Franz Ferdinand

You Could Have It So Much Better

Sony Records

Three-and-a-half out of five stars

Franz Ferdinand is no longer merely a boy, but a man.

The simplistic riffs, stable beats and catchy lyrics that characterized Ferdinand’s self-titled debut are all grown up on the band’s sophomore effort, You Could Have It So Much Better.

Because of the substantial pop acclaim Franz Ferdinand received following its debut, the band could have easily ensured its success by regurgitating the same sound on its next album.

Instead, Ferdinand chose to continue its musical maturation and let its music develop into something greater.

You Could Have It So Much Better did not succumb to pop stratum’s devious trap-the new release boasts a blend of retro rock and British pop that establishes Franz Ferdinand as less a one-hit wonder and more of a lasting musical phenomenon.

More importantly, the guitar riffs are not as repetitive and the beats are more adventurous on Ferdinand’s second release.

The album’s opening track, “The Fallen,” illustrates all of the notable improvements Franz Ferdinand has made on You Could Have It So Much Better-namely, that the band has abandoned the endearing, but monochromatic, tone of its self-titled debut and progressed into a more complex and layered beast.

Turns out, yeah, we could have it so much better, and Franz Ferdinand proves it.

Dana Green