Gemma Nettle
A dramatic re-entering into the vein of rock, Fall Out Boy’s first singles – in more than five years – adventure into the familiar while giving a nod to something excitingly new.
If you’re like me, you’ll have binged Fall Out Boy’s entire discography at the mention of any new material from the American punk/emo rock band (they’re pretty genre-defying after so many years). From the highs of Folie à Deux and Save Rock and Roll to the controversial and alternative choices made in Mania, this band has been on quite the journey since its conception in 2001.
With the recent departure of pop punk mainstay, Panic! At The Disco – who were brought into the emo fold back in 2004 by FOB’s bassist Pete Wentz – it’s certainly a welcome time for the beloved band’s return. Especially since P!ATD‘s most recent albums took a turn into a different genre, which turned some fans off, as Brendon Urie abandoned his origins.
With P!ATD out of the picture, fans have had little place to turn. But all is not lost.
“Patrick Stump’s soulful voice transports us straight back to 2008”
Having ridden the rollercoaster of emotions FOB has taken us on through the years, their two new singles feel a lot closer to their roots than we’ve heard for a long time. Band members took a hiatus from 2009 to 2013, returning with their fifth studio album Save Rock and Roll – which received praise for its passion and was notable in illustrating the band’s progression.
American Beauty/American Psycho only solidified the path the musicians seemed to be taking. But, always keen to create something innovative and different, they usurped all our expectations with 2018’s Mania. It was a raucous introduction to the world of EDM and dubstep, which divided fans.
Love From The Other Side
It was difficult to predict which way these punk rockers were going to take their new music this time around. Then in come the dramatic first strings and keys of Love From The Other Side – the lead single for FOB’s eighth studio album So Much (For) Stardust.
This orchestral introduction lasts almost a full minute, still keeping us guessing until it finally shifts into gear and slams on the drums while shredding the guitar and bass.
“This is very much a return to form”
Lead guitarist Joe Trohman, who has stepped away from the band temporarily to focus on his mental health, told Rolling Stone he regretted the lack of guitar in Mania. Just hearing Love From The Other Side gives us the hope we need that FOB has returned to what they know best.
Those first few notes are enough to give long-time fans a warm, fuzzy feeling of familiarity, evoking nostalgia for tracks such as 20 Dollar Nosebleed and Thnks Fr Th Mmrs. Not to mention, lead vocalist Patrick Stump’s soulful voice transports us straight back to 2008 as he belts ‘every lover’s got a little dagger in their hand’. FOB’s hard rock influences certainly get their time to shine in this one.
Heartbreak Feels So Good
For now, the band seems to have traded in the longer song titles for catchier names, but we’ll see if they return to the old ways with any upcoming tracks.
Their follow-up single, Heartbreak Feels So Good, has a similar feel, talking about looking for the good in a bad situation. This is very much a return to form. Again, the guitar drives the song, much like their early music, but it feels distinct when set against the backdrop of their previous releases.
Andy Hurley’s drums build up the song, striking the perfect balance between something you can briefly side-step to while catching your breath – all the way to moments of aggressive head-banging. This track feels less rocky but is still filled with FOB’s usual angsty lyrics, written by Pete Wentz.
If this is what we can expect from the full album, we should be in safe hands. So Much (For) Stardust releases on March 24 via Fueled By Ramen.
Photo courtesy of Xie lipton via Unsplash. See image license here. No changes were made to this image.
Gemma Nettle
Gemma is one of our entertainment editors. She also works full-time as a reporter. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @gemmanettle.