Fall Out Boy “Folie à Deux” Review
I’m disappointed.
With this album, I was hoping to have one of those “music writer moments” where I boldly go against the grain and chastise all you indie-kid elitists for failing to recognize the brilliance of these pop geniuses, where I’d courageously stand up against the holier-than-thou crowd unfairly hating on a great band in the name of the never-ending scenester Olympics. It would have been great.
Unfortunately, Folie à Deux isn’t really that interesting.
Let’s take a step back though. I DO think that Fall Out Boy is unfairly hated on. Infinity on High was a legitimately great pop album; the band was able to effectively showcase their strengths: a singer who can actually sing, lyrics that—while not exactly great poetry—were at least interesting and engaging, and a real knack for melody and pop songwriting. If nothing else, Pete Wentz understands that the term “hook” is as much about lyrics as it is about melody; his songwriting is almost emcee-like in its emphasis on punchlines and quotable lyrics.
Yes, the lyrics can also be kind of juvenile. But with Infinity on High, they were at least memorable. Almost every band these days”even the good ones”has eighth grade love poetry or nonsensical gibberish as lyrics; Wentz is as guilty as the next guy on that point, but he was also able to insert more than a handful of “oh shit” moments into the rest of the gobbledygook. This “pocketing” approach is an effective way to make the good lines really pop—ask Aesop Rock.
Fall Out Boy also displayed a kind of bombast that was really refreshing. They’re criticized for lacking subtlety, but in a rock scene that is, at times, too subtle (whispery, non-confrontational, lo-fi vocals over sparse arrangements have been big for the past few years) it was kind of nice to hear a singer who understood that rock, pop and soul music are all branches of the same tree. Patrick Stump hasn’t always been successful in American Idol soul man-mode, but he remains fun to listen to, a broadsword in an era of straight-razors.
Folie à Deux, however, comes up short in every category that made Infinity on High interesting, and in doing so justifies some of the vitriol directed at the band.
The arena-rock aspects of the album are too predictable (when those Van Halen drums come in on “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes,” it almost ruins an otherwise great song), while the weirdness is a little too forced (“Hey guys let’s let Elvis Costello sing a verse from one song at the end of a different song for no reason!” or “Hey guys let’s bring in Lil Wayne to mumble something for no reason!”)
And lyrically, the memorable couplets are few and far between, and the songwriting in general is just kind of boring. “What a Catch, Donnie” takes an interesting concept (the Donnie refers to Donny Hathaway, I’m assuming) and mystifies it beyond recognition. Other songs are about dealing with fame, relationships and typical pop song stuff. There are a few good moments: “I’m a loose bolt of a complete machine/what a match: I’m half-doomed and you’re semi-sweet;” “I don’t care what you think/ as long as it’s about me;” and a few others, but overall the lyrics are more confusing than anything.
Again, confusing lyrics are as much a part of rock and roll as trashing hotel rooms, but with Fall Out Boy, I expected something more.
A few elements do, however, stand out in a positive way. The first couple songs would have been great second-tier tracks on their last album, particularly the aforementioned “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes.” The band retains their ridiculous knack for melody as well. Even when I didn’t fall in love with a particular song, I could still hear it in my head later. Pop music is supposed to be catchy. Finally, the dynamics and theatricality of the album made it a fun listen—Fall Out Boy loves their breakdowns, crescendos, out-of-left field bridges and all that stuff. At times, the songs sound like they could be pulled from a really uptempo musical.
All in all, if you’re going to dislike Fall Out Boy, do it for the right reasons. Don’t hate on them because they’re an indie band that got popular, or because they’re a pop/punk band who really leans toward the “pop” half of that equation, or because their bassist is a media whore, or because your cool internet friends tell you they’re, like, the worst thing EVER.
Fall Out Boy have as many redeeming qualities as the latest flavor-of-the-moment cottonball-core indie band or hipster dance party electro act. Folie à Deux, however, just isn’t their best work. As much as I’d love to have my moment of contrarian glory, I might have to wait for Creed to release another album or something.
“Fall Out Boy have as many redeeming qualities”(they were never an indie band)…that’s being more than generous, I suppose Gym Class Heroes are underappreciated.
cheers
isn’t Uprising, who released some of their early albums, an indie label? it’s not like the band was mashed together on some reality show.
and as for gym class heroes… i’m harder on hip hop acts so i’d probably have less positive to say.
Pretty cool all the stuff they’re doing with this release… The MicroSD thing, a show on Fuse tomorrow night, must be an exciting time for them.
