YESSSSSSSSSSS. This shall begin tomorrow as I have lots of homework, but should be good. I had a very hard time picking out ten, but I've done a good job I think.

Looking forward to this. ^_^

I bet Clea are in there :kink:

10. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

 

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I was unsure when I officially decided that I was going to give this album 10th place. And even now I'm still a bit unsure. This album, unlike the other nine in the countdown, hasn't really struck an emotional chord with me. And it's not an album you really see in top 10 countdowns of all time (though my list of albums is surely not as extensive as I've really only become an avid fan of music in the past few years). It is also the second most recent album on the list (I tend to include older album on these lists to see if they can withstand the test of time), and the only debut album. It is also the only really commercially succesful album on here, at least the only one to even feature a top 10 single.

 

But after relistening to it, I've reassured myself. This is an amazing album. It is unquestionable. Whether it's one of the best ever is clearly up for debate, but for me it is definitely up there. It's one of the few albums (along with Hail to the Theif) that really got me into good music. Not so much 'good' music, but it really changed the way I thought about music. I began to become more critical because Franz Ferdinand's debut album is undeniably dense, even with its short tracklisting. There is not a bad track on it, and even more every song is a possible single. It can be decievingly short, sweet, and simple to a casual music fan, but it can also be complex and challenging if needed. It's arsty, but is not pretentious, and that can be a thin line to walk. It's also extremely daring, how many bands do you hear delivering clever lines like "This is what I am: I am a man, so come and dance with me Michael."

 

It's construction is nearly perfect. No one can deny that the build up and then breakdown in Take Me Out is amazing. From the opening and eccentric song, Jacqueline ("But for chips and for freedom / I could die") to the more toned down and perfect closer 40', it's an absolutely enthralling and amazing ride. One of the most complex and intriguing songs has to be Auf Asche (the title of a German tv show from the eighties) which features very simple lyrics that can be interpreted in many different ways ("She's not so special, so look what you've done boy.") Apparently a verse was cut out from a demo that implied that it was about Jesus Christ and Mary Magdelene. Still, nothing is certain, and it is perhaps this uncertainty and the ability to interpret the songs for yourself that makes Franz Ferdinand such an intriguing and likeable band.

 

Franz Ferdinand is easily one of the best debuts of the 21st century, and out of all the albums I own, it is definitely the best. If you haven't heard it by now, it's really time you should.