the UK Strokes. Take Me Out became a huge hit for the 2000s indie rock era for some reason. The Strokes are better then this copy band and FF have not improved upon this record.
This was quite a rough listening to I forgot how much the bands in the early 2000s all sound the same
Só quem é ou já visitou São Paulo capital e foi ao Milo’s Garage e cantarolou em coro com completos estranhos o riff de guitarra principal de Take Me Out sob o efeito de pelo menos 4 xeque-mates vai entender o poder magnânimo desta canção! Clássica nem começa a descrevê-la. Memórias soturnas como essa recheiam as canções desse álbum pra mim, e desta forma, acabo nutrindo um amor quase que fraternal com este CD. Mas claro que o álbum não é só Take Me Out. Eu gosto deste disco, me remete à alguma obra perdida dos Strokes. Não os culpo por isso, todo mundo no início da década de 2000 queria ser os Strokes, Alex Turner cantou a respeito disso em 2018. De fato, às vezes acredito que Dark of the Matinee seja até mesmo uma canção superior a Take Me Out. Instrumentalização consistente aqui, adoro as linhas de baixo, são todas salientes e se destacam bastante, com um tom icônico que demanda sua atenção. As guitarras e percussão também realizam seus papéis de forma satisfatória. Os vocais são extremamente 2004, e isso é um elogio. Sotaques britânicos e hi-pass filters...hrrnrnnn. É um som nostálgico e agridoce demais. Um disco que faz o tempo passar rapidamente, com canções boas e infectantes de capa a capa. 5/5
Some real throwbacks in here. Fun.
2 - it was fine but nothing hooked me
Solid debut. Great early 2000s stuff. Not quite a 4.
One of the first “modern” rock albums I got to listen to as a kid.
This is exactly what I want to get from these sort of lists. A band/album I never would have listened to because I think “Take me Out” is real lame & I never want to hear it again in my life. Was bummed to see this album pop up at first…but every other song rips! Would’ve been listening to this so much sooner if Take Me Out didn’t suck so much. Maybe I’m just happy to get an actual band after a string of duds.
Probably closer to a 4.5, just good jams
Great debut album. Still sounds really sharp.
Listened en route to Wembley for a gig, earlier in the day than usual. More familiar with this than others so far and most songs I've heard at least a couple of times. Hard to appreciate Take Me Out as it's been everywhere for the last 20 odd years, but I know it would have sounded really fresh on release. Largely enjoyable album, not sure it has much depth for return visits but ok to pass 40 minutes.
Oh this is a dang good album, but one I didn't truly appreciate in its time. Franz Ferdinand somehow made an alt rock album that sounds retro and modern all at the same time. It mixes together great. It of course has the big hit Take Me Out on it, but also The Dark of The Matinee, Michael, and Darts of Pleasure are great. I wish the spotlight had stayed on this band for longer, because they're worth a listen beyond their big hits.
The fire got out of control and I burned down a city
An enjoyable listen.
niceeee
Seen this band 2 or 3 times, solid album 4.5
Really good, really fun album.
Zeg altijd best snel dat de indie rock van de zeroes waanzinnig slecht is meegegroeid met mijn smaak. En bij veel bands (e.g., Two Door Cinema Club, Kasabian, Maximo Park) voelt dat echt zo. Mijn interesse in Franz Ferdinand was daardoor ook al een tijdje zoek, omdat het voelde als één van die bands, waarbij ik het jeugdige enthousiasme en simplisme destijds wat meer kon waarderen. Maar na het herzien van dit debuutalbum moet ik concluderen dat ik (opnieuw) verkocht ben. Deze dance-punk dag is er één van niveau. Het is catchy, het is funky, het heeft charisma, en vliegt voorbij als een trein. Het heeft één megahit, maar in de schaduw van 'Take Me Out' heeft het echt veel te bieden. Het voelt telkens wel een beetje als een collage van bekende rock-acts, waar de inspiratiebronnen Wire en Gang Of Four het meest in your face zijn. Maar het mixt die art punk met de luchtigheid en de songwriting van The Kinks, wat dan wel weer zorgt voor een nieuwe invalshoek. Misschien toch die andere bands van 'vroeger' nog maar eens proberen.. 8,5/10 Highlights: Take Me Out The Dark Of The Matinée Cheating On You Michael
Indie-kid Kohne hier. Wat een banger van een debuutplaat is dit dan. Misschien over de gehele plaat niet een 5-sterren niveau. Maar als je drie bangers weet te produceren van dit caliber, dan snap ik dat je mede verantwoordelijk bent voor de indie-rock-hype in de zeroes. FF is altijd overduidelijk Franz Ferdinand zonder elke keer hetzelfde te doen. De variatie tussen de nummers is best groot. Waardoor het soms slaagt, en soms niet, maar verrassend is het altijd. En toch maar even herbevestigd. Take Me Out is één van de beste platen uit de jaren 00. 8/10 Highlights Take Me Out Dark of the Matinee This Fire
Good stuff. Only heard the hits but this was a good collection of songs.
