... Unfortunately the, shall we say improvement, wears thin already, with the Franz moving back to their defined sound on lead single 'Do You Want To', a track which has fallen on deaf ears with me since the day I first heard it.
Despite being lyrically mundane (or should that be, stupid), ... Read review
You Could Have it So Much Better, the second album from Mercury Music Prize winners Franz ... more
Ferdinand is pretty much everything a bands second record should be: an assured, endearingly cocky return that builds on the strengths of its predecessor, and imp...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
You Could Have it So Much Better, the second album from Mercury Music Prize winners Franz ... more
Ferdinand is pretty much everything a bands second record should be: an assured, endearingly cocky return that builds on the strengths of its predecessor, and imp...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
You Could Have it So Much Better, the second album from Mercury Music Prize winners Franz ... more
Ferdinand is pretty much everything a bands second record should be: an assured, endearingly cocky return that builds on the strengths of its predecessor, and imp...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
You Could Have it So Much Better, the second album from Mercury Music Prize winners Franz ... more
Ferdinand is pretty much everything a bands second record should be: an assured, endearingly cocky return that builds on the strengths of its predecessor, and importantly, brings a few more tricks to the table. Beyond hipster quips and hedonism, however, Franz are busy expanding their emotional palette. "Walk Away" is a fragile indie soul piece, Alex Kapranos cooing "mascara bleeds into my eyes" over a tune reminiscent of London garage rockers The Flaming Stars (although it also features references to Mao-Tse Tung and Hitler, so dont be too quick to pin this one as a love song). Meanwhile, "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" nods to Dylan and Revolver-era Beatles, suggesting an urge to capture hearts beyond the dancefloor. All the same, though, a fabulous return. --Louis Pattison More to Explore See more music by Franz Ferdinand Play Guitar with Franz Ferdinand (Guitar Tab) Franz Ferdinand (CD) Franz Ferdinand ~ Nicholas Artsrunik (Paperback) See more Franz products
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Advantages: half the album Disadvantages: .....half the album
...also slightly more noticeable. ("Because you robbed a supermarket or two, Well, who gives a damn about the prophets of Tesco?"). Unfortunately the, shall we say improvement, wears thin already, with the Franz moving back to their defined sound on lead single 'Do You Want To', a track which has fallen on deaf ears with me since the day I first heard it.
Despite being lyrically mundane (or should that be, stupid), 'This Boy' ... ...eye-lid dropping boring; "Why don't you walk away?" …..my thoughts exactly.
'Evil and the Heathen' ("I'm evil and a heathen") earns the band comparisons with US counterparts The Strokes, capturing the 'garage rock' feel almost perfectly, although doing very little to either sell the scene or improve upon it. Pace wise, it's in fact one of the faster tracks on the record, showing the band as more than a simple one ... more
There are things in life that irritate me to no end; whether it be the simple chore of getting up in the morning, bleary eyed and half asleep, or scrambling around in cupboards at 7am to find something to eat, knocking over item upon item until finally finding the one thing even remotely munchy, or hell, even turning on Kerrang Radio to hear the latest Franz Ferdinand tune, probably the main offender of them all. See, it's not the band themselves that I hold issue with, it's their music. I regularly hear/see the word 'fun' being passed around when referring to the Glaswegians' little ditty's; although the only fun I see in it is when turning the radio off, or changing channel to somewhere they aren't.
The NME in particular were at the forefront of the Franz movement throughout last year, talking them up as the next big thing alongside fellow Brits Keane and Coldplay, two bands that, to be quite frank, have gone virtually unnoticed since the turn of the year. Now, having not fully heard the bands debut, mainly through the fact that I simply didn't want to, I can't compare the two respective albums, nor can I highlight any improvements/failures within the record; but what I can give is an unbiased opinion on an album, that despite wanting to hate, may well surprise me yet.
It's noticeable from listening to opening track 'The Fallen', that the band have attempted to move away from the somewhat 'retro' feel that described their early sound so well; the drums appear slightly more potent than any of the three tracks that I (suffered) from the bands debut, whilst the guitars are also slightly more noticeable. ("Because you robbed a supermarket or two, Well, who gives a damn about the prophets of Tesco?"). Unfortunately the, shall we say improvement, wears thin already, with the Franz moving back to their defined sound on lead single 'Do You Want To', a track which has fallen on deaf ears with me since the day I first heard it.
