Franz Ferdinand//Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
I don’t know if it’s just my lack of patience relating to Franz Ferdinand CDs or something, but I didn’t get much out of this album. I really genuinely loved their first self-titled album, and the couple of B-sides that went along with it. (“All For You Sophia” and “Words So Leisured”, I believe.) However, I wasn’t so keen on their second album. A few good songs came off of it, and the album was certainly not bad, it was just…there. This album is somewhere in between. It’s not fantastic but it certainly isn’t bad. And it’s a little better than mediocre.
The theme of Tonight seems to be repetition and LA LA LA LA LA in like, every song. I don’t know what FF was on when they made this album, but they either need to quit or take some more. I can’t decide. Anyway, the album doesn’t really differ from the previous two albums the band has had. It’s classic Franz Ferdinand, which should be a genre in itself by now. You can just tell the songs, and these are no different. I’m kind of disappointed they didn’t go anywhere new, but relieved they didn’t fuck it up by going somewhere else. (I’m looking at you, Killers.)
All in all, Tonight is a good album. If you’re a fan, good for you; you get another album. If you’re not a fan, you’re not going to start now. There are a few standout songs, like “No You Girls” and “Katherine Kiss Me”, but mostly it’s the same old same old. Some of us like it that way, some of us don’t.
+++“Katherine Kiss Me”
This is by far the most beautiful song on the album...possibly on all of the albums. The lyrics are absolutely amazing, and the story is great. The story is intertwined with “Ulysses” and this is the softer, more real version. There are also references to a few of the other songs as well. The song is a classic ballad, but has some little sparks of life along the way, like random piano. You sometimes forget how great of a voice Alex Kapranos has, when it’s covered up with so much alternative rock crap backing all the time. This song is simply gorgeous, and I’d love an entire album of them going in this softer direction.
++“No You Girls”
It starts with a great beat and rocks it til the end. These are the subtly dirty lyrics I love Franz Ferdinand for, only with a different musical direction. It’s more upbeat than Franz normally cranks out, and a little more rock-y new backing for them. I love this song. The lyrics are great and tell a great story; they’re definitely quotable. Also, there’s a good message in here somewhere, I just can’t think of it right now.
+ “What She Came For”
Now this is a bit of a different song. Franz Ferdinand relies more on vocals than on rock backing on this song. I like the theme and I like the chorus. Okay, so I pretty much like everything. It reminds me of “40’” off of the first album. Why, I can’t tell you but, it does. It’s a really nice song.
+”Ulysses”
The song starts with a feel of Mika, but goes on to be full of techno rock and hyperness. Oh, the Franz Ferdinand we know and love. This is pretty much exactly what you would expect from the band, only with the addition of “LET’S GET HIIIIGH” to the song. I can’t pick a genre specifically, but I think “this is a Franz Ferdinand song” should be one.
+“Bite Hard”
It starts of soft and sweet, then goes into loud beating rock. Nice bait and switch, there. The beat just makes you want to rock your head, pretty much. The backing music is great. Again, this is a classic song you’d expect from Franz Ferdinand. Another good one on this album.
+“Dream Again”
I thought imitating The Beatles was Panic at the Disco’s thing. Apparently not. However, this song is really good. There are really great lyrics in here and the background music is simply super. This is a nice slow, gentle song with a little hit to it. It gets a little repetitive, but that seems to be the theme of this album. It kinda makes me feel like I’m sailing, which I can’t really explain. I think I might be high or Franz Ferdinand was when they wrote this. Regardless, good song.
+“Turn It On”
It’s got a nice beat to it and is a pretty good dance song. This could be played at a party and everyone would be on the floor instantly. There’s a weird electronic backing sometimes, but you wouldn’t even notice if you were drunk and table dancing to this song. It’s good, I’ll take it.
/“Can’t Stop Feeling”
The parts that aren’t the chorus have great lyrics. However, the rest of it get really repetitive, really fast. This isn’t an African god chant, you guys, it’s alternative music. The backing involves a weird synth sax that kinda freaks me out and makes me think that the Copacabana is angry today. Decent song.
/“Lucid Dreams”
Okay, first of all, this is an OVER SEVEN MINUTE SONG. I have serious contempt for songs that are over five minutes. Anyway, the song rocks a nice beat and good lyrics. They’re kinda pulling a soft Beatles thing here, with a little dash of Of Montreal for good measure. Pretty much, this song is like ten songs in one. It just switches back and forth. Not really a fan of that. And then it goes into random techno. Okay, because that totally fits here. We’ve gone from smooth Britain to a bad rave, super.
/“Live Alone”
Just a decent song, well done. There’s honestly nothing that stands out to me about this song, besides the pretty good synth backing. Sorry, song.
/“Send Him Away”
It’s a pretty decent song. However, it gets choppy at some points and doesn’t really flow right. The lyrics are pretty nice, and the music backing it is good. Nice guitar. However, like a lot of songs on this album, it gets repetitive very, very fast. It starts off as a really good song, and then changes mood halfway through to an entirely different one that isn’t as good. I’ll give it an A for effort and a neutral for trying.
-“Twilight Omens”
I think this was supposed to be a creepy song. There’s the prerequisite weird keyboard music that gives off a really eerie vibe. I don’t really get the lyrics, and it gets repetitive pretty fast. The beat is decent, but it’s definitely my least favorite song on the album, by far.
//Final Verdict//
If you like Franz Ferdinand, good for you, you'll like this. If you don't...this isn't for you. Just save yourself time and download "Katherine Kiss Me" and listen to "Ulysses" on the radio.
Buy, Borrow, or Burn: Borrow. Not worth dropping the money on it. If you're a fan, buy it. If not, don't even bother.
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