by Franz Ferdinand List Price:$18.00 Our Price:$13.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Label: Sony
Average Customer Review: 0 Based on 0 reviews.
Sales Rank: 206
Tracks
1.
tell her tonight
2.
this fire
3.
take me out
4.
michael
5.
matinee
6.
jacqueline
7.
darts of pleasure
8.
come on home
9.
cheating on you
10.
auf acshe
11.
40 ft
Editorial Review
Franz Ferdinand is an unrelentingly smart, fluffy, and fun debut. This Scottish four-piece plays vaguely angular, guitar-heavy post-pop that makes you want to dance around the room while playing air guitar. It's the ideal hipster guilty-pleasure music. This is what the Rapture and Interpol would sound like if they wrote songs half as good as those they rip off, or the Strokes if their parents had sent them to art school instead of the fashion academy. Every song on here is so blatantly derivative it sounds almost original, like a Blur without the gloomy hangover. It's too early yet to tell if this is just a band for the moment or one for the ages--but who really cares with pop music, anyway? Songs like "Darts of Pleasure," "Come on Home," "Take Me Out," and "Cheating on You" are so good they will surely appeal even to those without slanty, messy haircuts. --Mike McGonigal
Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
3 dnanidreF znarF
Poor Franz Ferdinand. They look so delightfully lovely with that moustache - yet they are treading on ground I / many of us have come to despise.If Franz are proving one thing, it's that the "scene" as we know it may have run out of chords. I was beginning to have a tough time with this album until I discovered it is a concept album of sorts - let me explain. The Franz have cleverly decided (with bigger label help) to put out a "strike while the strokes are hot" kinda album, reworking their own original material with edges of their influences. Here we have a track-by-track that tells of each songs kindered spirit, complete with sample lyric -so don't you worry:1. jacqueline - "I don't mind if you kill me" - Dead Kennedys, Pearl Jam. Do they play Pearl Jam in Glasgow?2. tell her tonight - the line 'tell her tonight' kinda sums this one up - Hot Hot Heat3. take me out - "we're just a cross-hair" - the 'Quadrophenia' beginning only leaks a Strokes vox effect that will NOT go away.4. matinee - "so I'm on BBC2 now" - take your pick of any spy-flick from the mid/late 1960's.5. auf acshe - "she's not so special" - the Cure6. cheating on you - cheating! - Supergrass (great choice) 7. this fire - "I'm out of control" - Interpol 8. darts of pleasure - "you are the latest contender" - those Strokes are evil, and somehow influential as well. 9. michael - "so heavenly" - one of two originals left to be. great song as is. 10. come on home - "I replace you easily" - U2 11. 40 ft - "la la la" - the second original Franz bit. Again, great song - wish they all sounded this good.Go boys - sell 3 million. Next.
Rating:
4 Self-titled debut a fun ride
No, Franz Ferdinand is not a person. Rather, it is a Scottish quartet who produced some of the most entertaining rock-y pop of the past year in "Franz Ferdinand," shifting from U.K. stardom to the U.S. charts as well. It's undeniably a guilty pleasure, but it's also fun, catchy and fairly original.The self-titled album starts off on a strong note with the bass-heavy pop "Jacqueline," the kickoff to a slew of rock-tinged songs (the catchy, heavy "Take Me Out," the slithery "Darts of Pleasure"), vaguely arty pop (the addictive "The Dark of the Matinee"), before finishing off with the quirky percussion, riffs and "la la la"s of "40'."One of the most pleasant things about "Franz Ferdinand" is the sense of fun that permeates the music. It sounds like a bunch of lads having a great time as they make some very danceable music. There are some dud melodies ("Tell Her Tonight") after their strong opener, but it's all fairly entertaining.However, Franz Ferdinand needs to work on their melodies -- they're pretty entertaining, but somewhat repetitive, like the rising and falling riff in "Michael." The riff's good, but it fails to go anywhere. More solid are the bass lines and the thrashier guitar work, backed up some okay percussion.Singer/lead vocalist Alex Kapranos is a good flexible vocalist; he can swoon and shout, and keeps his vocals from sinking into the mire of thrashing guitars. He also has the admirable talent of being able to shift his voice to make it softer or harder, depending on the song. Franz Ferdinand needs to do something about the terrible high-pitched backing in "Tell Her Tonight," though.It's not a classic by any stretch, but the rock-tinged pop of "Franz Ferdinand" is an entertaining diversion in the pop-rock world.
