這張專輯由曾參與他們 2013 年專輯《Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action》的 Mark Ralph 與 Franz Ferdinand 共同製作，新專輯《The Human Fear》11 首曲目圍繞在人類內心的種種恐懼，如何克服與面對並且進一步推進我們的人生，新專輯維持了 Franz Ferdinand 的經典聲音，展現了最直接、最輕快且充滿生命力的一面。
自樂團創立初期在格拉斯哥廢棄大樓舉辦非法派對以來，Franz Ferdinand 一直以創新、不褪色、面向未來的態度聞名。他們帶著跨越常規的視角，同時保持對精緻旋律的熱愛。《The Human Fear》毫無疑問地延續了這些傳統，而且展現出更多的突破，充滿向未來前進的渴望。
專輯封面靈感來自匈牙利藝術家 Dóra Maurer 的在 1979 的自畫像作品《7 Twists》，一種無法被忽視的視覺印象，卻又存在著強烈的層次與脆弱，讓人一再的細細品味，就像 Franz Ferdinand 對音樂的渴望。
Produced with Mark Ralph, who previously worked with them on their 2013 album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, the album showcases Franz at their most immediate, upbeat and life-affirming, unashamedly going for the pop-jugular in classic Franz style. Recorded at AYR studios in Scotland, the 11-songs on The Human Fear all allude to some deep-set human fears and how overcoming and accepting these fears drives and defines our lives.
Ever since their beginnings, throwing illegal parties in condemned Glasgow buildings, Franz Ferdinand have been defined by a fresh, unfading, forward-facing outlook, a transgressive art-school perspective, but with a love of a big song and The Human Fear undoubtedly continues in this tradition; distinct yet new, musically, and creatively its a record eager to push forward. Pretty much all written before they hit the studio, the idea was to have a songbook ready before they started recording and once in the studio it was all quickly executed - a lot of it recorded live with the band in the room and many of the vocals on the album being the original takes.
The first studio album to feature members Audrey Tait and Dino Bardot, the record also sees Julian Corrie step forward to collaborate with Alex Kapranos and Bob Hardy on song writing and creative duties.
A band for whom the aesthetic and style is almost as important as the sound, as ever the importance of this is reflected in the cover artwork which was inspired by Hungarian artist Dóra Maurer self-portrait 7 Twists - Maurer work appealed because it does exactly what they want from their music: a striking immediacy that is impossible to ignore, but with a depth and vulnerability that bears many returns and satisfactory repetition. Maybe this is a set of songs about fear, maybe this is a set of bangers from an era-defining band continuing their unquestionably living legacy. Is that something to be afraid of?
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