Still regarded by purists of either camp as natural enemies, dance and rock make a happy couple in Franz Ferdinand's dizzy universe, especially on this third album of thick club bass, flirtatious vocals, jumpy guitars and shameless synthesizers. What saves "Tonight" from full-tilt disco infernal is singer Alex Kapranos' sneering detachment from the giddy grooves. He's aloof yet fully in command on the Glasgow quartet's alt-disco, whether it's such familiar sexy gallops as the glam-funked "Ulysses" or surprising dance-floor inventions from the epic "Lucid Dreams" to the quirky electro-dub of "Dream Again."

Don't wait for a cerebral payoff. Franz's attributes lie on the surface in 42 minutes of irresistible mindless fun, with the musical thrills as ephemeral as the back-alley romantic rendezvous in "Katherine Kiss Me." Lyrics may lack the emotional depth charges or keen turns of phrase to leave a lasting impression, but the propulsive rhythms keep the night fever burning. Download: "Ulysses," "No You Girls," "Live Alone"

— Edna Gundersen

Their music may sound as sweet as cotton candy and sparkle like soda pop, but singer Inara George and producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin are offering considerably more than just a few empty calories. Don't let their whimsy fool you: These are songs that can both soar and sting.

— Elysa Gardner

Without Bird's restraint and delicacy, "Noble Beast" might have been a mess, given its leaps into jazz, folk, electronica, indie-pop and country, all contained in subtle if eclectic chamber music. Tunes may be complicated, rhymes too literate, but it's tough to fault Bird for egghead excess.

— Edna Gundersen