Franz Ferdinand

You Could Have It So Much Better proves that alt-funk-punk-pop-rock sounds best with a Scottish accent. Franz Ferdinand's sophomore album demonstrates to all naysayers that the quartet is much more than just a one-hit wonder, as they improve the unique sound introduced on their self-titled debut.

According to metrosexually scrawny lead singer Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand was about making "music for girls to dance to," and this album is more danceable than the first. Listening to this album will inspire more head nodding than a Coach K bobblehead doll from the University Bookstore. The last album was fun, but retained some melancholy undertones. Much Better brings back all the fun and pumps up the beat, throwing in the funk.

The album's strength is that it channels other famous acts while simultaneously producing its own special brand of music. If you listen closely, you can hear Devo and Duran Duran mashed together with The Cure in a blender to create the best tasting dance smoothie ever. Homosexual sugar daddy narrative "This Boy" is a time capsule to the 80s, providing listeners with a short, singable masterpiece.

Franz greatly deepens their sound with their slower songs that sound extremely reminiscent of hippie-era Beatles. "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" sounds like an application for amendment to Abbey Road. The soft piano and acoustic on "Fade Together" is a marked departure from their old trance-y Pink Floyd sound.

Although the album garners comparison to so many other musicians, Franz Ferdinand is clearly a band confident in its own sound, which may just be their biggest downfall. Albeit immensely enjoyable, Much Better falls into the repetitive sound of the band's old album. Even the LP's two acoustic love ballads don't add enough range for Franz Ferdinand to be considered a musically diverse and adventurous band. The fast similar-sounding dance songs still dominate the album, although this time you can actually tell when the album switches between tracks.

This album is a definite improvement for Franz Ferdinand and leaves fans eager for the next installment. If the band keeps adding new song styles to their repertoire, they break the bonds of dance-popdom and go a long way into securing their artistic legacy. The album may not be perfect, but it provides the toe-tapping experience worthy of your iTunes library.

The band couldn't have done Much Better.