Albums to watch

The Human Fear

Franz Ferdinand

The Human Fear

Sixth album from the Scottishindie rock band and first since with drummer Audrey Tait, who replaced original member Paul Thomson in 2021

ADM rating[?]

6.7

Label
Domino
UK Release date
10/01/2025
US Release date
10/01/2025
  1. 9.0 |   DIY

    A band still brimming with ambition
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  2. 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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  3. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Franz Ferdinand's first album since 2018's Always Ascending finds them re-invigorated, if not wholly reborn. Print edition only

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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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  7. 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. 8.0 |   God Is In The TV

    The first classic album of 2025? You’d better believe it
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  9. 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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  10. 7.0 |   Spill Magazine

    The Human Fear ends as an uneven effort of a band pulling in multiple directions
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  11. 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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  12. 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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  13. 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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  14. 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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  15. 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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  16. 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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  17. 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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  18. 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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  19. 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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  20. 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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  21. 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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  22. 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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