Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand plays it safe with its third album, “Tonight,” released Jan. 27 on Domino Records.
As in the band’s previous albums, the lead song “Ulysses” starts slow, but quickly becomes lively and entertaining. “Bite Hard” and “Turn It On,” keep that heady pace through the first few tracks.
More impressive is the way “Katherine Kiss Me” provides a calm and poetic finish without being sappy.
However, without anything memorable in the middle of the album, it’s tempting to hit the fast-forward button.
The weak midsection isn’t enough to ruin “Tonight,” but its biggest flaw shows up when compared to the band’s other two efforts. Listening to Franz Ferdinand’s entire music collection reveals that this latest album is not terribly original.
While die-hard fans may find fault, “Tonight” won’t disappoint those looking for fun in the dark.
3.5 Stars out of 5
