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9.0
139798
9.0 |
DIY
A band still brimming with ambition
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8.0
139785
8.0 |
Northern Transmissions
They say don’t fix what isn’t broken, but with this approach, Franz Ferdinand prove that that accepted truism doesn’t always hold, another life-affirming victory when it comes to pushing creative boundaries
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8.0
139776
8.0 |
Mojo
Franz Ferdinand's first album since 2018's Always Ascending finds them re-invigorated, if not wholly reborn. Print edition only
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8.0
139777
8.0 |
Uncut
It's a deeply fun record that radiates vivacity and, most endearingly, sounds like a band who still truly love what they do. Print edition only
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8.0
139778
8.0 |
Record Collector
Serious times call for serious records, which Franz Ferdinand have delivered with their sixth studio album. Well, sort of. Fear in all forms is examined on The Human Fear, but there's still that lightness of touch that marks them out as a band it's fun to dance to. Print edition only
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8.0
139824
8.0 |
NME
The Scottish indie heroes face their fears with a statement of intent that’s shamelessly Franz-y as fuck
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8.0
139840
8.0 |
Rolling Stone
The U.K. guitar band were ace purveyors of "indie sleaze" back when no one said "indie sleaze," and their new album is their best in 15 years
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8.0
139865
8.0 |
God Is In The TV
The first classic album of 2025? You’d better believe it
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7.2
139845
7.2 |
Paste Magazine
The Scottish band’s first album since 2018 expands their sound in a way that suits them
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7.0
139849
7.0 |
Spill Magazine
The Human Fear ends as an uneven effort of a band pulling in multiple directions
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7.0
139850
7.0 |
All Music
It's some of their most self-assured-sounding music, but thanks to its naked emotions and eclectic choices, it's also some of their most human-sounding music. All told, it's a respectable - but not too respectable - addition to their body of work
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7.0
139829
7.0 |
Clash
Fun, lean, and concise, ‘The Human Fear’ finds Franz Ferdinand looking to the future without any need to panic
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6.5
139867
6.5 |
Spectrum Culture
It feels like learning a fundamental truth about the band that even longtime fans may not have wanted to accept: perhaps Franz Ferdinand has plateaued, even stagnated
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6.3
139828
6.3 |
Pitchfork
The Scottish band’s sixth album summons the vintage swagger and suave humor of its early work but little of the punkish exhilaration
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6.0
140100
6.0 |
Exclaim
Although they've unfairly become a footnote in early-2000s rock revival lore, Franz Ferdinand always deserved credit for keeping a level of class throughout their career
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6.0
139826
6.0 |
The Arts Desk
Lightning may not strike twice, but that doesn't mean 'The Human Fear' is any less impactul and striking
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6.0
139827
6.0 |
The Quietus
In his droll, observational, never-too-passionate way, Kapranos clearly still has stuff to say, ideas to lean into
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6.0
139775
6.0 |
musicOMH
For the Glaswegian indie stalwarts, reflecting on their past has only ever been a means of shaping their future
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5.8
139877
5.8 |
Beats Per Minute
Shades of what came before, a glint of the glory days, and a workmanlike determination to soldier on
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5.0
139807
5.0 |
Far Out
Franz Ferdinand are still more than capable of writing great records, but they need to remind themselves that maturing as a group doesn’t have to mean sacrificing their vitality
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5.0
139831
5.0 |
No Ripcord
The Human Fear is one of those wild misfires that makes you wonder if they were ever that good in the first place
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4.0
139779
4.0 |
The Guardian
Alex Kapranos and co are finally acting their age, but have lost their cool in the process
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