Rating:
5 wooo---ROCK!
All the songs in this album are fantastic!! Franz Ferdinand is an incredibly talented band that creates fearless music! They respect many different genres of music and they aren't (...) enough to say so. So, you see, you dimwitted metal rock punktards, you don't have to publicly hate pop music to be successful. No fear!!! wooo! music! wooo! WOOO!!! WOOOOOOO!!!
Rating:
5 Encapsulation of the last 25 years of great rock
The capacity for creating good melody is rare. But when you find it right along side with clever bass lines, dynamic harmony, intelligent lyrics, and a killer beat, it's gold. I think Pitchfork's 9.1 agrees with me.Comparisons to the Strokes, the White Stripes and other indie bands are appropriate. I venture even further to say that they seem inspired by many great off-the-beaten-path rock bands over the last quarter century. The parallels between this and the Talking Heads' album, More Songs About Buildings And Food, for instance are striking.Regardless of who they might remind you of, however, Franz Ferdinand is undeniably original and may very well end up the reigning king of Britpop that Blur and the Strangles never quite were. I don't regret a single dime I spent on their first CD, nor do I skip any of the tracks therein. Speculation abound as to whether or not these guys are one-hit wonders, so get 'em while they're hot.
Rating:
5 Review of Franz Ferdinand for Amazon
First of all, please read this entire review. I do put quite a bit of effort into my reviews and I feel that they deserve your full attention. I sense, sometimes, that readers merely "skim" even my reviews.Anway, let's proceed:Franz Ferdinand - This compact disc (C.D.) has been widely anticpated and, since its release, widely tauted as well. I of course expected that it could not possibly meet the expectations of the "hype." I found a way to purchase it, however, and played it and, afterall, I find, that it truly does hail a new era of music. Franz Ferdinand stands above the fray. His voice can best be described as a combination of the very different voices of M. Casablancas of The Strokes and M. Banks of Interpol. Sounds bizarre, but, if you buy this C.D., you'll see that such a thing can exist and does sound, frankly, exquisite. He also sings in a similar theme and tone to that of Joy Division (before they inexplicably dismissed Ian Curtis from the band to create New Order), but Franz (if I may refer to him with such familiarity) has found a greater depth and, I daresay, a higher ability for melody and the "ache of life" than Joy Division ever did.Some also find a hint of Beatles influence in this C.D. (see above for what the acronym C.D. stands for). I do sense that as well. However, I think Franz succeeds where the Beatles obviously failed which is in capturing a true character for a song. The Beatles created some decent melodies but were just never able to reach above a certain level in regards to true artistry. Franz does and he completely decimates the Beatles with his superior facility for hooks and complexity.If any of you are writing your own reviews and wish to refer the readers of your reviews to mine, please feel free to do so. Please also look for a more in-depth review from me in about a week (I'm drafting it now).
Rating:
4 ok this album is pretty damn ok...
franz ferdinand are like this year's britney spears of "indie" rock. last year was yeah yeah yeahs, and the year before was the strokes. i love all these bands and own all the music they have put out, but these bands are far too derivative to be "saving" rock n roll, or making any real mark in music other than the fact that they are all pretty ok and are somewhat popular (shock! decent music selling records?!?)and they are being hailed as rock messiahs in a britney-ruled music world. which i guess is a bit of a feat. hmmmmm. ok im rambling. this album is pretty great, they sound like stripped-down, less distorted vocals strokes. its good stuff. "michael" is f***ing great. so i guess buy it. these guys deserve your money more than britney or sum 41. and hey, they get indie cred by being great friends with belle and sebastian. and one last thing... how come "take me out" starts out AWESOME, then gets really lame?
