FFS (Franz Ferdinand + Sparks) share "Cool Girl" and "Johnny Delusional" video from debut album
by Bill Pearis
Franz Ferdinand and Sparks will release their collaborative FFS album on June 9 and it pretty much sounds like what you’d expect. Which is a good thing, and actually sounds better than what you might expect. They were clearly having fun and some sort of sonic Reese’s Cup magic happened by combining Sparks and Franz Ferdinand’s creative sensibilities and the result is a real treat from start to finish. (I think it’s the best thing Franz Ferdinand have done since their debut LP.) Some songs lean more Sparks, others more FF, but it’s unique in either case.
One of the best tracks on the album is “Call Girl,” which adds swirling, arpeggiated (Moroder-esque) synths to the equation. Says Alex Kapranos, “You might think ‘Call Girl’ was one of ours…actually, neither of us would have made any of the songs like that on our own.” You can stream it, and check out the video for “Johnny Delusional,” below. You can also watch FFS perform “Call Girl” on Later with Jools Holland where they also do a medley of Sparks’ “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us” and Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out.”
FFS will be touring the UK and Europe this summer. Still no word on North American shows, but all dates are listed below.
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FFS – “This Town…” and “Take Me Out” on Later w/ Jools Holland
FFS – “Call Girl” on Later w/ Jools Holland
FFS – 2015 Tour Dates
Tuesday June 16 || Art School || Glasgow, Scotland (sold out)
Friday June 19 || Free Music Festival || Montendre, France
Saturday June 20 || Aluna Festival || Ruoms, France
Monday June 22 || Inmusic Festival || Zagreb, Jarun
Wednesday June 24 || Ancienne Belgique || Brussels, Belgium
Friday June 26 || Bataclan || Paris, France (sold out)
Monday June 29 || The Troxy || London, UK
Wednesday July 1 || Gloria || Cologne, Germany
Thursday July 2 || Melkweg || Amsterdam, Netherlands (sold out)
Saturday July 4 || Bobital L’Armor A Sons Festival || Dinan, France
Sunday July 5 || Transbordeur || Lyon, France
Tuesday July 7 || Goa Boa Festival || Genova, France
Wednesday July 8 || Summer Odyssee || Zurich, Switzerland
Friday July 10 || Pohoda Festival || Trencin, Slovakia
Saturday July 11 || Cruilla Festival || Barcelona, Spain
Thursday July 16 || Zanne Festival || Catania, Italy
Saturday July 18 || Super Bock Super Rock || Lisbon, Portugal
Sunday July 19 || Benicassim Festival || Spain
Thursday August 20 || For Noise Festival || Lausanne, Switzerland
Friday August 21 || Pukkelpop Festival || Hasselt, Belgium
Saturday August 22 || Lowlands Festival || Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
Monday August 24 || Festival Theater || Edinburgh, Scotland (sold out)
Friday August 28 || Rock En Seine Festival || Paris, France
Thursday September 3 || Home Festival || Treviso, Italy
Saturday September 5 || We Are Next Festival || Rovereto, Italy
Thursday September 10 || Tivoli || Copenhagen, Denmark
Saturday
September 12 || Lollapalooza || Berlin, Germany