Just Because

Around 3:00 yesterday I got this song stuck in my head.  I was feeling a bit feverish after eating a funky lunch, but I just kept on having "I'm not...Your Academy!" looped in my brain.  I'm not even a particularly big Mission of Burma fan, either.  I like them fine and all, just a bit before my time.  I barely even know the song.  It actually took me a good 20 minutes to figure out what it was and who sung it.  How does this happen?  Where'd it come from?  Something must have triggered it, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what. 

Anyway, it was stuck up there.  The only cure was to go home and listen to it over and over and over again.  I can't explain.  Great little song.

Mission of Burma - Academy Fight Song

While I'm on the subject of absolutely nothing, is there any precedent for how amazing this new Franz Ferdinand album is?  I mean, it shouldn't it have been dead on arrival?  I don't know anybody who thought it could be even marginally decent.  I remember when the leak started floating around, I was completely indifferent as to getting it.  Barely could have cared less.  They were 100% last years news.  Then I finally get around to listening and, dare I say, it may be better than the debut?  They managed to keep the irresistible catchieness while actually improving on the formula, making the songs significantly deeper and more interesting.  These songs have lyrics!  And unpredictable hooks!  Not to mention that they play a show at what I can only imagine is one of the most undesirable venues in New York and (from all accounts) absolutely kill.  Unbelievable.  Far and away the biggest surprise of the year.

Franz Ferdinand - Walk Away

Comments

[maxpower]

I like the sort of lush, dark and decadent atmosphere of the theatre at MSG. The GA area is great with lots of room and, after the show, they open up emergency doors that lead right out onto the street so that everyone can just stroll out with no crush of humanity (ala trying to leave Roseland post-show). The concessions are horribly run though.... I had such low expectations because I had gotten bored of their first album and had not heard the new one. But it was a terrific show. I'd somehow forgotten how grrrrrrrrreat they are live.

[Honey]

I personally love the Franz because they're a lot of fun. I wasn't expecting to be completely blown away by the new album either, maybe because I didn't want to get my hopes up. But I literally cannot stop playing it. I think it's much more intuitive than the debut, and lines like "...The radio sings that Everybody song by rem" (not R.E.M. but 'rem') from "You're the reason I'm leaving," makes Kapranos a fantastic son of a B. Their msg show was remarkable and exciting, and their afterparty was completely strange-just like the band.

[Philabuster]

The fact that Franz put out a good album is your "Biggest Surprise Of The Year"???

C'mon Jeff, the only reason you thought that Franz was "last year's news" is because hyping bands with 3-month expiration dates is your blog's raison d'etre.

You want last year's news? In October 2004...

You said Hope of the States "were fucking unreal".

You assured your audience that Pity Sing was "about-to-blow-up".

And you devoted a baker's dozen of posts to Elefant, who were already last year's news last year!

So, Franz was last year's news? Since when was there ANY news this year about any of these bands???

It's no suprise that a band EVERYBODY said was incredibly talented put out a decent second album. Now, if Elefant puts out a "must-buy" second album (or any second album at all, for that matter), well, then you should feel free to act surprised. Hell, I'll join ya.

[Revolver]

does no one care about Mission of Burma???? jesus fucking christ, they're only one of the greatest bands of the last 30 years come on people. take a listen and learn something, a lot better than Clap Your Hands and Sufjan whateverthefuckhisnameis.

[wedding dresses]

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