Ok, I admit I came to this album with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. I found it more consistent than the last one, though some songs did sound suspiciously similar to some from You Could Have It So Much Better, like Live Alone to I'm Your Villain.

Still, I think they're on an ascendant trajectory!

4 stars

 

Yeah, I noticed a few similarities between songs myself. Live Alone is probably the best example. Ulysses (weird song name, by the way) is a pretty decent opener and had me at least interested.

Lucid Dreams, which reviewers keep saying is the centerpiece of the album - and I suppose it is, being the longest track, and the four minute weird electronic (?) part in the second half - is a damn fine song. That's the track that will keep me coming back to the album.

All the others tracks are at least catchy, something Franz Ferdinand are great at. There's nothing on here that competes with Take Me Out. Though, to be fair, they've moved on musically.

4/5

My main complaint is that it took three and a half years to create this album. Two of the tracks are apparently former b-sides, so there's only ten new in three years. Hopefully the next one comes a little quicker.

EDIT: Just noticed I passed 300 posts two posts ago. Hmm. Wonder what it was...