Despite being lyrically mundane (or should that be, stupid), 'This Boy' offers up another half decent track, with the chorus in particular proving a strong-point. It's something that's been thrown around a few times when talking about these Scottish indie boys; the pretty appalling lyrics that singer Alex Kopranos seems to pick from the air, and it wouldn't be an understatement to say that's why I never appreciated the bands debut, as I simply couldn't understand it. As before, 'This Boy' proves a shining example; ("This boy is so spectacular, Not a boy but a wealthy bachelor. I want a car, I want a car"). hmm. Next track 'Walk Away' falters under the simple terms that it's boring. Absolutely eye-lid dropping boring; "Why don't you walk away?" …..my thoughts exactly.
'Evil and the Heathen' ("I'm evil and a heathen") earns the band comparisons with US counterparts The Strokes, capturing the 'garage rock' feel almost perfectly, although doing very little to either sell the scene or improve upon it. Pace wise, it's in fact one of the faster tracks on the record, showing the band as more than a simple one trick pony; something which's complimented perfectly on 'You're The Reason I'm Leaving', probably the sole moment of real genius throughout; ("Ohhh, You're the reason I'm leavin, You're the reason I'm leavin. If I'm leaving we don't stop livin, you know"). Unfortunately for the band though, they choose to stick the best track atop the worst, 'Eleanor Put Your Boots On' is nothing more than a low-tempo 'filler', one which could easily have been skipped in favour of another of the albums better moments, of which one was to follow.
'Well That Was Easy' serves as a departure from the bands debut (well, the few songs I heard), in that it concentrates far more on the guitars and evidently improved drums, producing, as stated before, another of the albums better moments; ("So Eleanor put those boots back on, Put the boots back on and run. Come on over here"). There's very little to surprise about the album as a whole; the sound is nothing new and the lyrics are, on the whole, so poor that they're not worth concentrating on for more than a second. Although where Franz get by is in their sound, a sound which, going on what I've heard from both respective albums, has evidently improved. That said, 'What You Meant' sags into mediocrity, one that any other band may well have done a better job of, but then again, may not have.
'I'm Your Villain' sees the amps ever so slightly turned up, producing undoubtedly the hardest track of the album, and the most departed from the indie scene for which Franz themselves populate; ("If I could laugh I'd love you, If I could smile at anything you said. We could be laughing lovers, I think you'd prefer to be miserable instead"), whilst the breezy, punchy title track 'You Could Have Had It So Much Better' acts as a representation for the bands improvement (in my ears). Vocally, Kopranos shows significant improvement here, and it wouldn't be an understatement to say that I'd actually 'like' the band if this became their signature sound; ("As I look at us now it seems That your slapping my back, As if it's all alright, But it's not"), fast, effortless, it deserves a 'punk' tag as much as any other.
'Fade Together', the albums penultimate track, sees the introduction of a piano, one which although adding to the song, sadly detracts from what's come before and results in another relatively poor effort. I suppose the noticeable recurrence about the album is the good/bad pattern, one which repeats itself continually throughout the course of the 13 tracks, making it near impossible to class the album as anything more than average. 'Outsiders' provides something of a sting in the tale, another typically Franz song, it leaves the album sounding far stronger than it would have done without it; ("There's been some change, But we're still outsiders. If everybody's here, Then hell knows we'll ride alone…").
Franz Ferdinand have far from converted me, in fact, the album serves to reinforce my beliefs that they can produce some real dire tracks, but in between those moments (which are far from scarce), they produce some equally stirring ones; in particular 'You're The Reason I'm Leaving', 'Well That Was Easy', and the title track itself. It's not stirring, it's not special…..but it'll do.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Repeat - The Fallen, This Boy, Evil and the Heathen, You're The Reason I'm Leaving, Well That Was Easy, You Could Have Had It So Much Better, Outsiders, I'm Your Villain.
Skip - Do You Want To, Walk Away, Fade Together, Eleanor Put Your Boots On, What You Meant.
RockBoi 30.09.2005 (30.09.2005)
Ciao members have rated this review on average:
very helpful
Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
Advantages: A very respectable follow up, as good as if not better than the first Disadvantages: None that I can really think of, for me it's one of the best albums this year
...guitar driven sound that makes you want to get up and dance but they have certainly expanded on it. In places it sounds so much more evolved and almost as if getting people to tap their toes and move a little isn't the only goal of this album.
Instead this seems to be an album aimed at just about everyone. It does have its roots firmly placed in the Indie/Rock genre. They do tend to use this basis to expand into different genres and try little alterations ... ...like the first single "Do You Want To" and my own favourite "You're The Reason I'm Leaving" setting the scene for the whole album. There are a couple of slower tracks that perhaps don't fit the overall feel of the album but they do provide a nice slower interlude. For instance "Fade Together" towards the end of the album wouldn't normally fit into the overall feel of the album but it is a nice mellow track. It surprised me that I loved all the tracks ...
