Somewhere along the line the lads in Franz Ferdinand decided not to live up to the promise of their debut album.  Their self-titled record had it all: artful edginess, clever lyrics, and an almost effortless rhythmic precision.  Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, the band’s third effort, possesses no tracks with the dark fire of “Jacqueline,” “Take Me Out,” “Dark of the Matinee,” “Darts of Pleasure,” or “Come On Home,” and feels hollow and illiterate when compared against its predecessors.  Though one could argue that they were already hitting the downhill slope with You Could Have It So Much Better, Tonight has little going for it aside from its lead-off singles “Ulysses” and “No You Girls,” and even those are lacking the usual wit.  Sure, the band has imported some electronica and afro-pop (whatever that means) influences, but a few new quirks doesn’t even begin to make up for the lack of interesting tunes.

Addendum: Okay, this has grown on me a bit.  Enough to warrant another half-diamond, mostly on the lyrical strength of “Twilight Omens.”

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