Franz Ferdinand not assassinated by hype

Some compare it to the Strokes; others compare it to the Britpop explosion. Me? I compare Franz Ferdinand's debut to a night of drinking, drugs and hot sex.\nWhat makes FF so invigorating is the band's courage to deviously cross the line of rock and pop without ever sacrificing any ounce of its fury. On the surface, this album belongs in smoky bars frequented by dudes in denim jackets who insist on only drinking Heineken. Yet its veiled pop sensibilities would make songs like "Cheating On You" feel right at home at a frat party. If songs like "Take Me Out," "Michael" and "Dark of the Matinee" don't make you want to dance, you don't deserve to have legs. And if you already don't, this will make you feel like you do.\nThis is one of those rare records that won't leave your stereo for weeks at a time, while making you forget that you can skip tracks on a CD. It also assisted in my getting pulled over for (allegedly) going 17 mph over the speed limit.\nNow if you'll excuse me, I need to go dance around my room to "This Fire" about seven more times before I go to work.