
Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
1:00 AM 25th January 2025
arts
Albums: Franz Ferdinand - The Human Fear
Franz Ferdinand - The Human Fear
Audacious; Everyday Dreamer; The Doctor; Hooked; Build it Up; Night and Day; Tell Me Should I Stay; Cats; Black Eyelashes; Bar Lonely; The Birds
(Domino)
In 2004, when Franz Ferdinand released their self-titled debut album, guitar bands were no longer in vogue. Fast forward twenty-one years, with girl singers taking up residence in the singles and album charts, and it appears that indie guitar rock bands are still not the flavour of the day.
Only two of the original members remain: singer and guitarist Alex Kapranos and bassist, Bradford-born Bob Hardy, with the rest of the group being new recruits.
The band hasn’t been put off from, in some quarters, being considered outmoded—far from it on this vibrant album, which comes with their trademark melodies mixed with lyrics that have a downbeat quality.
As in the past, the bulk of Franz Ferdinand’s songs have been built around a good guitar or piano riff; as lead singer and guitarist Alex Kapranos says at the very start of the album, "Here we go with riff one," as
Audacious starts off the album in a jaunty style that never really abates throughout the album.
Build it Up is about the daily grind, with the subject of fear ever present;
The Doctor is about the fear of leaving an institution,
Night or Day deals with the fear of commitment in a relationship, and
Tell Me I Should Stay is about the fear of breaking up a relationship.
Musically, the only change of direction is on Black Eyelashes, which is influenced by the Greek folk style of rebetiko, adding a new slant to the overall indie rock-infused album.
Overall, though, the feeling is jubilant, optimistic, and celebratory as the Glasgow band banishes any fears about their return, way into the distance.