"Tonight: Franz Ferdinand," Franz Ferdinand

Newcomers to the Glaswegian indie-pop band might as well skip back to Franz Ferdinand’s 2004 debut or 2005 follow-up; four years later, the quartet has naught to show for growth in its third studio album. Devotees can start with the first energizing track and skip to the acoustic last; in between is the same unmistakable riff and chorus-driven Scottish indie. It’s consistency in both the worst and best ways.

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Domino

Their sound and style is still best described in terms of colors brown and orange, but this time around, they’ve subtly drawn inspiration from Afro-pop. (The riffs in “Send Him Away” could’ve been stolen from Amadou and Miriam; “Can’t Stop Feeling” starts with Afro thumps, until it segues into a Dandy Warhol rip-off.) FF also has added a single organ synthesizer, seemingly locked onto a single glowering Atari setting.

DOWNLOAD: "Ulysses"