indoorlights
12/14/08, 09:03 AM
Fall Out Boy - Folie à Deux
Record Label: Decaydance / Fueled by Ramen / Island
Release Date: December 16, 2008 (USA)
Change has arrived and it all begins in Chicago.
Less than two years after the release of the lackluster Infinity on High, Fall Out Boy have returned with a bevy of larger than life choruses and hooks sharp enough be entangled in listeners minds for weeks.
Opening the album with lead singer Patrick Stump's smooth vocals, "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" segues into a pulse-pounding introduction for the album. Fairly disheartening most of the album, bassist Pete Wentz does deliver some clever one liners on the track: "Perfect boys with their perfect ploys, nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy."
Stumps vocals on this album continue to improve showcasing a wide range of talents on tracks such as "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown" and "20 Dollar Nosebleed," which features Brendan Urie (Panic at the Disco). The latter song contains a simplistic drum beat layered with pianos noticeably different from any of Fall Out Boy's previous releases. It seems with this release, much of the experimentation performed during the Infinity On High sessions have finally found their groove (take "What a Catch, Donnie," for example).
Similar to "Golden," only due to their equally slow tempos, "What a Catch, Donnie" is one of the highlights on the album, with Stump once again performing a vocal how-to for the pop-punk scene. Near the end of track, guest vocalists Elvis Costello, Gabe Saporta (Cobra Starship), William Beckett (The Academy Is...) and several more Decaydance all-stars create an absolutely huge musical atmosphere.
Unfortunately, this album does have some flaws, one being the album closer "West Coast Smoker." Not only is it one of the worst songs on the record, it's simply just not very good. It's chorus is incredibly weak and ends the album on a bit of a disappointment.
Something else of note is the occasional lack of flow between album tracks such as "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" to "I Don't Care." The placement of the songs feels jumbled and, at several times, out of place.
However, songs such as "The (Shipped) Gold Standard," "Tiffany Blews" (featuring Lil Wayne), and "America's Suitehearts" all provide enough supreme powerpop goodness to keep this album afloat.
Fall Out Boy have evolved from playing the Knights of Columbus to sold out arenas all over the globe; too bad even those arenas aren't big enough for the choruses written on this album.
Fall Out Boy's From Under the Cork Tree
myspace.com/falloutboy (http://www.myspace.com/falloutboy)
Record Label: Decaydance / Fueled by Ramen / Island
Release Date: December 16, 2008 (USA)
Change has arrived and it all begins in Chicago.
Less than two years after the release of the lackluster Infinity on High, Fall Out Boy have returned with a bevy of larger than life choruses and hooks sharp enough be entangled in listeners minds for weeks.
Opening the album with lead singer Patrick Stump's smooth vocals, "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" segues into a pulse-pounding introduction for the album. Fairly disheartening most of the album, bassist Pete Wentz does deliver some clever one liners on the track: "Perfect boys with their perfect ploys, nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy."
Stumps vocals on this album continue to improve showcasing a wide range of talents on tracks such as "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown" and "20 Dollar Nosebleed," which features Brendan Urie (Panic at the Disco). The latter song contains a simplistic drum beat layered with pianos noticeably different from any of Fall Out Boy's previous releases. It seems with this release, much of the experimentation performed during the Infinity On High sessions have finally found their groove (take "What a Catch, Donnie," for example).
Similar to "Golden," only due to their equally slow tempos, "What a Catch, Donnie" is one of the highlights on the album, with Stump once again performing a vocal how-to for the pop-punk scene. Near the end of track, guest vocalists Elvis Costello, Gabe Saporta (Cobra Starship), William Beckett (The Academy Is...) and several more Decaydance all-stars create an absolutely huge musical atmosphere.
Unfortunately, this album does have some flaws, one being the album closer "West Coast Smoker." Not only is it one of the worst songs on the record, it's simply just not very good. It's chorus is incredibly weak and ends the album on a bit of a disappointment.
Something else of note is the occasional lack of flow between album tracks such as "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" to "I Don't Care." The placement of the songs feels jumbled and, at several times, out of place.
However, songs such as "The (Shipped) Gold Standard," "Tiffany Blews" (featuring Lil Wayne), and "America's Suitehearts" all provide enough supreme powerpop goodness to keep this album afloat.
Fall Out Boy have evolved from playing the Knights of Columbus to sold out arenas all over the globe; too bad even those arenas aren't big enough for the choruses written on this album.
Fall Out Boy's From Under the Cork Tree
myspace.com/falloutboy (http://www.myspace.com/falloutboy)