Album Review: Franz Ferdinand – The Human Fear
2 min read
Renowned rock band Franz Ferdinand have been firmly in the limelight for over two decades at this point, and yet their output has proven to be slim. Their first two breakout records revealed an energetic and confident group to the world, carried by hits like Take Me Out and Do You Want To. The Human Fear, however, is their first record since 2018’s Always Ascending, which saw a more electronic departure. Whether this latest offering would continue this tread was anyone’s guess.
Singer Alex Kapranos boldly states on track one, initial single Audacious, that it is in fact “riff one”. The familiar fuzzy guitar line and driving drumbeat take the listener back to the early days of the band, when contemporaries like The Strokes and The Hives dominated the airwaves with such a sound. Kapranos’ vocals even have a Julian Casablancas flare, an air of easy listening singers in his crooning. The song’s time signature changes at the chorus, alternating between both parts in a woozy mix. It’s a great opening that leads well into Everydaydreamer. Groovy bass and intriguing backing vocals lead into an infectious chorus, accentuated by a catching synth melody at the tail end. Doctor and Hooked Up both breeze past with short runtimes, the latter reverting to the groups electronic side with a glitchy lead synth line and a drumbeat that the Eurhythmics would be proud of.
Night Or Day brings staccato pianos to the mix of dance drums and synths, while Cats takes the same flare and strips things back somewhat with the guitar line taking the lead. Tell Me I Should Stay is the closest the album gets to a ballad, theatrical piano, distorted synths and strings taking up the first minute of the track. When the song truly begins, there’s an enjoyably jaunty rhythm that sounds in part like the soundtrack to a spy film whilst simultaneously being perfect for a sitcom title track. Black Eyelashes takes the theatricality even further, with a marching band style drum and what sounds like mandolin playing the lead melody. It’s a peculiar song, but highly entertaining. The album concludes with The Birds, a late album highlight with a powerful riff that is both hypnotising and unruly.
For some, The Human Fear could be seen as Franz Ferdinand returning to their roots. It’s an unflinching punch in the gut that shows that even after deviating and experimenting, the band can pull out an all thrills no fills rock record. For others, it’s a continuation of the consistent performing and writing that the group are known for. A highly enjoyable listen.
Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.