Party winds down for Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” (Epic)

Even the best parties sometimes go on too long. You know the feeling: It's 3 a.m. and you want to party a little longer, but you're tired and don't have the energy to dance the night away.

That's what the latest album from Glasgow party boys Franz Ferdinand feels like. “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” is a departure for the band, and perhaps a misstep.

The catchy hooks and danceable beats aren't completely gone, but the album doesn't have the bite of earlier work and especially that of its exciting self-titled debut.

Still by far the best of the bands influenced by the New Wave and post-punk movements of the '80s, Franz Ferdinand heads in a slightly different direction on “Tonight” under the guidance of producer Dan Carey. Gone is much of the razor-sharp guitar work and quirky time changes that marked the band's earliest work, replaced by sometimes chintzy-sounding keys and synths that aren't as fulfilling and sometimes seem like mere adornments.

“Turn It On” labors along on a lethargic bass line, while “Live Alone” is Duran Duran on downers with a chorus that feels like a tired come-on line: “I've got a question for you/Where do you see yourself in 5 minutes?” “The band seems to sleep walk on “Dream Again” and potential show-stopper “Lucid Dreams” gets lost on its way to getting interesting.

Check out this track: The album's first single, “Ulysses,” starts out with a dirty snare shuffle that feels like a nighttime stroll down a shabby street and is the best song here. But it doesn't rise to the level of old show-stoppers like “Take Me Out” or “Jacqueline,” so far the highlight of the band's work.