During the early 2000s it seemed there was nothing exciting happening in rock music. Grunge had been dead for nearly a decade, emo hadn’t quite reached the peak of its short-lived phase and Top 40 hip-hop dominated the airwaves.
When New York Cities sensation The Strokes debuted “Is This It” in 2001, it sparked a garage rock revival movement that paved the way for notable artists including Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand, who ultimately engaged the independent music scene.
Fast forward to more than a decade later these bands that were once considered to be saviors of the rock genre are gradually losing artistic recognition among a vast majority of the listening population. The Strokes have adopted a 1980s new wave sound, Bloc Party has begun experimenting with electronic music and Arctic Monkeys have transformed from a small psychedelic garage rock band into major festival headliners. However, Franz Ferdinand is one band that hasn’t wandered far from its original roots.
The long-awaited fourth album “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action” preserves the youthfulness and nostalgia of the band’s signature sound through the catchy riffs and clever choruses. Take tracks such as “Right Action” and “Love Illumination,” for instance. Both have unforgettable leads and great replay value, which make them excellent singles. However, this does not shield the record from musical criticism.
The previous album “Tonight” had a nocturnal vibe that touched on some electronic dance themes, which made it exciting because it stood apart from the rest of the band’s efforts. But with the new release, frontman Alex Kapranos and his team of Scottish rockers play it safe by avoiding excessive experimentation. In fact, “Stand on the Horizon” is the most adventurous track on the record. The first 30 seconds begin as a soft ballad, but quickly transform into a fast-paced funk and pop song influenced by orchestra.
Even though “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action” adds too much repetition to Franz Ferdinands’ discography, at the very least it offers some lyrical merit. It’s not a musical experiment as much as it is a window for Kapranos to vent his experiences during the band’s four-year hiatus. In that time he contemplated ending the band to protect its creative integrity and avoid committing to some of the obligations to his peers, the record label, his fans and even himself.
This conflict is clearly the inspiration for the closing track “Goodbye Lovers & Friends,” where Kapranos declares a separation from those close to him by ironically saying, “it’s so sad to leave you… but this really is the end.”
“Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions” isn’t the most thrilling album of the year, but it’s definitely not the worst. If anything, it has a few singles that will age well in the band’s catalog.
Information about “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions” can be found at http://www.franzferdinand.com.
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Sources: “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions.”
Image courtesy of Andy Knowles
