Once fashionable, now simply great

Posted: Sunday, June 17, 2007 2:03 AM by John Roderick

Franz Ferdinand
Most guitar players spend an inordinate amount of time and money trying to get their guitars to sound “fat.” It’s one of the reasons there are some many different types of guitar amps and effects pedals, each claiming to “fatten” tone. The problem is that the guitar is an intrinsically whiney, squeaky, high-pitched brat of an instrument, and when it’s amplified it can become downright painful.

Franz Ferdinand has embraced the essential truth about the guitar, building their sound around the natural “chink chink” of the unaffected instrument. And although they kick the treble like fencers clashing foils, far from sounding harsh it actually reads as “fat.” Who knew?

They were incredibly fashionable a couple of years ago and now, maybe, they’re joining the ranks of the “once-fashionable” bands who, although still great, are struggling to find their place in the world. No matter.

Associated Press

Unlike a lot of the Gang of Four tribute bands popular of late, Franz Ferdinand make surprisingly creative music, and they’re an welcomely abrasive contrast to the smooth groove of the typical Bonnaroo act.

Angular and suave, all tight pants and tighter shirts, they still put enough confessional truth in their music that they’ll be relevant when the New York hipsters have moved on to glam rock, or Canadian jazz-klezmer, or whatever crapola ends up being chic next year.