[Watch] Franz Ferdinand Cover Grimes' "Oblivion"

For a band that doesn't veer too far from a sound that works (see: Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action), Franz Ferdinand completely surprised us this morning. During a visit to French radio station Ouï FM, they took on Grimes' glistening, synth-laden track "Oblivion." With nought but two acoustic guitars and vocal chords, the Scottish quartet turned the song into a calming ballad complete with romantic harmonies. It sure came from out of the blue, but damn is it worth a listen.

[Watch] Franz Ferdinand Share Avant-garde Video for "Love Illumination"

Franz Ferdinand are never ones to shy away from experimenting. Hell, after more than ten years as a band they've maintained a captivating yet odd sense of humor and creativity. That is immediately apparent in their new video for "Love Illumination," the second single from the upcoming album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action.

The video, directed by Tim Saccenti, is a performance clip, yes, but it's so much more than that. It delves into all sorts of weird avenues, screwing with your mind by juxtaposing the band with colorful dancers and characters, elaborate sets, and vivid imagery, only to switch back to the band wearing animal masks. There's even a hint of nudity. Very avant-garde, indeed.

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is out on August 27th.

[Watch] Franz Ferdinand Perform "Right Action" on Letterman

Franz Ferdinand brought their brash Glasgow rock to Late Show with David Letterman this past Monday night, performing in support of their soon-to-be-released fourth album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. They dished out a rollicking rendition of its lead single "Right Action."

The band also performed for Letterman's Live on Letterman webcast, where they tore through a 50-minute set that drew from their entire discography. Check it out below.

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is out on August 27th.

[Watch] Check Out Franz Ferdinand's Stylish Video for "Right Action"

Franz Ferdinand recently shared a new song from their upcoming fourth album Right Thoughts, Rights Words, Right Action, the catchy lead single "Right Action." The Scottish quartet have now unveiled a stylish video for the single. Glossed over with retro sheen, it sees the band teaming up with Jonas Odell for the first time since he directed the clip for "Take Me Out." For this one, though, they opted for bright primary colors and sprinkles of humor, all aided by some clever cinematography and crisp animation. Check it out below.

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is out on August 27th.

[Listen] Franz Ferdinand Share Two New Songs, "Right Action" and "Love Illumination"

I'm so excited these guys are back. Franz Ferdinand recently announced that their fourth album, titled Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, would be released on August 27th, and now they've shared two studio quality tracks from the record. The first is the (sort of) titular song "Right Action," an upbeat rock number that fits right in with the band's past work. "Love Illumination" is the second offering. It drives forward with relentless tempo, gritty guitar riffs and the love-struck lyrics of Alex Kapranos. Stream both songs below.

[News] Franz Ferdinand Announce Fourth Album, 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action'

Franz Ferdinand are back! Nearly a decade after releasing their self-titled debut, the Scottish four-piece have announced their fourth studio album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. The album was recorded over the past year at various studios in the UK, Scotland, Sweden, and Norway, and will feature a few interesting collaborations (they've yet to reveal any more on that).

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action will be released on August 27th, and features ten tracks. Take a look at the album announcement trailer as well as the album tracklisting below.

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action Tracklist:
01. Right Action
02. Evil Eye
03. Love Illumination
04. Stand on the Horizon
05. Fresh Strawberries
06. Bullet
07. Treason! Animals.
08. The Universe Expanded
09. Brief Encounters
10. Goodbye Lovers & Friends

[Outside Lands 2012] Top Five High Energy Shows to Dance at Till You Drop

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top five high energy shows to dance at till your knees are trembling.

If you're willing to put the time, effort, and money into going to a show, then it is immediately worth it. One aspect that makes a show much more worth it, though, is if you show up and you're dancing from start to finish. When a band has a stage presence that is so energetic, and when the music is paced perfectly so that you don't stop moving for the entire set, that is when you know it was a good show. Take a look at the top five picks for the most danceable acts at this year's Outside Lands after the jump.

Justice: The moment Justice becomes a topic of conversation, the song "D.A.N.C.E." is almost always brought up. The French house duo has become iconic for their Parisian brand of electronic music, a brand that translates perfectly to the dance-hungry crowd. Whether you're playing Justice at a house party or seeing them live in concert, the dirty, sexy basslines and unwavering barrage of synthesizers plays perfectly into high energy, non-stop dance-a-thons. When it comes to dancing, Justice has you covered. Just make sure you have a full day afterwards to recover.

YACHT: This Portland outfit continiously impresses with their infectious electropop sounds, and in a live setting, it's impossible to prevent the onslaught of dancing crowds. Who wouldn't dance to "Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)" or "Shangri-La"? It's all just so damn catchy. YACHT knows how to do danceable, groovy beats right, so do yourself a favor and check them out.

MSTRKRFT: Jesse F. Keeler and Al-P know how to get a party started. Every song they release under the MSTRKRFT moniker is a party in itself, with pounding kick drums, ever-evolving synthesizers and altered voice samples. MSTRKRFT is the kind of thing you would play for a group of people on MDMA, and that's exactly why it's the perfect brand of music to dance until you drop.

Franz Ferdinand: Something about this Scottish quartet is so captivating, whether it's the music itself or their unrelenting and energetic stage presence. Each one of their three full-length albums are full of numerous catchy post-punk tracks, every one of which is perfectly suited for the live stage. If you've ever wanted to dance our heart out during an outdoor concert in the pouring rain, who better to do it to than Franz Ferdinand?

Passion Pit: If you've ever watched footage of Passion Pit performing live, there is no doubt that their catchy pop sounds are perfect for crowds of eager fans wanting to dance to their heart's content. Manners was packed with danceable song after danceable song, and Gossamer is no different. The Massachusetts outfit knows how to deliver a fulfilling pop song, and fans of the band know perfectly well how to dance to it. Seeing this band live is not something you should pass up.

[Watch] Franz Ferdinand Debut New Tracks Live in Ireland

It's been a while since we've heard anything from Franz Ferdinand but they're back and performed a gig in Ireland after an 18 month dry spell of gigs. While playing the show in Limerick they debuted four new tracks, as Stereogum points out they played "Right Thoughts", "Brief Encounters", "Trees & Animals" and "Fresh Strawberries" all of which can be seen after the jump via some fan shot footage. It's nice to hear some new material from the band and no doubt we'll hear more as they continue playing shows over the summer months.

As well as debuting new material the band also performed a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love". A fine tribute indeed.