There's nothing like a follow-up to a smash hit debut to make or break an up-and-coming band. For every success story, there's another band that only rehashed the same formulas or whose time in the spotlight passed before ever achieving more than one-hit-wonder status.

Luckily for Glasgow rockers Franz Ferdinand, who strode into the mainstream with the success of their 2004 self-titled album, the story went the right way. Slyly sidestepping the dreaded sophomore slump, You Could Have It So Much Better opens with "The Fallen," where the upbeat, politically charged lyrics scream single potential. The album continues along in that vein for the next few tracks, namely the crunchy, repetitive "Do You Want To," which will most definitely get itself stuck in your head beyond removal.

Among the hype surrounding this release, Franz Ferdinand returned with a record that manages to incorporate their signature stick-in-your-head blend of rock with more lazily paced, almost folk-sounding tracks like "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" and "Fade Together" that prove they're more than just the typical one-trick pony type of group.

Of course, if you're searching for new revivals of your now overplayed favorites from Franz Ferdinand, look no further than tracks like "Walk Away," which is reminiscent of the upbeat choruses of Franz Ferdinand's "Jaqueline," or the unsurprisingly energetic "This Boy."

Franz Ferdinand do what they do best, creating impeccably radio-friendly tracks while retaining their signature insouciant approach. And sure, they may not be exactly the most original of acts to emerge in recent years, but lead singer and guitarist Alexander Kaprano's distinctive delivery coupled with memorable spurts of guitar licks prove to be a foolproof formula for success.