Fall Out Boy
As catchy as it is clever, Fall Out Boy have created yet another album to be proud of. Although their last studio album, Infinity on High was received with mixed reactions from critics, the singles Thnks fr th Mmrs and This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race proved popular with their newly devout fans. And Folie A Deux will surely be no exception.
Stand out tracks include opening song Lullabye/Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes which not only opens with a drumming thump similar to that of The Who’s Teenage Wasteland but smoothly invites their typical pop punk riff to join in, characteristic of songs from From Under The Cork Tree – the album that took them from just another band, to THE pop punk band.
The manliner wearing emo rockers have matured but certainly not changed. Stating “Nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy†they inject a sufficient amount of happiness into their lyrics, revealing a distinct change in rhythm and attitude.
With their formula of cynical lyrics and uncontrollably upbeat tunes, it is difficult not to tap your feet and feel your teeth on show, despite what you’re listening to being about complete anarchy and rebellion, in track two I Don’t Care.
This clever opposite makes the album that more clever and although the song titles are yet again bizarre, Fall Out Boy are fully aware they can get away with it. In fact, covering icon Michael Jackson’s Beat It is a brave move, but with lead singer Patrick Stump and his incredibly high pitched voice, it magically works somehow. The video for this cover has even been nominated for Best Rock Video at this year’s MTV VMA’S.
Generally it is difficult to distinguish this album from any of their others without close dissection, but for those who loved the others, there’s no reason why they won’t love this even more.
Folie A Deux will be released on December 16.
Rating - 3.5/5 Skip to - The (Shipped) Gold Standard
By Karen Asbury