One of the "buzz bands" at SXSW this year was Franz Ferdinand. I'm not normally a big fan of bands who get a lot of buzz, but these guys are great. FF are from Scotland. I'm not sure why they named themselves after an assassinated Archduke of Austria, especially since they met in art school. But whatever.
They kind of sound like what would you might get if you put the Strokes, Interpol, and stellastarr* in a sausage grinder and sent the resulting extrusion to Joy Division school. I know that's really record-store clerk of me, but I don't know how else to describe it. It makes me want to play air guitar in my underwear. It makes me want to drive too fast. It makes me want to be a soccer hooligan. It makes me want to eat haggis and like it. Get it!
On another musical note, The Shins are playing at Stubb's BBQ on June 9. If you have any sense at all you will buy tickets.