I actually like this album. It mixes what was good from under the cork tree and mixes it with what was introduced in infinity on high. Still my favorite album by fall out boy will stay under the cork tree.
I love this album. I agree that mixes everything about Fall Out Boy that us die hard fans have grown to like. All the special guests on the CD make it interesting. This one of the best Fall Out Boy CD’s in my opinon.
..even if you accept the fact that they’re clearly leaning towards the “pop” element…the way Patrick Stump is singing on this album is horrible. it’s like the worst days of boyband-history all over again..I’m really disappointed.
this is one of the worst albums i’ve ever shoved into my ears.
(gym class heroes’ papercut chronicles is amazing)
o my gosh, i love this review, ur are a very talented writer…a critical critic… People often say” i hate fall out boy, becuase girls like Pete… ” The fact that their music is making airplay is because they make some people (many people, Packing concerts happy…. ) but i love this album maybe because of the catchyness…..i give the album more credit.. strangely this is my fav album now
I think you fail to see the deeper meanings to the songs in the Folie A Deux album. I never respected FOB because all their albums sounded the same, but after this new one, i have a newfound respect for them.
The album is art. albeit, i do agree at least of it has been plagiarized (van halen drums/beatles-esque leads into other songs/guest singers/etc) however, i think they are breaking out of their mold and i commend them for that–it is always a gutsy move. overall, id say Folie A Deux is a solid B.
Correct. This was not misunderstood art. This was a C- Album. Take this to your grave, infinity on high, from under the cork tree were art, this was not art. I think P. Stump sings better than ever before, but the lyrical and musical contect isn’t even mediocre. I think Pete writes better when depressed, with having a family now he may be happy but the Muse definitely left him.
i luff ux fall out boy………………xD
wht does foile a duex mean any way
I agree for the most part. I don’t believe they were ever “Indie”. They seem emo [the genre, not the "depressed" people] /punk, but are now leaning more towards pop. I am a Fall Out Boy fan, so I believe I have the right to say Stump’s voice is edited [compare a live version from youtube to a CD version]
It’s still amazing, but I had to point that out.
They are trying too hard to peak again like they did with “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” and “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by getting in Costello and Lil’ Wayne, which is totally pointless.
i thought infinity on high was flawless! but the new album, folie a deux is really not as good at all! i thought that some of the songs sounded like christmas carols. i really didnt like the album. pete can u pls write emo songs again and do what u did before instead of trying to make money because you made more before anyway! i am still a fan of fall out boy but i will not listern to the new album, i will wait for the next………maybe it will be better!(like infinity on high)
I really LOVE fall out boy but I have to say that this album isn’t as good as there previous ones but I still enjoyed it. I prefer Patrick’s voice now I think that it’s got more of a soul quality to it rather than in “Take This To Your Grave”. They’re trying to be differnet and I respect them for it. Although there best album by far has to be “From Under The Cork Tree”. But yeh FOB are still awesome.
Folie à Deux was farrrr better than Infinity On High I’d say, and it doesn’t take too much to top the New Found Glory-fest that was Take This To Your Grave, where all the songs sounded nigh on identical.
As for the lyrics, they’re… fairly impenetrable, but it doesn’t take that much work to work out what they’re about, and then finding meaning in them is rewarding. Pete Wentz said it was gonna be about US politics, so you have somewhere to start from.
…Also, uh, I’ve got the special edition of this CD and have yet to hear any Lil Wayne. Whuh? That dude’s one of my favourite rappers.
Right. I actually like this album though I do respect what is being said. I used to hate this band for really no reason at all except I despised Pete Wentz. Then my friend deciding she too also “hated” fall out boy gave all her CD’s to me because I had mentioned I wanted three songs which I thought didn’t suck “Sugar, we’re going down” etc.
But i listened to every song and I love them now and I love this album. I looked up the fraise Folie à deux and it made me understand it so much better. It is the name of a mental disease. Translated it means “A madness shared by two”. You catch the persons delusions and mirror their emotions and irrational beleifs etc. This made me understand everything. The songs, the picture on the front of the CD with the bear and the boy dressed as a bear.
I think this album is wonderful, the songs are catchy and the lyrics may be confusing but in a good way cos it makes you think. Don’t hate on Fall Out Boy just cos of Pete Wentz (which apart from his song writing I stil continue to hate).
And don’t think listening to crappy underground bands makes you cool. It doesn’t. They made it cos they’re good. Just deal.