Indie Alternative Rock: Franz Ferdinand

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Franz Ferdinand

Few people know that Franz Ferdinand was an archduke of Austria-Hungary who was assasinated by a radical Serbian terrorist group in 1914... But sadly, even less people associate the name "Franz Ferdinand" with a solid alternative rock band from the U.K.

Best known for their song, "No You Girls", Franz Ferdinand has a sound quite their own, with infectious melodies, catchy lyrics, beats you can dance to, and a pulsating bass. And they are able to effortlessly do this without losing any elements of classic alt rock.

A song that perfectly exemplifies the eclectic style of Franz Ferdinand is "Do You Want To". The song starts off with a loud, almost grating guitar line and the vocals of Alex Kapranos and builds to a fuller, more supported sound. But the heavy guitar riff remains prevalent throughout the whole song, keeping the upbeat tempo and perfectly backing the vocals.

Since forming in 2002 in Glasglow Scotland, Franz Ferdinand has enjoyed great success in the U.K. with some recognition in the United States. Their 3 released albums are Franz Ferdinand, You Could Have It So Much Better, and Tonight:Franz Ferdinand. They are currently recording a 4th album, but prefer not to overpublicize the release date.

Yet another great song, "Take Me Out" begins with a slightly darker sounding intro than the previously mentioned tracks, but shortly returns to the rythmic melody signature of the band. This song, along with most of their other music, practically begs you to jam along with the band as you enter into the frenzy that is known as Franz Ferdinand.