number six
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, 2004
Most of Franz Ferdinand had been around the fringes of the art-rock scene for many years, most notably in the Yummy Fur, but their eponymous album catapulted them covers of 2004′s music press. Alex Kapranos’s soft crooning at the start of opening track Jaqueline belies the sharp, angular guitar riffs and thumping discotheque beats that follow. An album absolutely full of unforgettable pop hooks, and great songs such as breakout hit Take Me Out, anthemic This Fire, and Michael, a rare example of a homoerotic song that’s sung by a heterosexual singer without sounding gimmicky or ridiculous.
