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They could have kept touring. They could have stayed out on the road for another
year, hitting the same cities over and over, continuing to push their
self-titled debut while making
loads of cash. Instead, they avoided the usual post-tour extended vacation and
moved into a country house just South of Glasgow, to write and record their
sophomore effort, You Could Have It So Much Better. It was a risky move –
the debut was just a year old and continues to sell like hot cakes (assuming
that hot cakes still sell well). While the band still likes their first disc,
they wanted to move on, and after listening to YCHISMB, most fans will be
grateful they did.
First, to clear up a few common misconceptions about the group:
1) No one in the band is named Franz Ferdinand. Although the group still
sometimes gets two dressing rooms – one for “Franz Ferdinand” and one for “Franz
Ferdinand’s band” – the group is named after the archduke of Austria, whose
assassination in 1914 was one of the triggers for World War I. Tell that to most
of their fans and see what kind of perplexed reaction you get.
2) Franz Ferdinand is not completely Scottish. They did meet in Glasgow, and
drummer Paul Thomson was born in Scotland, but the rest of the band hails from
different parts of England.
3) Franz Ferdinand is not gay. Though the lyrics of "Michael" probably started
this rumor (and kept the excellent song off countless frat party mixes), the
entire band is straight, not that it should matter.
YCHISMB was originally supposed to be self-titled, but the band changed
its name at the last minute to match the disc's eleventh track because they
thought the title was optimistic yet confrontational, reinforcing the fact that
even with the success surrounding their debut, the band isn't resting on its
laurels. The album takes a bit longer than its predecessor to sink in, which is
mainly due to the increased complexity of the songwriting. It's always
worthwhile to examine the first track, as it is usually a good example of what
statement a band is trying to make with an album. In this case, "The Fallen"
contains both the melodic and vocal hooks one would expect, but is a bit darker
and more frantic than their previous work. The message? "We're still Franz
Ferdinand, but we've changed." The second track (and first single), "Do You Want
To," sounds like vintage Franz Ferdinand - if such a thing can even exist – but
with a swagger, serving as a response to those who thought the debut was a bit
stiff. The song’s lyrics are based on conversations frontman Alex Kapranos
overheard at a party and, not surprisingly, they ooze with sexuality.
Like their first disc, a vast majority of the tracks are upbeat and contain at
least one glamorous hook and all the usual high hats that will keep their fan
base dancing and happy. However, against type, the disc does contain a pair of
intimate ballads. Kapranos’ relationship with the Fiery Furnaces’ Eleanor
Friedberger inspired the piano ballad, "Eleanor Put Your Boots On," which
doesn't make a noticeable impact on first listen, but you may soon find yourself
waking up in the morning with its delicious chorus bouncing around in your head
– at least I did. The other ballad, "Fade Together," is a sweet, longing song
about forever, which is a bit radical coming from a band whose lyrics are
usually limited to the happenings in the present.
While there don’t appear to be any songs with the mass appeal of their debut’s
“Take Me Out,” fans of the first disc, with persistence, should still enjoy this
effort. You Could Have It So Much Better is one of the best albums of the
year and after a few listens, it’s clear that the band’s ballsy move to stop
touring and start writing paid off in spades. Thanks for the new tunes, guys.
~John Paulsen
jpaulsen@bullz-eye.com
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