It’s time for ‘F’ in the James’ Shamelessly Nostalgic A-Z Of Albums That He Liked To Listen To When He Was Younger.
And there is no time to ‘F’ around, so let’s get on with it.
F is for Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria triggered a series of events which eventually led to the outbreak of the First World War. It also meant that he never got to release his eponymous debut album. So 2004’s Franz Ferdinand has nothing to do with him. It is, instead, the eponymous debut of a Scottish band that thought it might be a bit of a laugh to name themselves after him.
As band names go, it is pretty memorable. And as debut albums go, it’s quite superb. There seems to be a recurring theme of noughties bands not being able to capitalise on impressive debuts, and Franz Ferdinand are no exception. Although follow-up albums have been critically well-received they’ve never enjoyed the same level of commercial success as they garnered with their first outing.
It’s definitely worth checking out their subsequent work, but if you only listen to one Franz Ferdinand album then this would be still be their defining work.
It is a joy from start to finish, but the track that best represents the ebullience of the record is probably Take Me Out.
James Proclaims! 
In view of their penchant for historical figures, perhaps Ulysses is a prime example of their craft. It always takes me on a journey when I play it in the car.
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It is a prime example though best not to confuse it with the sat nav
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With my sat nav you’re never, you’re never, you’re never, you’re never coming home mad Ulysses.
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Franz Ferdinand Flippin’ fantastic.
Well, they are sometimes. Seen first on Jules Holland, playing this track
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Jules Holland has introduced me to a lot of my favourite bands over the years
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Plus Bob Harris and John Peel for me!
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John Peel for me too but I think a few generations can claim that
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I loved that period of the Oughts when early Eighties New Wave/Post-Punk became cool again, which was epitomized by Franz Ferdinand.
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It was a particular highlight of that decade
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Great album – although not as great, I would argue, as FFS – although you may have been very old by then…
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Yep, wrong decade for this project but good shout otherwise
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I should have that in my CV
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