Franz Ferdinand seemed set to become one of the best British rock bands of the noughties when they released their stunning first two albums – within 18 months of each other – a decade ago. Unfortunately, the Glaswegian art-rockers have gradually lost their way since, the odd gem such as ‘No You Girls’ hardly compensating for the general sense of anti-climax.
Happily, the hook-up with veteran synth-pop duo Sparks is a creative shot in the arm for Alex Kapranos and the boys. Though Ron and Russell Mael’s commercial heyday was a full three decades before Franz Ferdinand’s, the arch humour the two outfits share makes them obvious kindred spirits. Certainly, their sensibilities merge seamlessly on FFS, with Russell Mael and Kapranos’ vocals blending beautifully, and Franz’s post-punk guitars nicely underpinning Sparks’ trademark synth grooves.
The album kicks off with ‘Johnny Delusional’, a delicious slice of theatrical art-pop. As with Morrissey and the Pet Shop Boys, Sparks have always possessed a sense of deadpan humour that can often be laugh-out-loud funny. It comes to the fore during the song’s middle eight, when Kapranos camply announces, “Paging Mr. Delusional / You’re wanted at the desk.” The track also boasts a wonderful chorus, with Kapranos and Russell crooning, “Though I want you, I know I haven’t a chance/ Still I want you/ Johnny Delusional here.”
Other highlights include the Moroder-esque disco of ‘Call Girl’, the vaudeville vamp ‘Collaborations Don’t Work’ (which contains another lyrical gem: “Collaborations, they don’t work... I’m going to do it all by myself”), and the hilarious closing track, ‘Piss Off ’, on which Kapranos advises, “Tell everyone to piss off tonight... they should piss off and leave you alone in your world tonight.”
Brimming with wit and panache, FFS ranks among the best work of both Franz Ferdinand and Sparks.