Patrick Stump - Soul Punk
Former Fall Out Boy front-man Patrick Stump has taken a huge step away from his rock roots with solo debut full-length Soul Punk.
Whilst the soul, R'n'B sounds may seem like a big departure for those who missed his dept EP Truant Wave earlier this year, it cements Stump as a phenomenal multi-intrumentalist and vocalist.
Stump's vocals carry this album, which is a solo record in the truest sense.
The former pop-punker recorded every sound on the record himself, from synth and guitar through to brass and drums, whilst also doubling as producer and sole song-writer.
It's an incredible feat, and one that will no doubt turn sceptics to admirers.
Stump adds, pardon the pun, soul to a genre that (all too often) feels over-saturated with generic and unremarkable acts relying on over-produced beats and a manufactured sound.
As his a capella YouTube videos showed, Stump has a stunning vocal rage without auto-tune, and it's only used occasionally here for effect.
He shows his influences, particularly on the Michael Jackson-esque 'Dance Miserable', an early highlight on a well-crafted record.
That track is a fantastic stand-out on the album, with some literally jaw-dropping vocals towards the end of a refreshing, funky number.
There will, admittedly, be a lot of fans disappointed in the direction the former FOB front-man has headed in, and we'll admit a stripped-down acoustic record would've made for a great album.
However, Stump has taken a real risk here, not resting on the laurels of his past success, moving in a completely unpredictable direction.
The complete DIY nature of the record adds to its charm, giving it an extra buzz to put it a step above most albums in its scene.
Songs like the 8-minute epic 'Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)' make Stump stand head and shoulders above his contemporaries and a very special talent, and it's almost unbelievable that he was ever the slightly over-weight, awkward voice of teenage angst.
Thankfully, blistering guitar solos on songs like 'Allie' show that Stump isn't setting any boundaries on his sound, combining his influence to create something exciting and unique.
There are, admittedly, some low points ('Coast (It's Gonna Get Better)' being one of the album's less-than-stellar moments), but these are rare on an otherwise consistent debut record.
Soul Punk is an album that should prove what fans have been saying for years - Patrick Stump is a phenomenal vocalist.
The 100% solo nature of the record only adds to its quality, and Stump has done a fine job in the production and instrumentation on what will stand out as a fantastic debut.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge
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