Theyíre named after the man whose assassination started World War I, theyíre from Scotland and theyíre becoming one of the hottest bands in the British Isles. Of course, I could only be talking about Franz Ferdinand. This arty crew from Glasgow, fresh off the success of their top-5 UK singles chart placing of their second single, ìTake Me Home,î issue their debut, self-titled full length. In the UK, they are tipped as one of the brightest hopes for 2004, and after listening to their first LP offering, itís no surprise why. Culling together the best aspects of The Strokes, Interpol, and the late ë70s New York art school movement, these Scots have tunes by the boatload. Album opener ìJacquelineî sets the tone, the tone being ìjump around to this great song and start NOW.î The record progresses through the groove of ìTake Me Home,î on through the immediacy of ìCheating On You,î to the wonderful debut single, ìDarts Of Pleasureî and to the vibe of ìCome On Home.î A truly auspicious debut, Franz Ferdinand showcases the bandís knack for a catchy tune, all the while injecting their trademark slightly off-kilter personality into each song. Definitely a contender for album of the year and now the march to take America is on. All hail Franz Ferdinand!