Andy.mack 15.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
Advantages: Innovative, funky, traditionalism Disadvantages: Long awaited!
You Could Have It So Much Better is the second album from the bohemian, indie quartet, who are still intent on the deliverance of melodic, dance-rock. Especially to a music scene that has become somewhat lacklustre, and rough-edged, where originality has difficulty in emerging through a growing dance and R'n'B explosion, full of 80's sampling and computerised mixing.
The survival of a band such as Franz Ferdinand is an achievement in itself, since ... ...it's first single release "Do You Want To" a stomping punk/ rock rebel song that licked clean any talk of Second Album syndrome. "Do You Want To" kind of reminds me of the Pink Floyd punk era where songs such as "Another Brick In The Wall" carried the rebellious undertone, somewhat similar in vocal structuring some might say, but the guitar lacerating melodies that Franz Ferdinand deliver, give their music a cheerful, poppy edge.
The opening track, ...
lisacallow 17.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
Advantages: New Different tracks, as well as the classic old style from Franz Ferdinand Disadvantages: Takes a while to enjoy and appreciate. Not as good as first album.
...what about the new album, You Could Have It So Much Better.
Firstly I would like to note that I purchased this album through the iTunes Music Store, as due to this cannot review the packaging, however from what I can fathom, I purchased the standard edition version, with extra track, Do You Want To (Live), exclusive to iTunes. Anyway, back to the review.
TRACK 1 - The Fallen - *****
This is a brilliant opening track, it even in some respects ... ...wonderfully fast, and the more you listen to it, the more lyrics you pick out and notice, such as "the prophets of Tesco".
TRACK 2 - Do You Want To - ***
The new single, it seems just like Coldplay's Speed Of Sound, they could not have picked a worse track to represent the album, and in my opinion this is the low point of the entire experience.
TRACK 3 - This Boy - ***
The song has much potential to become ****, however the annoying repetition ...
feralwolf 22.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
Advantages: Shows another side of Franz Ferdinand Disadvantages: Not as good as the 1st album
...something even better. Unfortunately, when you are Franz Ferdinand the pressure to live up to this expectation is one hundred times worse. After the run away success of their first album, the group went from playing at a house warming party in Edinburgh to, (literally 3 months later), topping the charts and scooping up every award that the music industry had going! An achievement that very few artists can claim.
However, finally, they released their ... ...style to the last and you are critisised as being of limited talent; make it too different and you risk falling on your face as the fan base rebels against the lack of familiarity. Not an enviable position to be in!
So how does the newest album, 'You Could Have It So Much Better', fair? The album consists of thirteen tracks and opens with 'The Fallen'. The intro to this song is definitely different with a rocky style. However, within 30 seconds ...
MagicGordon 17.11.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
Advantages: Franz Ferdinand at their best (once again)! Disadvantages: There's this big shade of the extremely successful first album (however, that's only slightly negative)
...Ferdinand CD, called
* You Could Have It So Much Better *
... So whether we really could have had it so much better, is what I'm about to find out throughout the following!
[Please don't be too hard on my English, as my maternal language is German ^_^°
...But let's get back to the report!]
~~~~~~~
Brief info (overview):
+ Genre: Indie rock / alternative / Britpop / influence of post punk / New Wave
+ Producers: Franz Ferdinand, Rich Costey
... ...Fallen" - 3:42
02. "Do You Want To" - 3:38
03. "This Boy" - 2:21
04. "Walk Away" - 3:36
05. "Evil and a Heathen" - 2:05
06. "You're the Reason I'm Leaving" - 2:47
07. "Eleanor, Put Your Boots On" - 2:49
08. "Well, That Was Easy" - 3:02
09. "What You Meant" - 3:24
10. "I'm Your Villain" - 4:03
11. "You Could Have It So Much Better" - 2:41
12. "Fade Together" - 3:03
13. "Outsiders" - 4:02
[14. "Your Diary" - 3:08]
[15. "Fabulously Lazy" ...
DoriScully 16.11.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
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Quality and consistency...
