Always Ascending Explained

Always Ascending
Type:studio
Artist:Franz Ferdinand
Cover:Franz Ferdinand - Always Ascending album cover art.png
Recorded:2017
Label:Domino
Producer:Philippe Zdar
Prev Title:FFS
Prev Year:2015
Next Title:Hits to the Head
Next Year:2022

Always Ascending is the fifth studio album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released on 9 February 2018 through the Domino Recording Company. It is the band's first non-collaborative album in over four years, following Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013). It is also their first album to feature new member Julian Corrie, who joined shortly after the departure of Nick McCarthy, and their last to feature drummer Paul Thomson. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. It peaked at number three in Scotland and number six in the UK. Four singles were released from the album: "Always Ascending", "Feel the Love Go", "Lazy Boy" and an alternative version of "Glimpse of Love". Several tracks from the album are featured during scenes or the closing credits of various episodes of the television show Loudermilk.

Background and recording

Following the release of Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, the band's fourth studio album, in August 2013, the band collaborated with American rock band Sparks under the name FFS. They released a self-titled album in July 2015 and briefly toured.[1] In July 2016, it was announced that Nick McCarthy, one of the band's founding members, was taking a break from the band to spend more time with family and focusing on side projects.[2] It was announced in May 2017 that two new members had joined the band; Dino Bardot, former guitarist for Scottish indie rock band 1990s, and music producer Julian Corrie.[3] Corrie joined the band for the recording sessions of the album, while Bardot joined after recording was completed.[4]

The band recorded the album at Motorbass Studios in Paris and RAK Studios in London.[5] They previously used RAK Studios to record FFS in late 2014.[6] [7] For Always Ascending, they worked alongside Philippe Zdar, one-half of French synthpop duo Cassius and frequent collaborator with French indie pop band Phoenix, on the album.[5]

Composition

The music of Always Ascending has been described as indie rock, dance-punk, and new wave, all genres that the band have been previously associated with.[8] [9]

Promotion and release

Prior to the announcement of the album, the band shared a short snippet of the title track on social media platforms on 23 October 2017.[10] On 25 October, the band released the title track as the album's lead single. Alongside the release was the reveal of the album's title, artwork, and track listing. They also released dates for a world tour, starting in October 2017 and ending in May 2018.[11] [12] A music video for the title track, directed by AB/CD/CD, was released on 4 December.[13] On 8 January 2018, "Feel the Love Go" was premiered on Zane Lowe's radio show on Beats 1. A music video was also released on the same day and made exclusive to the Apple Music service.[14] The video was directed by Diane Martel,[14] who had previously directed the band's music videos for "Do You Want To" and "Evil Eye".[15] On 25 January, "Lazy Boy" was released as a single.[16]

The album was released on physical and digital formats on 9 February 2018 by the Domino Recording Company. It was made available on 12" vinyl, CD, and a limited edition cassette.[17] A bundle was also made available which included a 180 gram blue and white marble-colored vinyl and other special merchandise items, limited to 1,500 copies.[18] The Japanese CD edition of the album was released through Hostess Entertainment and featured the band's non-album single "Demagogue" (2016) from 30 Days, 30 Songs as a bonus track.

Critical reception

Always Ascending received generally positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator site Metacritic, the album holds an average critic score of 72/100, based on 26 reviews.[19] At the online review aggregator Any Decent Music?, the album received an average critic score of 6.7/10, based on 31 reviews.[20]

Personnel

All personnel adapted from liner notes.[21] Franz Ferdinand

Additional musicians

Technical personnel

Other personnel

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)[22] 57
Italian Albums (FIMI)[23] 31
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[24] 35
New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[25] 2
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[26] 20

