Guess what, music lovers? One of the greatest indie rock albums just turned 20! Franz Ferdinand’s debut album is a true milestone, a fantastic record that was bought by 4 million people in the world. The Scottish band imagined 11 killer songs that became unforgettable anthems.
When we heard Darts of Pleasure in 2004, we knew the band Franz Ferdinand was here to stay. That exquisite voice, these intoxicating bass lines, beats and riffs, these lyrics… We were glued to MTV, watching a brand-new world unfold in front of our eyes.
When we bought this debut album, released during the renaissance of indie rock music, we were simply mindblown: rare are the records that boast such a string of hits and maintain such coherence.
Here are our 5 favorite songs from the iconic “Franz Ferdinand”.
Michael
Dripping with sexiness and attitude, delivered with a charismatic charm that’s impossible to resist, Michael is our favorite song from Franz Ferdinand’s debut album.
We just adore this nocturnal atmosphere, slightly gritty, as depicted in the lyrics. The sharp, edgy riff and pulsating, frantic rhythm grab your mind, and don’t let go. Every time we listen to this song, we’re breathless, caught in the sensuality of the moment.
Here, Alex Kapranos persistently flirts with a guy named Michael and begs him to dance with him. We don’t know what Michael thinks about it, but as for us, we’re in! Plus, this song is a real precursor: in the early 00s, androgyny and the diversity of sexuality were not as openly discussed and acknowledged as it is today. We’re sure Michael helped a lot of teenage kids embrace their true selves.
Dark of the matinee
Again, Franz Ferdinand manages to catch the audience’s attention with a sleek beat and catchy guitar riff and you will find yourself nodding along within seconds. That’s the magic of this band!
What we love about this song is its surprising construction: the band oscillates between jumping choruses and soft verses. And it’s intoxicating, to say the least.
The lyrics are a graceful blend of nostalgia and poetry: a man is dreaming of a better life but has to come back down to earth because he lacks the means to fulfill his ambitions. The whole song depicts a moment that doesn’t exist, the famous “Dark of the Matinée”. A utopia, as Bob Hardy, bass player of the band, likes to say.
Darts of Pleasure
Though we’re not big fans of the video, we’re total suckers for the song “Darts of Pleasure”, who’s, in our eyes, a real masterpiece.
Just like “Dark of the Matinee”, this tune often changes rhythms and escalates to a surprising ending, sung in German: “Ich heiße Superfantastisch ! Ich trinke Schampus mit Lachsfisch ! Ich heiße Superfantastisch!” (which translates by “I’m Super Fantastic, I drink champagne and salmon, I’m Super Fantastic!”).
“Darts of Pleasure” is about seducing people and again, the marvelous choice of words in the lyrics manages to capture the very essence of it. It is, furthermore, perfectly delivered by Alex Kapranos who beautifully modulates his voice during the chorus to win the audience’s hearts.
This is the debut single from this first record and it immediately brought the band into the spotlight.
Take Me Out
If you don’t know the banger “Take Me Out”, it’s time to get out of your cave!
Issued as a second single, this is the song that changed everything for the band. It was played on every single radio out there and is undoubtedly one of the best songs of 2004. It was notably ranked 44 on the 500 top tracks of the 00s by Pitchfork.
Inspired by Howlin’ Wolf, this tune also has a very specific and peculiar construction. As the lead singer, Alex Kapranos explains: “The verses sounded better played a little bit faster and the chorus sounded better played a little slower and we could never quite work it out… I had this idea that we’re going to take all of the verses, put them at the beginning of the song, and then we’re going to slow it down and play all the choruses”.
We will never, ever, get bored of this song!
This Fffire
Played downtempo in the record, this song truly reveals itself live.
Alex Kapranos and the boys sure know how to set the stage on fire and usually speed up this tune, pushing the audience into total hysteria. This Fire is a song about desire, lust, and love: “This fire is out of control, I’m gonna burn this city! Burn this city!”.
With its hectic riff and sultry, repetitive lyrics, this song will make you wanna jump, dance, and wave your problems away. Franz Ferdinand usually ends its sets with it, leaving the crowd sweaty and with a hoarse voice.
Of course, we could talk for hours about this album and there are many more songs to love: Jacqueline, Come on Home, 40”, Auf Asche… Time for a re-listening session, everyone!
PS: Check out the amazing galaxy cake we’ve baked for Franz Ferdinand’s last album “Always Ascending”.
