Franz Ferdinand guitarist Nick McCarthy is gone, a move that may only be temporary. Such was his pivotal role in the band, his place has been filled by not one, but two new hired hands: guitarist Dino Bardot of the 1990s, and multi-instrumentalist Julian Corrie. This evergreen Glasgow outfit have only tweaked their sound rather than rebooting it decisively, though, making their fifth album a restatement of their core art school pop principles.
Songs such as the title track, Always Ascending, remain wedded to a kind of uptight Caledonian funkiness that marks out Franz Ferdinand as one of the survivors of the 00s punk-funk renaissance. Singer Alex Kapranos’ wry voice is still front and centre, weighing up the merits of journalism (Lois Lane), the NHS (Huck and Jim) and the relief of finding kindred spirits (Finally) – mature topics, but delivered with a taut squelchiness honed by party person Philippe Zdar, one half of French electronic act Cassius. The changes are most audible, however, in the disco bent of Feel the Love Go, and the sudden irruption of a none-more-80s sax solo. Dancing, it seems, is more important than ever to this guitar band.
