Search - Franz Ferdinand :: Darts of Pleasure

Breath of fresh air!

Jad | UK | 04/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Excellent band, breath of fresh air! By the way, Alan from New York, although they live in Scotland most of them were born in England, perhaps they'd like to be called British if anything?!"

4.5 Stars.... First Single of Franz Ferdinand is Excellent

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 05/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Franz Ferdinand is a band from Scotland which in less than a year has become a sensation in the UK. This is their first single, and is simply outstanding."Darts of Pleasure" (5 tracks, 16 min.) starts off with the title track, an immediate burst of energy, with a high pulse of guitars and bass. The song reminded me as a mix between Hot Hot Heat and Interpol, I know that's hard to imagine, but trust me, it works! And you have to hear the German (!) singalong chorus at the outro, just great. "Van Tango" pits the guitars more up front. "Shopping" is the least appealing song, albeit not bad. The two demos are very interesting: "Tell Her Tonight" is haunting (and appears in full band mode on the debut album), and there is also a demo of "Darts".It's clear that Franz Ferdinand has "it" (however you want to describe it) and is going places. The band would go on to release their debut album in March 2004, and the album only confirms the promise of the excellent "Darts" EP. Strongly recommended!"

A dart of pleasure

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 01/05/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Franz Ferdinand hit the big time with their self-titled debut. But the "Darts of Pleasure" EP will also be a pleasure for fans, with their quirky musical style and catchy melodies. A few of the songs are mixed bags, but it's a uniformly catchy five-song collection.



It opens with the dancey title track, but rapidly segues into "Van Tango," which is a whole different animal -- it's also catchy, but more quirky and dark. The melody is twitchy, and the electric organ is nothing short of phenomenal. "Shopping for Blood" is not nearly as engaging -- it just lumbers on along, with the occasional blast of guitars and drums.



Following that are two home demos: "Tell Her Tonight" and "Darts of Pleasure." The sound on these two is rather tinny, and the music can be rather muddy except for the percussion. But the vocals get a chance to stand out front and center, and there's more passion and snap in the voices.



The British group have gotten a reputation for their unusual brand of nostalgic rock -- they're a bit like the Strokes or Interpol, but a bit lighter and a lot dancier. It's also a pleasantly quirky sound, avoiding the heaviness that runs through a lot of more self-important rock or pop.



The basslines and riffs are nimble and flexible, twisting all over the snappy drumming. These guys know how to take a melody and make it shimmy; only the third song lacks that quality. It just plods. There is also quite a bit of electric organ, adding a smooth new wave flair to the more traditional rock-pop mix.



Franz Ferdinand are in good form in "Darts of Pleasure," a good accompaniment to their hit debut. Worth checking out."