✮✮✮✩✩

Glasgow rockers return with 5th record Always Ascending, 14 years after their debut album





It has been 14 years since Franz Ferdinand released their debut album. Since then the band have flirted with mainstream success but have never quite attained the love of the masses like many similar acts have. Although many admire Franz Ferdinand, I often notice that not as many people are obsessed with them as they may be with their peers. Their newest Always Ascending album seems to be no different. I have listened to enough music now to realise, however, that a band’s quality should not be judged on how popular they are.

Part of the attraction for Franz Ferdinand is frontman Alex Kaprano’s nature. Half way through the album the blasts of guitar and funk are replaced by a kind of creepy narrative style for a two-song interlude – The Academy Award and Lois Lane. Despite the eccentric lyrics the songwriting in these two tracks, as well as 2nd track Lazy Boy, feels slightly empty.

Title track Always Ascending is a song that displays a style combination of funk and guitars that Franz Ferdinand were the pioneers of in the early 00s. Always Ascending, the definition of a slow burner, methodically builds to a climax as its’ title would suggest. Huck and Jim is similar to past albums, the lyrics deal with mature topics delivered in a stylish way where as Feel the Love Go explores new techniques and sees the irruption of a saxophone solo.

Although the mastery and cleverness of the song structures in this album are completely apparent, a lyrical connection from the band to the fans still seems to elude this Glasgow outfit.

Like this: Like Loading...