Initial rumors suggested that Franz Ferdinand wanted to brand their second album with only their iconic Helvetica symbol - again. The boys scrapped this in favor of an uncharacteristically lengthy, albeit telling, new record title. You Could Have It So Much Better still has only the band name emblazoned on its cover, but now a woman of Lichtenstein-esque Benday dots shouts out, "This is the Franz you long for." Or she should, at least. The return of the highly marketable Scottish lads Franz Ferdinand skip over the sophomore slump, with the pace to lasting rock stability quickly hastening. After tirelessly sashaying their wiry brand of dance rock around the world in support of their 2004 self-titled debut, Franz wasted no time in bringing the songwriting of the road back to the studio.

You Could Have It So Much Better basically extends the mood and style of Franz Ferdinand. For these four Glaswegians, this is clearly not a pattern they're interested in altering. If Franz can pump out danceable disco beats, slicing guitars and androgynous lyrics on a consistent basis, change ain't all that necessary. Singer/guitarist Alex Kapranos's 1970s lounge-lush vocals and bassist Bob Hardy's bouncy rhythmic touches make for a blazing, head nodding pace that doesn't stop for 41 minutes.

No high-profile record should be criticized for sounding too much like what fans and critics want. The fact is, these guys are nearly faultless in what they do. This formula is by all means acceptable. They're gonna continue to wear their ascots and make kids who are all too often afraid to get on a dance floor leave the wall and embarrass themselves in a fit of jerky movement. Still, for those looking for more introspective tunes and less of the usual hi-hat heavy shtick, there is more variety on You Could than their debut.

The fiery numbers that recount the way Franz shot to the top of college as well as Top 40 charts last year dominate the front half of the album. The lead single, "Do You Want To," is a blustery recreation of "Take Me Out," complete with disco-beat chorus and cleverly unpredictable time signature. Yet, it is not "Take Me Out"; It's bouncy and fun, but it's unpredictability makes for an entirely new single. This is admittedly what makes the first half of You Could some of the better 25 minutes of music this year. The choruses keep switching, melodies are rearranged halfway through the songs and Kapranos and Co. keep finding a new way to make heads nod. Medium-tempo gems like "Walk Away" suggest that there is new sonic territory to be explored. "This Boy," the strongest track on the record, has a robotic guitar line and undeniably weird chorale yell that is so jarring it takes two listens to fully appreciate its artistry.

On the back end of the album, Franz takes plenty of opportunity to let their frantic rock gems breathe with a trio of slower tunes. "Fade Together" offers some light Scottish love fluff, but the strength lies within "Eleanor Put Your Boots On." This acoustic guitar and grand piano-driven track sans drums boasts a vintage production like something their pop rock predecessors might've recorded 35 years ago.

What makes You Could Have It So Much Better so great is not its indelible resemblance to post-punk stalwarts Gang of Four or Wire. It's not the fact that Franz basically reconstructed their self-titled debut with a handful of mellowed tunes to blur the pace. It's obviously not the Benday dots on the cover. It's the fact that Franz is simply taking what they do best and reapplying it in ways that are simply impossible to resist. The buzz band may be back, but this album proves that Franz can beat the hype hump.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars