Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better

by Anthony Strutt

published: 18 / 9 / 2005

Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better

Label: Domino Records
Format: CD

intro

Uninspired and disappointingly mainstream second album from Franz Ferdinand

Early copies of Franz Ferdinand's 'You Could Have It So Much Better' come with a limited edition DVD. The DVD features an interview, a video for 'Do You Want To ?', and a making of the album section which includes an acoustic number recorded live in Japan. The DVD in total lasts only about 21 minutes. 'You Could Have It So Much Better' is not as strong an album as their debut album. 'The Fallen' starts off this collection of songs, It is very much a garage rock number but quickly moves into familiar Franz Ferdinand spiky guitar territory. The grooves are deeper and meanier while the vocal is more angry. Latterly it sounds slightly prog rock. 'Do You Want To ?', the first single, is as catchy as 'Take Me Out', even down to having a false start. It is very much watered down new wave convenientally marketed into chart pop music. This is teenage indie disco at its best. 'This Boy' is a bit more arty and clever, and sounds like early US new wave, sort of indie but with its rough edges filed down for mass consumption. 'Walk Away' is much slower. With its jangly guitars and clever vocals. it sounds like something which one of the more commercial Scottish bands such as Travis might have come up with. 'Evil and a Heathen' starts off sounding like the early Cure and has a distorted vocal. Its music has a washy sound. 'You're the Reason I'm Leaving' meanwhile is fast and poppy and quickly will become a live favourite. 'Eleanor Put Your Boots On' begins as an acoustic number and sounds like Blur's 'The Universal' with a George Harrison guitar solo added. 'Well That Was Easy' is fast paced and another familiar sounding spiky guitar number . 'What You Meant' sounds like aJimi Hendrix number before moving into a sugar sweet groove. It is very much teenage bopper stuff. 'I'm Your Villain' is more of a rock number. A pogoing number it runs fast then slow and is clever as it is not what you expect. 'You Could Have It So much Better' is punky but restrained and very new waveish. 'Fade Together' is slow and acoustic and sounds like a psychedelic band's comedown album closer. The last track, however, is 'Outsiders' which is more groovy and quite spacey. The vocal is even paced and not as catchy and this is the most experimental song here.

Track Listing:-

1 The 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

Band Links:-

http://franzferdinand.com/
https://en-gb.facebook.com/officialfranzferdinand/
https://twitter.com/Franz_Ferdinand

Label Links:-

http://www.dominorecordco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordCo
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRecords
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords

live reviews

(With Albert Hammond Jr), Albert Hall, Manchester, 13/2/2018

Harry Sherriff watches Glasgow indie stalwarts Franz Ferdinand play the Albert Hall in Manchester at their first UK gig in support of fifth album ‘Always Ascending’.

Hammersmith Apollo, London, 9/3/2009

Astoria, London, 5/5/2004

photography

Photoscapes (2018)

Marie Hazelwood photographs Glasgow indie/dance rock group Franz Ferdinand at a gig at the Albert Hall in Manchester, the first in a series of UK dates to promote their new album, 'Always Ascending'.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

reviews

Blood (2009)

Turbulent dub reworking of Franz Ferdinand's recent 'Tonight : Franz Ferdinand' album, which finds the Glaswegians stretching imaginatively in a new direction

No You Girls (2009)

Tonight : Franz Ferdinand (2009)

Ulysses (2009)

Franz Ferdinand (2004)

Take Me Out (2003)