Fretplay.com Franz Ferdinand CD reviews Franz Ferdinand guitar tabs Franz Ferdinand CD reviews Franz Ferdinand tabs Darts of Pleasure


Franz Ferdinand - Darts of Pleasure Audio CD

A fair review of the Franz Ferdinand "Darts of Pleasure" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Franz Ferdinand reviews here, or go back to the Franz Ferdinand tabs.

Franz Ferdinand Band: Franz Ferdinand
Title: Darts of Pleasure
Rating:
Release Date: 2003-11-18
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Darts of Pleasure 2: Van Tango 3: Shopping for Blood 4: Tell Her Tonight [Home Demo] 5: Darts of Pleasure [Home Demo]

Good Up Until The Demos
All three of those are very good songs. When this EP was only a CD-Single, featuring DARTS OF PLEASURE, VAN TANGO, and SHOPPING FOR BLOOD, I'd give it 5 stars. This release of it, however, does not display the same good qualities. Why? Distinctly because of the demos. Here's what I have to say about the songs:

DARTS OF PLEASURE--Franz Ferdinand's very first released song displays their musical abilities very well. With a very good bass line, and a catchy tune to sing along to, this is one you'll enjoy. Featuring vocals by Alex Kapranos, Nick McCarthy, Bob Hardy, and Paul Thomson.

VAN TANGO--Many would notice the differences between this song and the last: it features keyboards, it's more alternative instead of rock, and the lead guitarist is singing on lead vocals. But the two songs do have one thing in common, and that is that they are each as good as the other. Featuring vocals by Nick McCarthy, Alex Kapranos, and Paul Thomson.

SHOPPING FOR BLOOD--This song could easily be described as a darker mix of the first two songs. It's lead sung by Alex Kapranos again, but it features keyboards again. Unlike either of the pervious songs, though, it features a very heavy, dark bass line which, when mixed echoing keyboard effects, comes out with a chilling sound. It's quite a good song, with very well chosen instrument selections. Featuring vocals by Alex Kapranos, Nick McCarthy, and Paul Thomson.

TELL HER TONIGHT [HOME DEMO]--I seriously hope that this song was SUPPOSED to be as bad as it turned out. Because it turned out AWFUL. So awful that it's funny. Alex Kapranos's voice is cracking as he makes it higher than it was ever meant to be, Nick McCarthy's backup singing is going out of tune. . . etcetera. It's one big mishap of a song. Featuring vocals by Alex Kapranos, Nick McCarthy, and Paul Thomson.

DARTS OF PLEASURE [HOME DEMO]--I admit that this demo isn't as bad as the last. But it has its bad moments. For example, during the chorus, you can distinctly hear the singing dropping out of tune at one point. Still, it's interesting to hear something different. Featuring vocals by Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy.

So my final say is 3. 5/5.


A dart of pleasure
But the "Darts of Pleasure" EP will also be a pleasure for fans, with their quirky musical style and catchy melodies. Franz Ferdinand hit the big time with their self-titled debut. 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.


4.5 Stars.... First Single of Franz Ferdinand is Excellent
This is their first single, and is simply outstanding. Franz Ferdinand is a band from Scotland which in less than a year has become a sensation in the UK.

"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!.


Breath of fresh air!
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?!.


NOT Interpol
It's more akin to The Rapture than any of the bands mentioned. This band sounds absolutely nothing like Interpol. Dancier than The Strokes, nowhere near as dark as Interpol, with a lot more keyboards. It's a good start but I'll be hoping for more on the full-length.


You can see a complete list of all Franz Ferdinand discography, or go back to the Franz Ferdinand tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]