Franz Ferdinand: 'Ulysses'

Franz Ferdinand may not rival Portishead or Guns N' Roses when it comes to perfectionism/ time-wasting, but the four-year delay since 2005's You Could Have It So Much Better has helped create plenty of myths about their upcoming third album. We were first told it would be a "dirty pop" record made with Xenomania, but then came rumours of "afrobeat jams", a dance disc and songs recorded with human bones.

After such an intriguing build-up it's a tad disappointing to find the band returning with a song that sounds, well, exactly like Franz Ferdinand did four years ago. Alex Kapranos's hushed lyrics ("What's a matter there, feeling kinda anxious?") are as quotable as ever, while the band's mixture of creeping bass and flashy synths are typically tight and danceable. The only nagging problem is that it feels like Franz, despite the delays, still haven't decided what sort of band they want to be yet.