Franz Ferdinand

I’m at a 10, with maybe just *one* little flaw.

I only knew “Take Me Out” going into this, as I imagine most people would – maybe one of the other singles is in there somewhere, but their biggest hit is “Take Me Out”, and it stands as a ubiquitous anthem / representation of the 2000s. It’s an all-timer of a track, and thankfully, it’s supplemented by 10 other tracks that are either at the same level or just a step or two below that same level of quality, making for a fucking killer debut album. If the “worst” one here is only as bad as it is because nobody really wants to have a track about being a cheater in their playlist (& because the album tackles it a bit more tastefully with “Tell Her Tonight” earlier on), whilst still kinda rocking in its own weird way, then you’ve got a stellar lineup going.

The music more than speaks for itself, with every track finding a super infectious groove – the bass is awesome, the guitar riffs are sick, the percussion has a good punch / pace to it, and Alex Kapranos’ lead vocals have a range that feels like it can channel David Bowie, Chris Martin & Morrissey (for once, as a compliment) at the same time, whilst still being able to hit higher pitches & quirkier tones that feel kinda like David Byrne in the “More Songs About Buildings And Food” era of Talking Heads. His vocals don’t carry the album, but they do elevate it, which is kinda rare for an album that feels so instrumentally driven.

I don’t really want to go too deep track-by-track here, so I’ll just quickly explain what I liked about my favorite ones, even though the whole album was great from top-to-bottom. “Jacqueline” is a really good (& kinda morbidly funny) opener. “The Dark of the Matinee” feels like an Arctic Monkeys cut in the best way. “Auf Achse” has a fun dichotomy between the funky mood & the sad lyrics, whilst reminding me a lot of The Human League. “Darts of Pleasure” feels like a Talking Heads cut in an awesome way, & “Michael” fucking rules as an explicitly erotic track with a super catchy vibe.

The *one* little thing I mentioned is in the track order; I think “Come on Home” should’ve ended the album. I think it just makes more thematic sense after the implied suicidal thoughts of “40’”, and the melancholic tones feel like they’d make for a good bookend with “Jacqueline”. Regardless, “40’” is still a pretty good closing track, and as a whole, the entire album just fucking rules. I’m mad at myself for not listening to the whole thing until today, but I’m glad to have rectified it, I’m glad it’s on the list, and it’s easily deserving of all the acclaim it gets. It’s a 10, and it’s right up there with “Hot Fuss” as one of those timeless albums of the era. 2004 was pretty good for rock, huh?

I like it when a band sounds like its members all like to read, but also like dancing. Alex Kapranos especially sounds like he's probably got a fantastic bookshelf in his home.

This album came out when I was 20. I love it just as much as a 42-year-old as I did back then.

I'd give this six stars if I could.

I discovered Franz Ferdinand relatively late in they career, and I was NOT impressed. Really didn't understand what the "buzz" was all about. But now I get it..... It is because this is good shit! I'm not surprised that after an album like this group took off like crazy. This is awesome stuff, pure raw energy. Really, really good!

The nostalgia I feel for this album clearly plays a part. But I enjoyed listening to this album again way more than I thought I would. Criticisms that it rips off television, the wire, sparks. Well yea, that’s music. Otherwise we might as well all go back to listen to beethoven.

You could have a “indie disco” night and just play this album twice and call it a night. If you hate that you won’t like this album. But I remember those nights and they weren’t all bad.

Take Me Out is a modern classic. Matinee is good. The rest of the album varied between tolerable and outright annoying.

FF(S). Does anyone really give the slightest shit about these in 2025 beyond "Take Me Out"? The streaming numbers paint a picture, but even that track can be attributed as fairly dated, throwaway "lads out on a bender" guff. An album that can't have too many complaints about being removed from newer editions of the book. Soulless shite.

Superfantastisch! Oduvijek jedan od dražih albuma. Praktično ga volim otkako znam za sebe. Održalo se, i dan-danas mi je genijalan. Prava rijetkost da je svaka pjesma odlična. Možda se usudim reći i da je najbolji indie album ikad. Uvijek ću žaliti što sam ih fulila na Tjentištu 2019.

Franz Ferdinand’s debut still hits with a sharp, nervy energy that made early-2000s guitar rock feel exciting again. The band’s knack for tight, angular riffs and dance-floor rhythms is undeniable, and Alex Kapranos delivers each line with a sly theatrical flair — nowhere more perfectly than the iconic “Ich heiße Super Fantastisch!” on 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦. The full tracklist stays remarkably catchy, stylish, and immediate, and while the formula eventually became overused by others, here it still sounds fresh, confident, and effortlessly cool.

Couple of really great songs but too much meh.

A couple of really great and fun songs but suffers from too much samey-ness. I appreciate the DIY vibe of the production and the highlights really shine, but by the time you get to the end of the album it's all a bit bland

Franz Ferdinand really tapped into something here. Plenty of a bangers here, a few duds too, but a strong album overall. Still holds up pretty well.

It's actually pretty solid, better than I expected. Take me out is legendary, but I am enjoying some other tracks as well, not bad.

Their first and best album. Everything after this had a song or two I liked, but wasn't nearly as solid.

This is one of the first albums I discovered when I was in my early teens just getting into music, and it still holds up.

This album starts with a shot wow - Jacqueline - one of the great openers for a band. And is remarkable afterwards too. It’s still probably the best song but others round out their promise of amped up dance guitar rock with disco syncopations and ironic delivery galore.

Foregone conclusion - I adore this album

today i learned the term “landfill indie.”

Really liked their singles. More than some UK bands at the time but 4 stars is high praise from me, and while take me out and dark of the matinee are fantastic songs, the rest are less so. At least they don't have that laddish band feel about them that I dislike. Hello Ocean Colour Scene and all the rest. They seem more art pop which is great.

Good energy! Let’s go!

super je ovo!