Cheek said:

I still owe them some Prince cd's if they ever come back to Detroit.

Oh and I have Alex's email address.

GangstaFam said:

You should send him a "Cheek Appreciation e-mail"!!!

Cheek said:

I just might!

FF was in MPLS last week. Now, I must acknowledge that they were in a week jammed with shows (Beck, Coldplay, U2 and Sigur Ros were all in town as well). That glut of shows may have bit into their market. But, for some INSANE reason they were booked to play The Target Center (an arena in MPLS). Now, it was the "intimate" arrangement so only half the arena was used but still. I just couldn't make myself go and see them in that venue. Apparently many agreed with me as the show barely sold 1,000 tix.

I know it's not the bands fault, but I hope their promoter paid attention. Had they played a smaller theater, I woulda been in line for tix. The show would've sold-out and they woulda got a lot of buzz for it. Instead, the played a crap venue that was basically empty which made for a setting in which the music was reportedly distorted and unlistenable. Instead of walking from MPLS on top as they had with their previous shows here, they left MPLS as the joke of the week...

Cheek said:

that's a CUTE pic!!!

GangstaFam said:

Namesdropper...

HamsterHuey said:

Never.

endorphin74 said:

That's really very sad. Wow.

GangstaFam said:

And





















Kylie sat on me lap.

I was at the Minneapolis show. It was a blast. I was on the floor, the equivalent of three rows back from the stage. Got some great pictures and video, even if the crowd decided they should mosh. Dumbasses. But the band was on fire. Their songs have more punch live than on record, and their performance really sold a lot of the new album to me. The sound wasn't bad at all. To be honest, it's one of the better places I've ever been to a concert. I've been on the floor in other places, and the music sounds like a garbled mess. Franz's sound was crystal clear, comparatively speaking. It was one of the stormiest nights during my time in Minneapolis, too, which probably didn't help attendance, either. I got caught in a major downpour just a few blocks from Target Center. I don't even remember how I heard they were coming - probably something having to do with the release of their new single, "Do You Want To" - but my sister, who saw them in Seattle last year, told me they put on a hell of a show. And she was right. I'm glad I went, and they made a fan out of my boyfriend, who had heard their first album once and didn't much care for it. Now he's listening to it on repeat, and he's as excited as I am for their new one.

bsbd2luvr said:

I'm happy to hear you had a good time. The folks I talked to were a bit further back. I think with Target Center, there are places that the sound works in, but they are just a few areas, once you go further back or up it can turn into a garbled mess...Anywho, it's refreshing to read a good review of the MPLS show as I only heard bad things...

endorphin74 said:

OK...I've listened to the album about 5 times now since Tuesday and...











I like it...a lot! It's quite different from the debut in theme and variety.

Here's how I'd rate each track:

The Fallen

9- Great opener- I love the tight licks. It really gets me excited for the rest of the album.

Do You Want To

8- I like the description of this as a "victory lap". It's a total celebration and is a direct assault on the hips.

This Boy

10- My favorite at this point, along with "Outsiders". That guitar lick is just saucy and has eroded its way into my brain! Punky and spunky- just how I like my Franz.

Walk Away

8- The first ballad we've come across on an album. It works quite well and is one of the songs that gets lodged in my head the most.

Evil and a Heathen

9- Heavy and full of licks. The bass gets me!

You're the Reason I'm Leaving

8- Great rocker that reminds me of some of the deep album cuts of the first album. Not too original, but executed well.

Eleanor Put Your Boots On

8- I'd probably give this a 10 if it didn't sound like the Beatles to a degree. What sells it for me is the piano line. It's probably one of the best tracks on the album (if not the best), but my predisposition to dislike the Beatles sound takes away from it a bit for me.

Well That Was Easy

6- This one doesn't jump out at me as much as most of the other tracks. It's still quite decent.

What You Meant

7- Just Like "Well That Was Easy", this one doesn't jump out at me too much, but the guitar is more memorable.

The Fallen

10- Things pick up again in a big way here. This is an instant classic- constantly changing and full of different levels of energy and emotion.

You Could Have It So Much Better

8- Nice uptempo rocker with that signature Franz snarl.

Fade Together

5- Probably my least favorite track. Doesn't mean it's bad, but it sounds too much like the Beatles for me to like a lot.

Outsiders

10- The album ends with a bang. This is a mysterious funked out closer in the tradition of "40'". I love those synth strings and that funky bass! Instant favorite.

Overall: 8 out of 10 with potential to grow. These impressions are very much initial reactions and I'm sure my opinions will change as I listen further.
[Edited 10/6/05 20:29pm]

F.cking great record!!!

"What You Meant" & "Outsiders" are my favourites in round one!
"Your Diary" from the "Do You Want To" CD single is also a loved one!!!

Cheeky said:

Hey Cheeky! Glad you decided to join us.

GangstaFam said:

Hey Gangsta!!!

Cheeky said:

sup?

GangstaFam said:

Would you like to ask me something???

.
[Edited 10/7/05 7:41am]

Cheeky said:

Yeah. Sup? What's up?

GangstaFam said:

Ah!!!

Nothing special, just fooling around with Mariah!!!

MariahCarey said:

Cheeky said:

Lucky bitch!

Cheeky said:

I'm so jealous.

GangstaFam said:

Cheeky said:

Does AB have a picture of this?

GangstaFam said:

I hope he doesn't have...

Cheeky said:

All the better to remember it by. And then I'll have my proof!