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Oct 25, 2017 By Christopher Roberts Franz Ferdinand

Scotland’s Franz Ferdinand have announced a new album, Always Ascending, and have shared its fun and dance-y title track. Always Ascending is due out February 9, 2018 via their longtime label Domino. It’s the band’s first album since the departure of founding guitarist Nick McCarthy. Below is “Always Ascending,” followed by the album’s tracklist and cover art. The band have also announced some tour dates, which are also below.

The album was recorded at RAK Studios in London and Motorbass in Paris, with French producer Philippe Zdar (Cassius, Phoenix, The Beastie Boys). The current lineup of the band is Alex Kapranos (vocals, guitar), Bob Hardy (bass), Paul Thomson (drums), Julian Corrie (keyboards, guitar), and Dino Bardot (guitar). Kapranos refers to the sound of the album as “simultaneously futuristic and naturalistic.”

The album will be announced today via an event at Paris’ Point Ephémère, which will be broadcast on the band’s Facebook page from 9:30 p.m. Paris time/3:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. PST today. During the event Franz Ferdinand will preview a selection of their new recordings.

Franz Ferdinand’s last album was 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, although last year they shared a new anti-Donald Trump song, “Demagogue.” The band also joined forces with Sparks to form FFS and release a self-titled album in 2015. And frontman Alex Kapranos was part of the supergroup BNQT with the four members of Midlake, along with Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell, Grandaddy‘s Jason Lytle, and Travis’ Fran Healy. BNQT’s debut album, Volume 1, came out back in April via Dualtone/Entertainment One/Bella Union.

Always Ascending Tracklist:

1. Always Ascending
2. Lazy Boy
3. Paper Cages
4. Finally
5. The Academy Award
6. Lois Lane
7. Huck And Jim
8. Glimpse Of Love
9. Feel The Love Go
10. Slow Don’t Kill Me Slow

Franz Ferdinand Tour Dates:

December 4 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Market
December 5 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore
December 6 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore
December 7 - Portland, OR - KNRK Show
December 9 - Pomona, CA - Glasshouse
December 10 - Los Angeles, CA - KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas [SOLD OUT]
January 25 - Tokyo, Japan - Shinkiba Studio Coast
February 10 - Galway, Ireland - Leisureland
February 11 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
February 13 - Manchester, UK - Royal Albert Hall
February 14 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
February 16 - Newcastle, UK - 02 Academy
February 17 - Glasgow, UK - 02 Academy
February 19 - Leeds, UK - 02 Academy
February 20 - Birmingham, UK - 02 Academy
February 21 - Bristol, UK - 02 Academy
February 23 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
February 24 - London, UK - 02 Brixton Academy
February 25 - Brighton, UK - Dome
February 27 - Paris, France - Zenith
February 28 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National
March 1 - Hamburg, Germany - Mehr! Theater
March 3 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli Vrendenburg
March 4 - Groningen, Netherlands - De Oosterpoort
March 5 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium
March 7 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom
March 8 - Warsaw, Poland - Stodola
March 9 - Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlin
March 11 - Zurich, Switzerland - Halle 622
March 12 - Munich, Germany - Tonhalle
March 13 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
March 15 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena
March 17 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
March 19 - Toulouse, France - Zenith
March 20 - Montpellier, France - Zenith Sud
March 21 - Lyon, France - Amphi 3000
March 23 - Rennes, France - Liberte
March 24 - Caen, France - Zenith
April 8 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
April 10 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
April 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
April 13 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
April 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
April 27 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
April 28 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
April 30 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
May 2 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
May 7 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
May 8 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
May 11 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
May 13 - San Diego, CA - North Park @ The Observatory
May 15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
May 17 - Oakland, CA - The Fox Theatre

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