Rating:
4 Rock Out
Length - 38:45Let me start off by saying that this album doesn't really present any exceptional new sound, groundbreaking material or brilliant rehashings of The Beatles. Nonetheless, it's a damn good album, and I'm quite glad that I bought it. As far as the music goes, I think The Strokes comparisons that are being made are valid to some extent. The vocals are strikingly similar on some tracks, the chords and bass sound alike, and the overall energy and exuberance of Franz is comparable to The Strokes. Contrastingly, I think Franz is more exciting, easier to dance to, and the songs are a bit more variegated (I have a hard time distinguishing between most of the tracks on Room On Fire). Another great part about this album is that there aren't any bad songs. There are at least two songs I skip on both Strokes records each time I listen to them. But Franz, solid straight through. In a word, if you're into The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand will be a fine purchase for you. If you care, my favorite tracks include the jaunty Tell Her Tonight, the manic Take Me Out and the brilliant, hypnotic closer, 40'.
Rating:
4 Great debut
Franz Ferdinand are, without doubt, the most talked about new British band of the moment. Almost a synthesis of the coolest music of the last few years, with some late Britpop crossed with punk-funk and a dash of Coral/-ish madness, their two first singles are almost stunningly great. Great concern, then, that the album might not live up to it. Opener 'Jacqueline' sets worries at rest from the first moment: it begins acoustically before exploding into a rumbling, dramatic song with two brilliant riffs that sounds like The Libertines if they had musical brains about them. Like that band, The Jam is a keen reference point, but there's a dash of The Fall in there too.Poppier offerings like the disco-ish 'Tell Her Tonight', 'Come On Home' and of course the brilliantly shoutable surprise mega-hit 'Take Me Out' (with at least 3 distinctive brilliant sections, at least 3 brilliant riffs, and a impossible swaggering groove), strike a blow for arthouse indie-disco, referencing Talking Heads and reviving a genre that had become inextricably linked with the hopeless Reef and the slightly less hopeless Charlatans. 'Auf Achse' represents the other side of the album, sitting closer to the crop of 80s revivalists such as Interpol and Stellastarr* than the punk-funk of The Strokes or Hot Hot Heat, and referencing, further back, The Smiths, The Fall and of course Joy Division.'Cheating On You' is reminiscent of the art-punk of Sonic Youth at their poppiest, except with more British vocals more reminiscent of Robert Smith of The Cure. Blur, too, are a reference point - there are huge numbers of reference points for this album - its not the most original ever - but it is a great synthesis of fantastic styles that perhaps have never been brought together before. The album is also carried by a stunning array of tunes and riffs that convince every time, bleeding cool, sex and brilliance. 'Darts of Pleasure' is just as brilliant as it was the first time you heard it; 'Come On Home' is, and eerie, shuffling closer '40 Ft' rounds things up in inimitable style. This is a classic British album and one to seriously treasure. Its array of songs is incredible and it strikes a blow against the increasingly Americanised world of the 'in' music.
Rating:
5 Calm Down!
Hey, listen for just one minute. Why are you guys all arguing over these reviews?? Ok from the beginning...I'm at University in Glasgow (the city where FF are from) and have seen these boys live twice. I have also met them and got my album signed( all really nice guys). I think this gives me the authority to tell you...buy this album! Don't compare them to anyone, they're unique with their catchy riffs and witty lyrics. Not too heavy, just really catchy. Just enjoy the experience, there's not a poor song on here. Definitely one of those albums you can play the whole way through without skipping tracks.(Ps Franz Ferdinand is someone's name. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was asassinated 28th June 1914 in Sarejavo, Bosnia. Undoubtedly one of the factors fuelling the beginning of World War 1. So there you go!)
