Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 August 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2013 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 35:04 | |||
Label | Domino | |||
Producer | ||||
Franz Ferdinand studio albums chronology | ||||
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Singles from Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action | ||||
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Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is the fourth
Recorded during 2013, the album was recorded in multiple studios in different locations. It also features production from a number of musicians. Similar to Tonight, the album features more of a dance-oriented sound throughout. The band focused on making a generally positive and uplifting album with Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. Band member Alex Kapranos, who provided production on the album, labeled it the band's "most positive record", stating that the album title reflects the mood of the album as well as the mood of the band members during the recording of the album.
The album received generally favourable reviews from music critics upon its release. It also had a significant commercial performance, with the album charting in the top 10 in several countries, including the band's home country of Scotland, where it peaked at number 2, and the UK, where it peaked at number 6. The album spawned six singles: "Right Action", "Love Illumination", "Evil Eye", "Bullet", "Fresh Strawberries", and "Stand on the Horizon".
Background and recording
The band previewed many of their new tracks at live performances over 2012 and 2013. The album was recorded during 2013 at Alex Kapranos' Black Pudding Studio in Glasgow, Scotland, Nick McCarthy's Sausage Studios and Mark Ralph's Club Ralph in London, England, and Björn Yttling's Ingrid Studio in Stockholm, Sweden.[2][3][4] According to band drummer Paul Thomson, most of the material on the album had been written and demoed at Sausage Studio and Black Pudding. The band recalled having about five or six sessions of recording. Instead of recording all the music at once, they sought out to record different batches of songs over a period of time.[3] Kapranos described the album direction as "forward" and revealed that the band decided to keep a low profile about things as their last album was "tainted" by misinformation prior to its release.[5] Regarding the lyrics, Kapranos said:
the idea of the cynic's search for optimism and the sceptic's search for a manual crop up here and there. I've always liked the lead character in Alasdair Gray's Lanark growing the hard scales to defend the soft inner-self from the world. Socially awkward asthmatic with a self-consuming imagination. My 19-year-old self was electrified. Maybe the album is about how to shed those scales."[5]
Album title
Kapranos had talked about the background of the album title in a documentary about the album:
I think when you name a record, you have to choose something which you feel reflects the record or that collection of songs. You also want to choose something that reflects not just the mood of the record, but the mood of the people who made it... the mood of those people when they recorded it, and there were quite a few things that sort of came up as ideas, but Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action seemed to sum it up best. It's probably the most positive record we've made, and the band have been, yeah, the most optimistic we've been since before we had any encounter with the music industry... probably because we've been sort of keeping a low profile for a while and not talking about ourselves too much.[3]
Production and composition
For Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, Franz Ferdinand collaborated with other artists for parts of the album. Hot Chip band members Joe Goddard and Alexis Taylor produced the opening track "Right Action" and co-produced the final track "Goodbye Lovers and Friends", Norwegian DJ Todd Terje co-produced the tracks "Evil Eye" and "Stand on the Horizon", and Peter Bjorn and John band member Björn Yttling produced "Treason! Animals." and co-produced "The Universe Expanded".[2][3] All tracks on the album were written by Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy, with additional writing from Bob Hardy on "Right Action" and "The Universe Expanded" as well as Alexander Ragnew on "Bullet". Kapranos also co-produced the majority of the album under the pseudonym "Prince House Rabbit",[1] with the exception of "Right Action" and "Treason! Animals."[2]
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action features
The guitar riff to "Love Illumination" was created by Kapranos and originally thought of as "too rocky" by Nick McCarthy, but he later claimed that he enjoyed playing it. The song was fully written and recorded during a weekend session at McCarthy's Sausage Studio. Kapranos explained the meaning of the song by stating:We all feel as sensitive to satisfaction at times. We can look outside us and see nothing but destruction, avarice, and boredom. So we look to find that love where we can find it. Some people look to Hollywood, some people look to Blackpool and the bright lights of Blackpool. That's probably where I would look.[3]
"Stand on the Horizon" was labeled by Kapranos as something neither Franz Ferdinand or Todd Terje, the co-producer of the song, have done before. He also called the ending of the song "a beautiful, uplifting piece of music".
