Arts & Entertainment, The Muse

Rock’s Archduke is back and better than ever

Glasgow’s kings of rock, Franz Ferdinand, have been doing some soul searching. It’s been four years since their last album and the boys are back with a sound that falls just short of a reinvention.

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand moves away from the steady thump and lively guitar of years past in favor of synth-driven tracks and more complex beats. The shift keeps things fresh without alienating avid fans.’

‘[It] is music of the night: to fling yourself around your room to as you psyche yourself for a night of hedonism,’ said lead singer Alex Kapranos of the album on the Domino Records website.’

The sound is sexier, but still Franz.

Five years ago the group exploded onto the scene with their self-titled album and debut hit ‘Take Me Out,” and it is clear that they haven’t lost their crowd-pleasing charm as soon as you hear the first few notes of ‘Ulysses.’

The first track and single of the album starts with an undeniably cool bass riff and only gets better from there. It invokes the spirit of disco and establishes the theme of a night on the town that the album explores.

While there might not be one song on this album that screams brilliance, the entire track list is extremely catchy. Several songs worth mentioning, include the up-tempo ‘No You Girls,’ the ambitious extended album version of ‘Lucid Dreams,’ and the acoustic finisher that ties the whole shebang together, ‘Katherine Kiss Me.’

Ferdinand’s third record is the band’s strongest to date. With a polished sound and danceable beat, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand proves that the Scottish trio is going to be rocking for a long time to come.

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