On the poppier side of the art rock movement of the time, but it's a good album from start to finish. I'd semi ignored them at the time, but it's good stuff.
They say you love the music that was released in your teenage years - well unfortunately this was the sort of thing released. Nothing wrong with it, catchy, with an almost laughable influence from the Strokes. I bought this and listened to it on repeat. Then I found music I liked so much more, most of which is from before or around the time I was born, and with very few exceptions the 2000s have faded from my interest.
154/1089 - It's alright at times. Too many songs with one-line hooks repeated too often.
Fun and upbeat
Another okay album. I’m underwhelmed by this list. This is a one-hit wonder.
It doesn't elevate the form like "Is This It?", "Turn On the Bright Lights" or "Fever to Tell," but it's holding up well and it did what it set out to do as well as one could, no?
Been a while since I listened to this, and I feel I've drifted away from Franz Ferdinand a bit, so I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded what a banger this album is - not really a bad song on it. Nicely spiky.
What a refreshing palate cleanser. Can we go back to those times? This is so experimental and artsy, but not annoying or obnoxious, it's actually amazing how they do it without being pretentious. Fun all around, from beginning to end. Excellent album. Nice surprises: Come on Home The Dark of the Matinée 3.5/5
Solid bangers. Some obvious favorites, but I would listen to the whole album again.
Aces
This came out during a time in my life where I was avoiding anything at all popular. Now I finally know these guys. Different than I thought. Like the strokes but more polite.
Enjoyed when it came out, they have a consistent sound, kind of clever. Good radio alt pop rock
Excellent
I remember telling Len that this was actually an album written about Les Ferdinand’s Dad. It was when Houmous & Chutney were touring Portugal in 2004 during the Euros. We were asked to come and say some motivational words to the England team. Len really embarrassed himself when we were chatting to the lads! 3.0 5/11 Auf Achse
It’s always better on holiday
Pointy!!!! This would be a 4.5 but I’m rounding up
Ta wapo
Well earned Mercury. Catchy hooks and riffs, rhythms and harmonies that make you want to dance, and evocative lyrics. Would buy on vinyl
I never would have guessed that this would be on this list. I bought this when it came out in 04. I still remember hearing them for the first time on 97x(RIP). I hadn’t listened to it in probably 10 years, but still remembered every song.
Klassiker
hate it
Quite enjoyable, very little range. Take Me Out is the most famous song here, and if you listen to that you sort of get this album's whole deal.
Great energy, great riffs, I love this album. Shame they're only known for "Take Me Out".
Solid indie rock album. A couple of great singles. Lacks variation in sound and tempo as an album.
++: Jacqueline, Take Me Out, The Dark of the Matinée, Auf Achse, Cheating on You, This Fire, Darts of Pleasure, 40' +: Michael, Come on Home +-: Tell Her Tonight 8,8/10
Didn't really appeal to me, but 2 stars feels too low.
molto molto bello non sapevo di conoscere take me out
Neo-new wave, and part of that early 2000s blast of post-post-punk. Kids got the thrill of hearing angular stripped back guitar rock for the first time; those still hanging around from the 1990s alt-rock, indie and college rock scenes got a bunch of fresh bands and albums (especially as most of the 1980s and 1990s school had broken up or faded into obscurity. It's also another one of those great debut albums that was universally acclaimed and seemed to be everywhere. The music? Everything is so damn catchy and memorable. Channelling lots of Talking Heads, Gang of 4, Television. Spiky, sharp, clever and yet accessible without ever being MOR. There's lots of great gear changes in the songs, almost all of which could have been singles - it's an album without any filler. Superfantastisch!
This band has always felt like filler music to me? Like, this sort of thing was popular in this era and so this group was shoved in the spotlight. Whether it was their time or they were milked by the machine or both I cannot say that I enjoy what they make.
Need to listen to this one again. Giving it a 3 star because I think I like it...
The Strokes and The Hives had a baby and named him Franz.
1001 ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE #7 Now before this, I had no idea what this "Franz Ferdinand" thing was, but whatever this is, I'm loving it. But this is Franz Ferdinand's debut album, and they are a British indie band, and when I first listened to this, it kept reminding me of The Dismemberment Plan's "Emergency & I", similar style overall. And it definitely has that same fun energy. Speaking of fun, "Franz Ferdinand" is a pretty fun album all things considered. I love the vocal performances, and the guitars we're amazing. The entire record is just a fun time. Each track is paced well, and unbelievably catchy, especially tracks like "Take Me Out" and "This Fire", and as I mentioned, the band is incredibly talented. Overall, good energy and vibes, it's a nice and fun time. I could put this on at any time and have a good experience. After this, I might have to check out the band's other stuff. Overall Rating: 90 / 100 Favorite Tracks: Tell Her Tonight, Take Me Out, The Dark of the Matinee, Cheating on You, Darts of Pleasure, Michael, 40'.