Rating:
5 JEEPERS KEEPERS
One of my favorite debut albums in recent memory. It got me hooked immediately and has yet to let go. Franz Ferdinand has really outdone any of the success they've either achieved or have yet to achieve.Their debut is filled with sure-fire singles, bouncy post punk and dancefloor friendly rock. It seems everyone and their mother loves Take Me Out, and have no fear, the rest of the album follows that very high cue. Songs like Michael, Tell Her Tonight, Jacqueline or Darts of Pleasure could've easily traded places with the "buzzworthy" Take Me Out. The other tracks on here are hardly filler either. You have some hidden "growers" in the mix like Dark of The Matinee, which is now my favorite track on the record. This is one of those rare (recent) records that really kindles my love for music. It reminds me how I felt about like the first Strokes record, or the time I first heard The Rapture's - Echoes or Interpol's - Turn on The Bright Lights. Franz Ferdinand can take their place in my heavy rotation list for a long time on from now. I am very smitten.I have a feeling this will competeing for one of the top spots on my best of the year list.
Rating:
5 Simply irresistible
This eponymous album from the Glaswegian quartet Franz Ferdinand is a clever, confident and dazzling debut. Its perfect blend of dispassionate vocals, jagged tight guitar licks, and smooth and irresistible disco beats recalls the confluence in the late-'70s/early '80s of rock, new wave, and disco, with shades of Blondie, Roxy Music, and Ultravox, plus a little Talking Heads and Gang of Four for good measure. If their music is derivative, it's in a good way. They have a fresh voice that combines indie rock recklessness with more polished influences. Meanwhile, their sharp black and white shirts and suits and their art-school references to Dadaist imagery and European history create a sophisticated image that contrasts dramatically with the calculated sloppiness and artlessness of many American indie bands. I wouldn't call FF the saviors of rock, as some have suggested, but they do bring a much needed breath of fresh air to the modern music scene.
Rating:
2 what in the hell was pitchfork thinking?!
This album, quite simply, is crap. It's boring and, at best, mediocre. I tried and tried to get into this, not wanting to miss out on what was hailed as such a great disc. But I just don't get it.
Rating:
5 Fantastic Album
Franz Ferdinand is one of the hottest bands out of the UK. They are from Glasgow, Scotland and they have taken the world by storm. I chose to this album because something new for most people into popular music of today, and it's one of my favorite albums. The songs on this album are very catchy and artistic. The opening track on the album "Jacqueline"), starts off acoustic and eventually builds into a rocker about living carefree. The singles released include the smash "Take Me Out", which starts totally different than it ends, it has been compared to a rollercoaster. You don't know where it is exactly going but you love the ride. "Matinee" starts off slower building into a chorus which is nearly impossible to not sing a long with. "Darts of Pleasure" was another single released off the album. It's obviously a sexually charged piece. In the song Alex sings about wanting fantastic passion, the song eventually builds up to the end where the band chants "they call me super fantastic" in German. Like I said it's a sexual song so you can figure out for yourself what is happening at the end. "Michael" is a fast song made for and about the dancefloor. It's been called homoerotic; that's not a bad thing either. Finally we come to "This Fire". This song was remixed and released as a single late last year. It is about having a passion burning inside of you like fire. That's the best way to describe it. Other songs on the album include catchy pop/rock songs like "Cheating on You" and "Tell Her Tonight" remind me of early Beatles songs. They are very catchy and danceable tracks. The song "Auf Achse" is a cold, dreary song about wanting love. It is one of the best on the album.The two ending tracks "Come on Home" and "40 Feet" are fine tracks to end a nearly perfect album.Favorite Tracks: Take Me Out, Matinee, This Fire, Michael, and Auf AchseRating: A-
Rating:
5 PSP song refrence
THE take me out song was playing during the psp comercial which was cool.
