Franz Ferdinand - you could have it so much better

MayoChuck

I'll take it track by track
01. The Fallen: Calculated opener in every way: musically it plays to the strengths of their debut riffs, production etc; lyrically and thematically it is the wet dream of the most obsequious class of rock journos. Apparently the lead singer has been telling everyone he's taking an english degree - its shows, truly appalling lyrics. 2.5/5
02. Do You Want To: Again it plays to the strengths of their first long player solid effort with the two song trick working neatly again...3/5
03. This Boy: half a decent song ruined by embaressing pithy 'I wanna car' bit
2/5
04. Walk Away: Mersy beat type song, not bad but would hardly make a coral or Zutons album. 2.5/5
05. Evil And A Heathen. Stomps along - filler 2.5 / 5
06. You're The Reason I'm Leaving: first of a couple of Blondie type songs I wonder did they get the idea for the band from the nightclub scene in Trainspotting...nice little guitar break near the end - 3/5
07. Eleanor, Put Your Boots Back On:
Hilarious, like a piss take univeral by blur. Lyrics that vie with Kansas for comedy value. Terrible piano 'playing' from the german guy who supposedly owns a degree in jazz piano according to their latest interview.
If its a joke 5/5 , if its the result of cocaine and legions of yes people -5/5
08. Well, That Was Easy - it sure was, number three and by far the weakest of the two songs stuck together type combined with bland lyrics..filler
2/5
09. What You Meant: A good song...plently of good ideas, nice arrangement more of this would have saved the album 4/5
10. I'm Your Villain: do their best to spice up a really bland song with a few tricks...doesn't work 1/5
11. You Could Have It So Much Better aaahhhhhhhhhh! sounds like the KCs - disposable 2/5
12. Fade Together: The second of the truly appalling cocaine tracks on the record...dunno what was going on with quality control here, embarressing
-3/5.
13. Outsiders: solid ender following the current fad for two fingered synth playing to fill out song arrangements. 2.5/5

What can I say they tons of better bands about - sound like FF are all out of ideas...this record sounds best when it recycles formulaes (but that can't go on forever) and terrible where they try new departures. Despite the hype they could disappear quickly enough although this record will be greeted with five stars everywhere by the Brit press...until some guy decides to call time on them.

Tusky

Well I like it! I have only listened to it once though. Youre right about the lyrics though, some of them are truely terrible.

Jonny Arson

I've only listened to the first 6 songs once but I like them. OP is very harsh on these tracks.

susanna

Very harsh review IMO. The Fallen is a 5/5 for me

I need a few more listens to judge it properly, but on first impressions I really like it

MayoChuck

I suppose it is a harsh review glass half empty if you like - the Times review made similar points I think but went glass half full with the rating. To be fair FF have produced two solid LPs - their first had the fresh feel (and superior tunes) while the second I suppose recorded on the road while trying to deal with fame etc inevitablly sounds a bit tired, safe and self-indulgent. At the same time there should be no excuse for a couple of truly appalling tracks that could have been left off to leave a solid if uninspiring 11 track LP. I'm unconvinced but this will give them breathing space to deliver a magnum opus third (or not!) Could go Radiohead or Oasis at this stage...if I was a betting man I say Be here now, but you never know. BTW not comparing them with Oasis - Gallaghers early stuff still a different class IMO....then look what happened.

Jonny Arson

After a second listen it gets an 8/10 for me.

Original post is ridiculously harsh and sounds like a review of a disgruntled Bravery fan.

Tusky

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

After a second listen it gets an 8/10 for me.

Original post is ridiculously harsh and sounds like a review of a disgruntled Bravery fan.

I would agree. A solid 8/10 - that is if you can put up with 'more of the same' and some terrible lyrics.

ctrl-alt-delete

anyone wanting to listen to it can on www.nme.com and go to the media player section, flick through its there, dont know for how much longer though

MayoChuck

The Fallen sounds like Blur- a mixture between Chinese Bombs and Country House. 'Eleanor' is the best song on the album, but it has Walk Away's guitar line except played on the piano! We're not thick, Franzy!

But the key point:

MayoChuck wrote:

What can I say they tons of better bands about

As hard as that quote may be to understand, it's very true. Had they not written Take Me Out, I'd love to see if they'd still be around. I was a fan when I first got a promo of Tell Her Tonight years ago (yes, one of THOSE :rolleyes: ) but I could name 100 better bands who will never have their success.

Royale with Cheese

Gotta agree with the others in this thread and say that review is ridiculously harsh, OP obviously just has a very negative view of FF. It's a very solid album for me. Not much filler and some great tracks like the fallen and outsiders. 8/10.

Le Rack

OP mustn't have got any last night....
Anyway, love this album, absolutely great. The "woeful" lyrics are FF style, funny original, anyone who follows the band fairly well know a lot about these, Even the Times review told a lot about it, and gave it a great review not a glass is half full review.
I love FF and my general music taste would be more in the direction of Slayer...

wba88

This album is at least 8/10. not the best review mayochuck. got my tickets for november 18th.....cant wait!!!!!!!!!

You could have it so much better with the Revs album instead.

Le Rack

ooh! But yeah the revs rock! met them last month, Steve is sooo tall!
What's on November 18th? *me awaits throwing of rotten fruit for stupidity*

Le Rack

Le Rack wrote:

ooh! But yeah the revs rock! met them last month, Steve is sooo tall!
What's on November 18th? *me awaits throwing of rotten fruit for stupidity*

First of all, you mean John? hehe, didya get the album?

Franz gig is on 18/11.

Le Rack

John, Steve, meh! No no album yet!
GAH!!!! I'd so loe to go to that but my band has a gig that night and we've cancelled our last two gigs! GODDAMN

sweetbeat

I think FF is solidly rocking...not above criticism, but solidly rocking.

JC 2K3

sweetbeat wrote:

I think FF is solidly rocking...not above criticism, but solidly rocking.

I would say FF would be more "repetitive pop music with guitars" than "solidly rocking". Never having seen them live I wouldn't know but I'd say they're pretty tight, but the music is just bland and repetitive, catchy I'll admit, but I couldn't listen to it for more than 20 mins before getting bored, they're far too overhyped and overrated.

Le Rack

I love FF, they are slightly repetitive, but they're great, They're really great to slap on when you're getting ready to go out.

Beer is Life

Le Rack wrote:

John, Steve, meh! No no album yet!
GAH!!!! I'd so loe to go to that but my band has a gig that night and we've cancelled our last two gigs! GODDAMN

Where are yez playing?

Le Rack

Oh there was a gig on in the theatre, but it got cancelled, there's one on the 30th of December now for definate, were you guys not playing Friday too?

Helper_Monkey

Mayo! Savge review. All your points were inciteful and you are clearly a talented writer.
My only criticism...STICK TO YER GUNS!!!!!

Just cuz someone famous disagreed, ****-em, The best journalists always trust themselves!

:rolleyes:

BossArky

Listening to this album now because I stumbled across this thread. Its not my first time listening to it but the first time I'm <b>really</b> listening if you know what I mean. Sounds pretty rocking really. The riff at the beginning of "walk away" sounds like the riff in Nirvana's "come as you are" put through a warbler. Maybe its just the guitars scottish accent.

monument

Helper_Monkey wrote:

****-em, The best journalists always trust themselves!

You sound like a fan of Sir Kevin Myers.

monument

Helper_Monkey wrote:

****-em, The best journalists always trust themselves!

You sound like a fan of Sir Kevin Myers.


80% or 8/10 looks to be about right...

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/franzferdinand/youcouldhaveitsomuchbetter