Franz Ferdinand’s news video shows the band playing their new song, “Always Ascending” as the camera pans upwards toward the top of a seemingly endless skyscraper of stages. The video was perhaps inspired by the Glasgow Tower from their hometown. It reaches 417 feet and is the only building of such height to be able to rotate 360 degrees. It’s primary use is as a viewing platform and it only has two floors, so it’s not really a building. Neither is the elaborate staging of the group’s new video, which feels like an ascent in more varying ways than its visual aesthetic.
The rhythm of the song, as if a rocket ship taking off after a countdown, kicks off a few minutes in. The beginning features an ethereal, hazy intro that confuses the senses until being sprung into life and a rapid climb. Alex Kapranos can be seen jumping around in palpable glee as he delivers each lyric with his characteristic and unique Scottish inflection. The rest of the band backs him up energetically; the feel of the music matches the upward momentum of the visuals.
Franz Ferdinand’s first two singles, “Take Me Out” and “Darts Of Pleasure” each hit their crest on the top-50 U.K. Singles chart. “Take Me Out” received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance. Their self-titled first album received widespread critical acclaim, earning them a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Watch the video below.
Leave a Comment