Numerous bands of the moment reportedly fall under the moniker art punk. Yet many of them do nothing more then attempt to pass off frequently poor Mark E. Smith impersonations as actual innovation and completely ignore the true meaning of the phrase. Thankfully, Glaswegian quartet Franz Ferdinand, a band named after the assassinated Austrian Archduke whose death sparked WWI, realize the importance of an often times intellectual absurdity in their pop-soaked, art-infused debut EP, Darts of Pleasure. Learning their lesson well from noted musical weirdos David Byrne and the aforementioned Smith, Franz Ferdinand create an ingratiatingly addicting concoction of angular rhythms and searing pop melodies, forging a batch of songs seeped in an art school mentality that’s as witty as it is potentially chart topping (at least in Europe). From closing "Darts of Pleasure" with a German chant to declaring themselves the "New Scottish Gentry" on "Shopping for Blood," Franz Ferdinand present a glorious lyrical absurdity that is sorely lacking in their frequently pretentious and retrogressive minded peers. Many people may at first glance perceive the band as another NME-endorsed speed bump on a musical landscape littered with Hot Hot Heats and junior Strokes, but upon further listen it's readily apparent that while the band openly acknowledges its musical forefathers with open arms; they are not afraid to readily embrace the importance of goofball experimentation, no matter how ridiculous it may sound upon first listen.
1.Darts of Pleasure
2.Van Tango
3.Shopping for Blood
4.Tell Her Tonight (Demo)
5.Darts of Pleasure (Demo)
More about: Franz Ferdinand