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelCatalog no.Ref.
Various9 February 2018CDDominoWIGCD408[27]
12" vinylWIGLP408[28]
12" vinyl WIGLP408X
12" vinyl WIGLP408XXMT
CassetteWIGMC408[29]
WIG408D[30]
JapanCDHostessHSE-1290[31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Franz Ferdinand and Sparks Announce Self-Titled Album as FFS. 1 April 2015. 25 October 2017. Beauchemin, Molly. Pitchfork.
  2. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Part Ways With Guitarist Nick McCarthy . . 8 July 2016 . 25 October 2017 . Monroe, Jazz.
  3. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Introduce Two New Members . Wicks . Amanda . 19 May 2017 . . 25 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Franz Ferdinand talk politics and pop: 'You basically elected your worst person' (Video) . Parker . Lyndsey . 10 January 2018 . . 25 January 2018.
  5. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Return With Always Ascending, Share Title Track . Oshinsky . Matthew . 25 October 2017 . . 25 October 2017 . 26 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171026001547/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/10/franz-ferdinand-return-with.html . dead .
  6. Web site: FFS announce details of the release of the first single from their debut album . . 13 April 2015 . 2 November 2017.
  7. Web site: FFS . . 2 November 2017.
  8. Web site: Franz Ferdinand get set for fifth album release and UK tour . Pollock . David . 2 February 2018 . . 8 February 2018.
  9. Web site: Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending . Innes . Corrie . 5 February 2018 . . 8 February 2018.
  10. Web site: Franz Ferdinand tease return with snippet of new music . Trendell . Andrew . 23 October 2017 . . 25 October 2017.
  11. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Announce New Album Always Ascending, Share New Song: Listen . Blais-Bille . Braudie . 25 October 2017 . . 26 October 2017.
  12. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Announce New LP Always Ascending, Release Title Track . Cook-Wilson . Winston . 25 October 2017 . . 26 October 2017.
  13. Watch Franz Ferdinand's Vivid 'Always Ascending' Video . Reed . Ryan . 4 December 2017 . . 7 December 2017.
  14. Web site: Franz Ferdinand – "Feel the Love Go" . Gaca . Anna . 8 January 2018 . . 8 January 2018.
  15. Web site: diane-martel.com . Diane Martel (official website) . 8 January 2018.
  16. Web site: Lazy Boy . Boomkat . 25 January 2018.
  17. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending Domino Mart . 25 October 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20171025232344/http://franzferdinand.dominomart.com/ . 25 October 2017 . 26 October 2017.
  18. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending Signed Deluxe LP Bundle . 25 October 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20171025232755/http://franzferdinand.dominomart.com/always-ascending-exclusive-limited-edition-coloured-vinyl . 25 October 2017 . 26 October 2017.
  19. Web site: Always Ascending by Franz Ferdinand . . 8 February 2018.
  20. Web site: Always Ascending by Franz Ferdinand reviews . . 21 February 2018.
  21. Always Ascending. Franz Ferdinand. 2018. album liner notes. Domino Recording Company.
  22. Web site: IFPI Charts. www.ifpi.gr. 2 March 2018.
  23. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 7 (dal 2018-02-09 al 2018-02-15). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Italian. 17 February 2018.
  24. Web site: Always Ascending on Billboard Japan Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. September 13, 2020. ja. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180322081427/http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2018&month=02&day=19 . 22 March 2018 .
  25. Web site: NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 19 February 2018. 16 February 2018.
  26. Web site: Top 100 Albumes – Semana 7: del 9.2.2018 al 15.2.2018. Productores de Música de España. Spanish. 22 February 2018.
  27. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending Standard CD . . https://web.archive.org/web/20180211001947/http://franzferdinand.dominomart.com/always-ascending-unsignedstandard-cd . 11 February 2018 . 11 February 2018.
  28. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending Standard LP . . https://web.archive.org/web/20180211002145/http://franzferdinand.dominomart.com/always-ascending-standard-lp . 11 February 2018 . 11 February 2018.
  29. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending Cassette . . https://web.archive.org/web/20180128203420/http://franzferdinand.dominomart.com/always-ascending-exclusive-cassette . 28 January 2018 . 11 February 2018.
  30. Web site: Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending . Boomkat . 11 February 2018.
  31. Web site: Always Ascending (Regular Edition) . CDJapan . https://web.archive.org/web/20180211002745/http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/HSE-1290 . 11 February 2018 . 11 February 2018.