Review//Franz Ferdinand, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

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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.

Review//Britney Spears,Circus

Britney Spears//Circus



A sassy, simply amazing album with a lot of kick in the ass. This album is like a welcome smack in the face, really. It just gets you more pumped up. There’s dance beats all over the place and the entire album will get stuck in your head until you tear it out with pliers. But you like it there, so you don’t move it. Trust me. This is great. Go forth, Britney Spears; you are deemed talented again.

+++ “If U Seek Amy”
Okay, let’s get it straight. I liked this song before the whole “ohh, that’s what it means” thing. This was the only song I listened to on the album for a while, and it’s just because it’s SO. DAMN. CATCHY. It’s lyrical genius meets great beat that you just want to dance to. The subject matter tells a story, and you can just feel the song. It feels gritty, it feels dirty, and that’s what this album is. Done.

+++”Phonography”
I definitely didn’t know you could write a sexy song about phones, but here it is. This is the song of the 21st century. Britney somehow weaves dirty themes into Bluetooth, texting, and even ringtones. This song gets the +++ only for genius writing. Even better, it’s a great song. The song is fast and dirty and just…amazing.

++”Unusual You”
The song is totally digitally manipulated, but for the better and not the worst. There’s an unplaceable reason why this song is so good. Maybe it’s because it’s a meld of old and new; it’s digitally screwed around with, but there’s a piano backing some of the song. Whatever, it’s really good.

++”Womanizer”
It’s impossible not to rock out to this song. Absolutely impossible. Every woman knows at least one guy that this song applies to, and you want to sing it to him with your finger in his face. You know you do. It’s quite obviously a song pandering to the masses, as it’s the first single off of Circus, but I’m going to ignore this pandering and keep bobbing my head like I’m in da clubbb.

++”Lace And Leather”
I was actually hoping that this would be kinda related to Stevie Nicks’ “Leather And Lace”, but not so. However, I wasn’t disappointed. The song has a disco feel, if you could believe it. There’s a nice beat in the background and the lyrics flow pretty great. Good song.

++”Circus”
Good on you, Britney Spears. This is her “well, screw you” song to the world. It’s actually a really great song. The lyrics are amazing, and it’s catchy to the point where it will get caught in your head long past the time you hear it. There’s a robotic quality to a meaningful song and it creates a nice distinction in the song.

++”Kill The Lights”
The beat alone gives this song a good rating, but the actual song is great too. The song is sassy and reflects fame and all it’s about. The lyrics are great and the background music gives the song an eerie feel.

+“Amnesia”
I didn’t know you could have a rockin’ tambourine in a song, but apparently you can. This is a fast paced song with a poppy quality, unlike a lot of the dance songs on Circus. It’s about how she forgets everything in front of a dude…oh, me, biased because I do this? Shut up.

+“Mmm Papi”
This song actually has some Spanish-sounding background music and the synth isn’t ridiculous. It’s catchy even though you don’t want it to be. It tells a pretty decent story and feels like a warm, sunny day. Nothing like taboo in the afternoon, hm?

/”Radar”
It’s a bit high pitched for my taste, but it’s a nice fast-talking song that is decently made. Most of the song is fine and it’s a good concept for a song, but the bridge and chorus are in a chipmunk-esque voice. No thanks.

/”Mannequin”
It’s a decent song that would work really well in the club. Again, it’s a good concept for a song, but the music is just too fake and repetitive for my taste. And in the chorus, there’s a dude going “aiiiiiIIIiiiiiiIIIiii” that makes me laugh too hard to take the song seriously.

/”My Baby”
It’s a slow, sweet song that totally sticks out like a sore thumb on this album. It’s like rock, rock, dance…slow. Not that it isn’t a good song, but it’s just out of place here.

/”Shattered Glass”
It’s an alright song. Doesn’t really have enough feeling for the subject matter, and the little sounds of shattering glass in the background is just like…really? I think we get it. The nice dance beat in the background saves this song from the minus pile.

/“Out From Under”
Decent song. It’s a well-done pop ballad, bringing me back to the ‘90’s. Nothing special, but it isn’t bad by any means.

-”Rock Me In”
It’s a basic dance club song, and that’s about it. It has a light chorus that barely anyone can understand and it’s quite obviously about sex. There’s random electronica in the background and the sound of shooting lasers. That’s cool. [/sarcasm.]

-"Blur"
Okay, Brit; you got drunk last night, don’t remember what happened, and made this song. The song is just all over the place and the background music doesn’t fit the foreground whatsoever it. It just kinda rolls along, doing nothing. Maybe that’s the point, but…eh.

//FINAL VERDICT//
This could be the best thing since…well, before Britney went nuts. The album is just simply awesome. What, I need anything more than that?

Buy, Borrow, Burn: Buy. Yes, I know you haven’t bought a Britney album since the ‘90’s, but this one is worth it, at least for the next dance party you decide to have.

Review//The Killers, Day & Age

And so the reviewing begins. I figured I'd start with this album because I have a solid opinion on it and The Killers are probably my favorite band.