The album originally intended to feature 11 songs, including "Scarlet & Blue" (also known as "Bring Me Your Love") which was often played during the band's 2012 tour.[9] However, the band didn't manage to fit it to the final track listing and ultimately left the song unreleased.[10]
Release
The album was announced on 14 May 2013 with a teaser trailer video
Promotion
Singles
The first two singles from the album were "Right Action" and "Love Illumination". The official audio tracks for the songs were released on 27 June 2013 onto
Music videos
The "Right Action" official video was released on 7 July 2013, directed by Jonas Odell,[27] and the video for "Love Illumination" was released on 24 July 2013, directed by Tim Saccenti.[28] On YouTube, the "Right Action" music video has received over 3 million views and the "Love Illumination" music video has received over 4 million views. The "Evil Eye" official music video was released on 8 September 2013 and was directed by Diane Martel,[29] who is known for directing videos for various Top 3 hits such as "Blurred Lines", "Just Give Me a Reason", "We Can't Stop", and one of the bands' hit singles, "Do You Want To".[30] The band released the official video for "Bullet" on 18 November 2013 and was directed by Andy Knowles.[31] The official music video for "Fresh Strawberries" was released on 12 March 2014 and was directed by Margarita Louca.[32] The official music video for "Stand on the Horizon" was released on 3 August 2014 and was directed by Karan Kandhari.[33]
Concerts
On 20 August 2013, the band played at
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Pitchfork | 5.4/10[43] |
Rolling Stone | [44] |
Slant Magazine | [7] |
Spin | 8/10[1] |
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action received positive reviews from music critics. On review aggregator site Metacritic, the album holds an average review score of 71/100, based on 39 reviews, indicating "generally favourable" reviews.[36]
At
Writing for
More or less the Scottish answer to American bands like Interpol and the Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, with their du-jour cool and deft combination of insular art flair and dance-floor populism, was hailed by British hype machine New Musical Express as the dawn of a new rock revolution. The band's blue-blazered appeal, however, started to slip after 2009's overly serious concept album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. Four years later, the zeitgeist may prefer its rock stars with suspenders and banjos, but Franz Ferdinand's Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is an unapologetically swaggering disco-rock album that refuses to overstay its welcome.[7]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy, except where noted
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Right Action" (Bob Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy) | Joe Goddard, Alexis Taylor | 3:01 |
2. | "Evil Eye" | Kapranos, Todd Terje | 2:47 |
3. | "Love Illumination" | Kapranos | 3:44 |
4. | "Stand on the Horizon" | Kapranos, Terje | 4:23 |
5. | "Fresh Strawberries" | Kapranos | 3:21 |
6. | "Bullet" (Kapranos, McCarthy, Alexander Ragnew) | Kapranos | 2:43 |
7. | "Treason! Animals." | Björn Yttling | 4:07 |
8. | "The Universe Expanded" (Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy) | Kapranos, Yttling | 4:34 |
9. | "Brief Encounters" | Kapranos | 3:09 |
10. | "Goodbye Lovers & Friends" | Goddard, Kapranos, Taylor | 3:15 |
Total length: | 35:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Evil Eye" (Todd Terje Extended Mix) | Kapranos, McCarthy | 7:38 |
2. | "Stand on the Horizon" (Todd Terje Extended Mix) | Kapranos, McCarthy | 8:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Bullet" | Kapranos, McCarthy, Ragnew | 2:40 |
2. | " Peter Bellotte, Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer, Thomson | 6:03 | |
8. | "Treason! Animals." | Kapranos, McCarthy | 3:58 |
9. | "Love and Destroy" | Kapranos, McCarthy | 2:54 |
10. | "Do You Want To" | Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy, Thomson | 4:14 |
11. | "Ulysses" | Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy, Thomson | 2:51 |
12. | "Love Illumination" | Kapranos, McCarthy | 4:07 |
13. | "Stand on the Horizon" | Kapranos, McCarthy | 4:14 |
Total length: | 1:22:12 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Outsiders" | Hardy, Kapranos, McCarthy, Thomson | |
2. | "Tell Her Tonight" | Kapranos, McCarthy |
Personnel
Personnel adapted from album's liner notes.[2]
Franz Ferdinand
Additional musicians
Additional personnel
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Technical personnel
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Notes and references
- Notes
- References
- ^ a b c Walters, Barry (26 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand's 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action' Is a Marvel of Relaxing Tension". Spin. Archived from the original on 24 November 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (album liner notes). Franz Ferdinand. Domino Recording Company. 2013.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Franz Ferdinand (featured), Andy Knowles (director) (23 August 2012). Come Home, Practically All, Is Nearly Forgiven (Documentary). Domino Recording Company. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Domino Records. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Franz Ferdinand are 'fixated' with making new album". NME. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ^ Bennett, Kate (20 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ a b c Caldwell, Caleb (23 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand: Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos on the Importance of Structure". NPR. 24 August 2013. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ Leonie Cooper (26 February 2013). "Veronica Falls to guest on new Franz Ferdinand album". NME. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ^ T. Cole Rachel (23 August 2013). "Q&A: Franz Ferdinand Discuss The Making of Their New Album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". stereogum.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action – Album Trailer". 14 May 2013. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015 – via YouTube.
- ^ Schriefer, Amy (19 August 2013). "First Listen: Franz Ferdinand, 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action'". NPR Music. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Spotify. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
- ^ a b c "Domino – Albums – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Domino. 2013. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ^ Lobenfeld, Claire (27 June 2013). "Franz Ferdinand – "Right Action" & "Love Illumination"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ^ Reilly, Dan (27 June 2013). "Franz Ferdinand Release New Singles 'Right Action' and 'Love Illumination'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ^ "Right Action – EP by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store. 18 August 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ^ "Evil Eye Remixes – EP by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store. 28 October 2013. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ^ "Bullet – Single by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store (NZ). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand announce details of a new single". Domino Recording Company. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Fresh Strawberries – Single by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store (AU). Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Fresh Strawberries – Single by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store (NZ). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Fresh Strawberries – Single by Franz Ferdinand". iTunes Store (GB). 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ Martins, Chris (27 February 2014). "Franz Ferdinand Go Deutsche for New Wave B-Side 'Erdbeer Mund'". Spin.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Fresh Strawberries". Domino Recording Company. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand announce details of new single, Stand on the Horizon". Domino Recording Company. 11 June 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Right Action (Official Video)". 7 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Love Illumination (Official Video)". 24 July 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Evil Eye (Official Video)". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Diane Martel technician videography". mvdbase.com. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Bullet (Official Video)". 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Fresh Strawberries (Official Video)". 12 April 2014. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Stand on the Horizon (Official Video)". 3 August 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand Concert Setlist at Electric Brixton, London on August 20, 2013". setlist.fm. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Gigs". Franz Ferdinand (official website). Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^ Phares, Heather. "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (27 August 2013). "Review: Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ^ Montgomery, Hugh (24 August 2013). "Album: Franz Ferdinand, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (Domino)". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ Segal, Victoria (18 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". MOJO. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ^ Stubbs, Dan (20 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand – 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action'". NME. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
- ^ Cohen, Ian (26 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand: Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (27 August 2013). "Franz Ferdinand, 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
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