Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Glaswegian dance-rock quartet Franz Ferdinand first shuffled into the Top Ten with shout-along standard Take Me Out, in 2004. Sharply dressed and scrupulously coiffured, they led the way in a siege of exciting new guitar bands which saw the likes of The Futureheads and Maximo Park sharing their success.
More than three years since the release of ‘You Could Have It So Much Better', their last studio offering, the band are back with the same disco swagger as before - for better or worse.
Their new offering‘Tonight’ starts strongly with lead single Ulysses which begins by hinting that Franz have set off in a more up-to-date direction. An unrelenting whip-crack beat screwed down with lashing guitar riffs and growling synths, the album's opening minute appears to represent a developed sound. Then suddenly a familiarly ear-friendly chorus bounces in and you're transported slap bang to the middle of any crowded dancefloor four years ago.
Likewise, No You Girls begins with bold funk and disco swank that wouldn't sound out of place on the most glam rocking of Queen records. As a screeching guitar leads increasingly to what we hope might be a killer tune - wham! - in comes another dreary terrace-chant chorus. The theme continues with the mild bump of Send Him Away and onward plod of Twilight Omens.
Although the same old indie pop template has clearly been wheeled out in the creation of 'Tonight' it's also fairly evident that with new producer Dan Carey's help, the boys have beefed up their sound.
Lucid Dreams suggests at least some attempt at evolution with intermittent bursts of angry guitar fuzz that hint at Queens of the Stone Age. The track ends with a two-and-a-half minute instrumental that sees an industrial canvas splattered with warbling synths and camp hanclaps. As wrong as it sounds, this makes for one of the album's most daring, and as a result, interesting moments.
Other highlights include the delightful Live Alone which plays on the band's strength at creating tunes perfect for the thronging dancefloors of your favourite indie haunts. With the similarly catchy Can't Stop Feeling, which sounds remarkably like the theme tune to Roobarb and Custard, it's clear that these songs have their sights set firmly on a dark club setting and not on reaching anthemic stadium status.
With a gestation period of over three years, 'Tonight' is bound to disappoint anyone who's been willing Franz Ferdinand to come back with an entirely new sound that's relevant to the electro indie climate. Those looking for something new to prompt embarrassing dance moves, however, should look no further.
They've certainly not lost what they had, but this record simply sees the same old dad-disco stencil applied. Some of the songs will undoubtedly hold their own on the dancefloor but none of them will change your life.
Rating:3/5 - A good album; but after a 3 year wait it's a bit disappointing.
Skip To: What She Came For - It really sums up the whole CD