First listen, I was hoping for maybe something a little more. Realized it sounds like a bunch of other bands from that era. Nothing really trail-blazing or original. Some catchy pop in there. 2nd time through ....felt the same as the first.
Not a fan of Scottish Cardigans.
Oh look, it's some more 2000s Brit indie rock. At least this has some vaguely competent bass sound, even if everything else is shoved to the front. I still got bored about half way through.
Very riffy not bad its a bit like AM I dig it
A fun album with no duff tracks - I haven’t listened in years so it was nice to revisit. It wears its post-punk/ new wave influences on its sleeve but that’s no bad thing. Good as it is, it probably wouldn’t be on my own list of 1001 essential albums, if I made one. Which I won’t.
Off the cuff remark: A good slice of slightly off-kilter guitar pop, but nothing spectacular. Standout Track: Perhaps obviulsy "Take Me Out" Revisit?: I do own it but don't listen often
Hm ja okay
as the very wise dude from wallows/13 reasons why once said: “she was only 17.. why are girls in songs always 17?” i didn’t know these guys r scottish from the like 2 songs of theirs that get radio play! now aside from the fun accents and cliche opening lines etc, i do suppose they have some pretty catchy bass lines and fun guitar riffs, but overall i don’t think i actually enjoyed this very much or at all tbh. it’s like a cross between early arctic monkeys and the strokes, and idk if it’s just because i’m in a bad mood because there’s no ac in the office or because i’m already overly emotionally attached to the aforementioned bands or what. perhaps i revisit this one again when i’m not being boiled alive, but it’s a no from me today dawg. p.s. the og franz ferdinand was assassinated in my city so it’s only fitting that i assassinate them in my 1001 albums ratings
Love the instrumentals and indie rock revival sound but found the lyrics/vocals so repetitive, shallow and emotionless that it somewhat took me away from the music
Good music to stay up late committing genocide on things that bug you (spending a half hour killing ants at midnight)
Franz Ferdinand is known for their top hit, but they have a lot of other great stuff too
ants
I haven’t got any WiFi today. That means I’m on my phone today. This was the first album I completely enjoyed on the first listen. I still remember that day. “This Fire” is my favourite song from this album. 5 stars for “Self Titled”.
Some fun stuff here, but a lot of it sounds samey.
Absolutely serviceable music for your nostalgic 2000's themed party. Pretty fun even, or at least until you forget it's even really playing about halfway through, once the hits run dry.
Apart from the singles is much if a muchness , just indie pop
Falls in the bad euro dance category of the 00's. Garbage
This was the second suggestion in my 1001 albums playlist. I have heard Franz Ferdinand before, but hearing this album almost made me quit the entire project. It is probably one of the worst albums I have ever heard the song titled. Michael is particularly disgusting. Not from its content, but from its form and silly lyric I am a bitter person having listened to this album.
Sie kamen aus dem Nichts und stürmten den Indie dancefloor. Eins der besten Alben der sog. Britpop-Bewegung. Leider konnten sie das Niveau im Anschluss nicht ganz halten, mit großen Schwankungen. Das Debut aber: instant classic. 5/5
Not a bad song on the album! Great catchy grooves, highly danceable and up beat. Love it! “Jacqueline”, “tell her tonight”, “take me out”, “dark if the matinee”, and “this fire” were all bops.
It's xl102 week apparently. I only know Take Me Out. I have a vague memory of Lexa telling me that this album is really good. Let's find out. First two songs were alright, take me out remains an incredible song. I see why this album fits in with people who like the strokes after Matinée but I also am not sure that I liked that song, that bridge is ripped straight of a first impressions song in a good way but the chorus is annoying. I think I am into the dancey-rock based vibe that they are curating but I can't say I love it. 4 seems too high, 3 too low, going 4 but know it's really on the fence.
Definitely could've subbed at least three other strokes albums in here. Was actually pretty excited to give this album a listen because of take me out, but nothing really stood out for me. A number of the songs sound exactly like the strokes but worse. This is more poppy/dancy than the strokes. idk. Im thinking a soft 3 for this. Wasn't super impressive but I do generally like the genre.
Could’ve had another strokes album but instead we got this. Aright band with one great song. Come on Home was good too. Most of this album reads like bad high school relationship drama, real lame. Feeling a mid 2/5 on this, disappointing
Bands like Franz, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Killers, Bloc Party soundtracked my high school years so the bonus nostalgia points are hittin. Specifically Jacqueline cuz it backed Billy Marks' part in the Toy Machine skate video Good and Evil. One of my all time favs. I actually don't know if I had listened to this whole album all the way through. That dance drum beat does get kinda old but damn I love their guitar and bass tones.
of course i’ve heard and liked take me out prior to listening. wasn’t a big fan of this album. or even a medium sized fan. this album can go blow in the wind