Franz Ferdinand ‘You Could Have It So Much Better’ (Domino)

When guitar music’s biggest sensation prelude the arrival of their “difficult second album”, with a single that struts like Muhammed Ali wearing stilettos, you know this is no ordinary band. Franz Ferdinand return to the music scene in 2005 with a Mercury Music Prize and a host of other awards to their name following last year’s excellent self-titled debut album. While the album itself was patchy in parts, their strength lay in the singles, especially the phenomenal ‘Take Me Out’, a song that broke all rules for radio-friendly success by completely changing halfway through. At one point most radio stations were only playing the second half before they belatedly realised that the moment where the languid Strokes-esque opening segues into the swaggering stomp of the chorus is the best part of a brilliant song.

Just as ‘Take Me Out’ tells you all you need to know about Franz Ferdinand 2004, so the lead single from their second album ‘You Could Have It So Much Better’, sums up the current state of the band –fearless, cocky and bursting with ideas. ‘Do You Want To’ says look at us, we’re in a rock band, we’re cool, we’re having the time of our lives and try and you might to dislike us, this song is way too catchy for you not to be humming it on the toilet tomorrow afternoon. In the same mould is album opener ‘The Fallen’ and ‘You’re the Reason I’m Leaving’. But they don’t just revisit the previous record. ‘Walk Away’ has a slower, sadder sound and though it reminds you of something else you may have heard, it is crafted in a way so it sounds distinctly Franz Ferdinand. ‘Eleanor Put Your Boots On’ is one of their most ambitious and different songs yet, with a gorgeous piano that recalls The Beatles and early Elton John. ‘Evil and a Heathen’ is like a less-noisy, better-dressed Pixies, while the title-track is a blistering, hard-rocking anthem.

There is not a bad song on ‘You Could Have It So Much Better’ and it all seems so simple and effortless for the band. The clever riffs, hooks so catchy fishermen must be queuing up to be their friend, their easy charm –it’s like the songs rolled off a smooth assembly line, manned by well-paid and job-satisfied workers. At times this can be quite alienating. Sometimes you need to be able to hear the toil, recognize the moments of struggle and creative torture that goes into creating music –after all pop music did spring from the woe-begotten loins of the blues. Just like seeing them live, where their tight playing and professional demeanour is slightly distancing, Franz Ferdinand can sometimes seem too good. Sharply dressed, handsome and capable of churning out hits without rehashing old ideas, they are the Tom Cruise of music, where sometimes you’d prefer the boozy unpredictability of someone like Sean Penn.

Of course accusing a band of being too good is vaguely ridiculous, like watching Jimmy Stewart complain about Grace Kelly’s perfection in ‘Rear Window’. But often perfection is not something wholly desirable (except in Ms Kelly’s case). Take Pepsi-Cola for example. In blind taste tests most people tend to prefer Pepsi over Coke, probably because the former has a purer cola flavour. But ultimately Coke is the better and more successful drink because what it lacks in flavour, it compensates with its fizz and gusto.

Film and soft drink analogies aside I guess it is churlish to complain about perfectionism. You might prefer the rugged songs of The Fall or the off-key musings of Ian Brown, but you will still love the new Franz Ferdinand album. And no doubt the rest of the world will too.

words: Colm Larkin

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