The pop-rock quartet Franz Ferndinand is a one-trick pony, but when it comes to singles bands and an open dance floor, versatility can be overrated. The Glasgow natives waited four years before dropping their third CD, “Tonight,” in late January, and despite rumors of a radically different approach, most of the songs would slide comfortably alongside the tunes from the first two platters.
Lyrically, the group is arch and arty is a manner reminiscent of The Kinks, although vocalist-frontman Alex Kapranos lacks the world-weary smirk of Ray Davies — his inner wisenheimer is too cherubic and self-assured. Musically, Franz Ferdinand sports jittery, angular, relatively simple riffs, like The Cars with a tad too much caffeine in their tank. Put the two qualities together with a hook or two and you’ve got a template for some killer dance fare that wears well on the radio, as FF proved right out of the gate five years ago with the powerhouse single, “Take Me Out.”
As for the ballyhooed new and improved Franz Ferdinand, the keys pump out the riffs a little more frequently then the guitars (or is it the other way around?) on the new one, and there’s an extended dance break (which sounds like what we used to call a remix) at the tail end of “Liquid Dreams.” But I’ll take the reliable old FF over any half-hearted renegade gambits. The dance floor at First Avenue is likely to be too crowded for the appropriate pinball bounces and twirls their songs engender, but expect a lot of bobbing and weaving within the human crush in front of the stage.
Here is a Pop Matters review of the new disc that also helpfully contains all the music, plus a screening of the group’s new video, for “Ulysses.” Here’s a sharp rendition of the first hit, “Take Me Out” (start about 58 seconds in) on The Fuse. And here’s Youtube’s “Franz Ferdinand channel, leading off with “No You Girls,” from “Tonight.” It’s typical FF — can’t wait to catch it live.
Franz Ferdinand at First Avenue, tonight, April 28, at 8 p.m., $30.
