Franz Ferdinand’s third CD, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, is glossy. It’s physically shiny, the liner notes and cover are silky to the touch and the cover photo is a dramatic and distinctive black-and-white shot from the magical Danish photographer Søren Solkær Starbird. You’ve probably seen his work on the Raveonettes’ Chain Gang of Love and Whip It On CDs.



So how does it sound? When I first heard Ulysses, the first single, I didn’t know what to think. I don’t know if it’s because I love this band so much that I was extra-critical and I have high expectations of them. Then I listened to Ulysses again and again and then some more. It grew on me. The CD's got great 70s-inspired rock and glam guitar riffs, it’s got disco beats and some really unusual yet appealing tempo changes. Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention the first time around on their prior releases, but I am struck by the sweet drumming of Paul Thomson – he’s top. There is more synth on this CD. That’s obvious and it’s cool. There’s quite a bit of complex bass work by Bob Hardy too – listen to Live Alone and Can’t Stop Feeling and isn’t that something of a gorgeous accomplishment? I like the skipping nature of this music. It’s choppy and still it’s shiny. Lucid Dreams eventually breaks down into a funky instrumental of strange elegance. It’s a risky song and probably my favorite track. Or maybe my favorite is the spooky Twilight Omens, a very classic swirling tune.

Though it’s got a lot of fast disco tunes it’s also got a ballad, Katherine Kiss Me and Alex Kapranos has a nice purr in No You Girls especially. The vocals of Nick McCarthy and Kapranos always gel and jar where they should. This CD is worth the wait since 2005’s You Could Have It So Much Better.
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Listen to Ulysses and watch the video for Ulysses here.