Franz Ferdinand

We’ve pretty much reached the point where we ignore any critical hosannas hailing from the U.K., but occasionally our erstwhile colonial occupiers get one right. The Glasgow quartet Franz Ferdinand are the latest recipients of the “Oh my God, they’re the next Strokes!” treatment. And while they certainly can’t be summed up with such a reductive tag, their debut does crackle with the same sort of excitement that Julian Casablancas and Co. managed to deliver on arrival. Angular guitar lines, a funky thumping bass, and a warm, sweeping chorus make “Tell Her Tonight” sound like an unholy union of the Talking Heads and the Hollies. “Take Me Out” is the standout, however: a breathless, wiry stomp that shoots sharp guitar hooks over a pulsing beat. Post-punk checkmarks can be made next to both Joy Division and the Gang of Four, who are obvious influences, but where their predecessors could be willfully obscure, Franz Ferdinand are more approachable and unafraid to let their pop hooks hang out.