THE KILLERS//DAY & AGE



You think I would like this album. You really would. I got hooked on The Killers with Hot Fuss, their amazing techo-Brit-pop infused debut, and fell completely in love with them with Sam’s Town and their B-side CD, Sawdust. Both had lyrics that broke your heart and made you listen, no matter what. Sam’s Town is potentially my favorite album of all time. So you can imagine my excitement for Day & Age...and my disappointment.

Day & Age had the potential to be a fantastic mix of the pop techno of Hot Fuss and the lyrical beauty and Vegas soul of Sam's Town, and it just flopped. The songs don’t have a set direction and are all over the place as far as genre goes. I don’t know what was in the water when they were making this, but I was shocked some of the songs even came from The Killers. If it hadn’t been for the previous two albums, this one would be pretty good. But in comparison to the amazing music they’ve produced before, The Killers just didn’t up the ante on this one.

I do my reviews song-by-song, instead of just a vague paragraph of me stating what the album was about. I go from the song I liked the most to the song I liked the least, mostly because the more I hate it, the more entertaining I become. I rank songs under Positive (+), Neutral (/) and Negative (-). Let’s begin, shall we?

++++ “Spaceman”
This. This is what the entire album should have been. It has the amazing lyrics of Sam’s Town (“The song maker says it ain’t so bad; the dream maker’s gonna make you mad.”) with the catchy techno of Hot Fuss. You can’t go wrong. I can’t think of anything wrong with this song. By far my favorite of the album. The fact that it is a single makes me kind of worried, because my favorite Killers songs are never singles. Uh-oh.

+++ “Human”
The grammar nazi in me cringes at “Are we human, or are we dancer?” but the song is great. The song is classic Killers. Nice hook, nice lyrics, and nice synth backup. You’ve heard it all over the radio, I need not say more.

+”This Is Your Life”
This is a good life, I’ll tell you. This might be my favorite track on the album, lyrically. “Candy talks to strangers/thinks her life’s in danger…” Okay, tell me how that isn’t amazing. Just tell me. It’s a very good song, and is very “them” I think. It sort of reminds me of Hot Fuss’s “Believe Me Natalie”, only with a backing vocal of white boys trying to be an African choral group. Oh yes, I’m serious.

+ “Joy Ride”
Okay, so it kind of sounds like The Killers visited the Copacabana on this song, but it is genuinely catchy. It tells a great, taboo story of what goes on in Vegas and the feelings involved. I like how upbeat it is and the saxophone backup is a nice little addition.

+ ”A Dustland Fairytale”
It’s a little slow for me and sounds like a ballad, but the lyrics are amazing and the story is great. The melody is good and the piano in the background is impeccable.

/ “The World We Live In”
It has a good melody to it and the synth isn’t overkill on it. It’s a song I’d like to rock out to. It’s a good little song about life, and inspires the album title. Can’t say too much more other than “ it’s good”.

/”I Can’t Stay”
If it wasn’t for Brandon Flowers’ amazing voice, I would hate this song. I’m not too happy with the lyrics, nor the little maraca things going on in the background. And they just randomly add in a steel drum for shits and giggles. It was like they just stood there like “what can we add here?”. But, oh Brandon Flowers...I’ll listen to him sing anything.

/”Losing Touch”
The chorus is pretty good, but the rest of the song is overboard on background music and is put at wayyy too high of a sound. Really. And it’s kind of a whiny song, too. Which is never good.

/”A Crippling Blow”
Oh, Killers, what is this? It’s far too choppy of a song and really doesn’t go anywhere. The song is two-faced. It goes from sweet acoustic guitar to ROCK ROCK ROCK in about two seconds flat. Don’t make me even start.

/“Neon Tiger”
It gains a neutral just for the name. Yes, I know it’s a metaphor, but it still rocks. However, the song seems kinda amateur-ish. It just doesn’t flow correctly and there are awkward pauses in the music like they didn’t know what to put there. The middle is pretty decent, with fast lyrics and good melody, but the rest is just like…what?

---“Goodnight, Travel Well”
I…I…I hate this song. I’ve never hated a song by The Killers before. Ever. But now I do.
I can’t even listen to the whole song. The entire song is slow, slow, slow and goes nowhere fast. Even Brandon Flowers’ voice doesn’t save this song because he’s at too low of an octave to rock. There are weird little clock noises and what sounds like goddamn whale sounds in the background. And it’s like SIX MINUTES. OF NOTHING BUT SLOW. PORQUE!? Oh, this song. What the hell. I don’t even like the lyrics, either. So yeah, this is the worst of anything The Killers have ever done, in my opinion.

//Final Ruling//
A decent album in general--I've heard much worse--but not good on The Killers' rating scale. Too much genre hopping going on and just simply too many things happening for a good album to emerge. A few songs are standouts, but too many just fade into the distance of all the other decent songs on your iPod. Unfortunately, mediocre is the only way to describe Day & Age, and that breaks my heart as a die-hard Killers fan. Hopefully they release another B-side CD of all the good songs.

Buy, Borrow, or Stay Away From: Borrow. Hit your friend until she plays it for you. This is even more fun if she's one of the fans who can't admit the faults of the album. Heh.

And that's that.