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Advantages: All the others Disadvantages: Fade together
The follow-up to FranzFerdinand's acclaimed Mercury Music Prize-winning debut album, 'YouCouldHaveItSoMuchBetter' doesn't manage to surpass its predecessor. 'Do you want to' and 'Walk away' are probably the main reasons why you would buy this album probably because they have had the most air play but be sure there is more to this album, much more. FranzFerdinand with this album has expanded their style and sounds showing they can carry off more than the synonymous catchy beats. They also reveal some of their influences through songs like 'Eleanor put your boots on' which has strong Beatles vibes. The song that I believe absolutely no one could dislike or find fault in is the amazing 'The Fallen' it is FranzFerdinand at their best. If there is anything wrong with this album its 'Fade Together' I don't know what it is but I ...
Advantages: Fantastic album with half decent extra's Disadvantages: Only worth buying this new edition if you don't already own this album
FranzFerdinand return with another sharp slither of art funk rock. From the opener of 'The Fallen', you know you're in for a sonic treat which continues with the single 'Do you wanna' right through to grand closer 'Outsiders'.
If you we're under the impression that they are a one trick punk funk pony then think again. With Beatles esque track 'Eleanor put your boots on and Phil Spector influenced 'Walk Away' the album has more than enough diversity to hold your attention. The latter, ending with the rather oblique lyrics -
'The stab of stiletto
On a silent night
Stalin Smiles
Hitler laughs
Churchill claps
Mao Tse Tung
on the back'
means there is more to this 'love song' than first hits the ear.
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Advantages: Good variation of artists! Disadvantages: Some songs stand weak! Quite expensive!
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Product Information for "You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand" »
Product details
Title
You Could Have It So Much Better
Performer
Franz Ferdinand
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
Alternative
Release Date
03/10/2005
Original Release Year
2005
Label / Distributor
Domino / PIAS UK/Sony DADC
Engineer
Claudius Mittendorfer; Jim Keller;
Producer
Rich Costey; Franz Ferdinand
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Format
Performer
EAN
5034202016120
Additional notes
Album Notes
Often referred to as Scotland's Interpol, Franz Ferdinand made the scene with a sound that, like its NYC contemporary, owed a huge debt to 1980s post-punk and new wave. That fact, along with the members' snappy outfits and art-school sensibilities, allowed the group to easily slide into a fan-space somewhere between The Strokes and The Rapture. While the Wire influence is still in full effect on the Glasgow quartet's second full-length album, YOU COULD HAVE IT SO MUCH BETTER, there are also big dollops of Beatles, from the throbbing McCartney-esque bass on "The Fallen" to the "Julia"-style vocals on the acoustic ballad "Fade Together." With its clever lyrics and jaunty feel, "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" mines mid-period Kinks territory, while "Walk Away" recalls the clever wordplay and loopy melodies of XTC. Elsewhere, the group refines its melding of frenetic Duran Duran-approved dance rhythms and Duane Eddy-by-way-of-Adam Ant twang guitar, delivering a bracing and high-energy platter of stylish and danceable rock.
Album Reviews
Rolling Stone (No. 985, p.75) - 3.5 out of 5 stars - "...YOU COULD HAVE IT SO MUCH BETTER shows deeper roots in the first wave of white electric dance music: specifically the crunchy-guitar R&B and arch-garage songwriting of 1965-67 Kinks...." Spin (p.65) - Ranked #3 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2005" - "Their second disc builds on the kraut-disco of their debut, but frontman Alex Kapranos' dubious sensitivity makes YOU COULD HAVE IT so much better than its predecessor." Spin (p.132) - "Kapronos' voice is a marvelous wide-eyed sneer....[The album] sounds exactly like what you'd expect, with pumping disco beats and lookin'-sharp guitars on track after propulsive track." - Grade: B+ Entertainment Weekly (No. 844, p.147) - "...[S]hows Franz Ferdinand working harder and sounding bigger, befitting their stature as rock's saviors of the moment...." - Grade B+ Mojo (p.58) - Ranked #11 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2005" - "An imperious state-of-the-nation address delivered with ease." Mojo (p.94) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Musically, the palette has grown without getting out of hand. Lead guitarist Nick McCarthy appears to have an inexhaustible well of singable guitar riffs: pungent, perfunctory, and hardly ever pretty..." Vibe (p.210) - "[It] overflows with danceable beats and catchy hooks."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Fallen
2.
Do You Want To
3.
This Boy
4.
Walk Away
5.
Evil And A Heathen
6.
You're The Reason I'm Leaving
7.
Eleanor Put Your Boots On
8.
Well That Was Easy
9.
What You Meant
10.
I'm Your Villain
11.
You Could Have It So Much Better
12.
Fade Together
13.
Outsiders
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