7. Treason! Animals
Starting off with a weird boing sound in the thick of the mix, 'Treason! Animals' turns into one of the most fully realized and experimental tracks on the album, showcasing some static rhythms and an outro section that sounds so unique for Franz Ferdinand. The section really echoes some true inspiration, and absolutely incredible lyrics - "I'm in love with a narcissist/nemesis" with swarming background vocal that fits perfectly. Rising and rising, the track's dramatic keys bit mixed with the seven layers of intricacy sum up the entire song as a delight.
RATING: 4.5/5
8. The Universe Expanded
By far the most reserved, this deep cut relies on the mysticism of the guitar and Alex's solo vocal to really sink the hook in deep. As this track unfurls into one of the most beautiful and artistically strong tracks on this album, you can get swept away at all of its attempts and successes at captivating you. Throughout the beginning, the lyrics imagine a set of sequences going backwards - cakes being unbaked, laughing before jokes, posing after photographs, tears crawling back - but by the end of the track, the track dies down by moving forward - into emptiness, the void, and the universe. This flip creates a psued0-psychedelic vibe into the track, something refreshing to hear.
RATING: 5/5
9. Brief Encounters
This far into the album, you can easily notice the amount of creativity and energy the album has - more of the former, less of the latter. It has this excellent frame of mind to use slower, more thoughtful tunes than to explode all over and exuberantly make an album that gets stale. Well aware of changing things up, Franz Ferdinand certainly do it with 'Brief Encounters,' but change things up to nearly a stagnant pace on this one. This track certainly drags but not for too long, ending at the right time.
RATING: 3/5