Experience Franz Ferdinand’s TV Debut of “Lonely in a Bar”

Franz Ferdinand’s Television Debut

Franz Ferdinand made his television debut with the new song “Bar Lonely”. CBS Saturday Sessions — see the footage below.

• READ MORE: Franz Ferdinand returns with “Audacious” and tells us about the new album “The Human Fear”'

Upcoming Album Release

The Scottish indie band are gearing up to release their sixth studio album, The Human Fear, next week (January 10) via Domino Records and have so far shared singles “Night Or Day” and “Audacious.” You can pre-order/pre-save the album here.

In anticipation of the release, the group appeared on CBS Saturday Sessions where they performed both singles as well as “Bar Lonely” live in the studio. The latter had its first public performance, not counting its appearance in the band's set lists in late 2024. You can watch three songs here:

Insights from the Band

Produced by Mark Ralph (who previously worked with Scotland's 2013 Mercury Prize winners on Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action), The Human Fear marks the band's first studio album since 2018's acclaimed dance album Always Ascending.

The press release promises that the album’s 11 tracks “will all hint at some of the deep-seated human fears and how overcoming and accepting those fears drives and defines our lives.”

Talking to NME about the record, frontman Alex Kapranos shared, “I don't think there's a single song that you'll hear on the album and not think, 'Oh, that's Franz Ferdinand?' At the same time, there will be thoughts of, “Oh, did they really do that?” It's not like I'm starting to rap or anything like that.”

He also explained what he believes “Human Fear” is: “We all have fears in our lives, and those fears are kind of the key to understanding who we are—how we react to them, how we overcome them (if we overcome them). The greatest moments in your life usually involve overcoming some kind of fear. Sometimes it's a paralyzing fear, but when it's overcome, my God, it's the greatest thrill in the world!

“Let's say you're asking your partner out on a date for the first time; it's horrible. Or moving to a new city and not knowing anyone. On the album, I talk about different fears that I have seen in other people: fear of social isolation, fear of leaving the institution, fear of leaving or staying in a relationship. When I wrote the songs, it wasn't like a clinical analysis, I only realized that afterwards.”

The band are also set to kick off a small run of in-store dates on January 9, followed by a tour of the UK and Europe. A full list of dates can be found here and come here for tickets.