The difficult second album

As their empire is attacked from all sides by a horde of gifted groups (Bloc Party, Maximo Park, Rakes, etc.) how the rock world champions would they tackle the always difficult second album?
Of course, the extraordinary surprise the first being passed, there remained the FF that try to recreate the tremendous vitality of their studio concerts: they succeed from the start on a good third of déflagrateurs titles this new album!
Continuing on the same path to win, the band Alex Kapranos place impeccably rock sound dancing, nervous, with refrains like hymns for kids, and "art-rock" riffs stitched's rich history rock & roll. It is not a photocopy, but it still feels a little factory: tubes, yes, but to: 2 pieces opening set the tone: "The Fallen" and "Do You Want To "supersonic singles are launched in pursuit of" Take Me Out "(but in a tone slightly below, fatally). The real surprises on this disc come from some frankly pop songs, like the moving "Eleanor Put Your Boots On," a song whose subject concerns more Eleanor Friedberger (the singer of the Fiery Furnaces, girlfriend Kapranos) Eleanor Rigby, although this beautiful ballad finally has nothing to envy to the masters of the genre of the golden sixties!
Stronger still, "Fade Together", which follows the title track atom (very Wire), is a pop-song led by a piano and a delicate guitar (for once) the country absolute wonders: perhaps the most great success of this disc, just before the conclusion, with the curious "Outsiders", another tube power from these undisputed leaders! These few titles leave no doubt look to the future of a group that did not seem to subscriber tomorrow, a group that could become "classic" as much as "classy" when the dust has settled!