As we start the year, the iconic band Franz Ferdinand unveils a new album, The Human Fear, and it feels… rather predictable and somewhat underwhelming. Review.
THE HUMAN FEAR – FRANZ FERDINAND
Perhaps my expectations for this new release, eight years after their last album, were simply too high. Be that as it may, The Human Fear left me unsatisfied. While there are some excellent tracks, the album as a whole, with its romantic tones, failed to satisfy my craving for the unexpected. Franz Ferdinand have taken risks before – and often, it pays off. But here, their evolution – because there is some – doesn’t speak to me as it once did. That said, there are still beautiful aspects to this album, released on 10 January, that deserve recognition.
First, the style. It’s classic Franz Ferdinand. From the opening notes, it’s unmistakable, and for a few catchy tracks, it’s quite nice. Audacious carries forward that slightly vintage pop-rock vibe that suits them so well. They deliver this within a gentle, romantic, and optimistic atmosphere, which continues on Everydaydreamer and later on Build It Up. With lingering rhythms, the band weaves negative elements – those titular fears – into their optimistic vision. The standout refrain of Night or Day, strong in its synths, the irony of The Doctor, and the mystical, stripped-down part of Tell Me I Should Stay… these moments capture it quite well.
In the album’s first half, Hooked stands out most. It’s the bold track, the one that feels most unique. More electronic than the rest, it retains the romantic quality that defines the album but with a contrasting atmosphere that really makes it stand out. And perhaps I wanted more of these kinds of moments. Cats is pleasant, Black Eyelashes draws from some lovely inspirations, Bar Lonely falls back on a more classic approach, and as The Birds ends, I find myself wondering how it’s over already. I needed one or two tracks that were more daring, sharper. Because The Human Fear is a good album in its own right, but Franz Ferdinand shines brightest for me when they take risks. And here, risk doesn’t seem to be the focus of the record.
The tour starts in February with Europe and then the UK.
