You may have heard of Fall Out Boy. They've drummed up enough attention through constant association with myspace.com and purevolume - the latter of which has secured a seemingly permanent position within its top 5 most-viewed artists. Their debut album, Take This To Your Grave, was a emo/alternative/pop fusion that proved its value from online downloads and a large fan base. There was a certain urgency in sarcastic titled songs like "Grand Theft Autum," and "Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over." The first time Fall Out Boy ever caught my full attention was when I heard a Christmas song that they released under "A Santa Cause" compilation. The acoustic track, entitled Yule Shoot Your Eye Out, showed off the lead singer's (Stump) soaring, melodic tone of voice. From that point on - I was hooked. Am I building up all this credibility for the band simply to rip them a new one for their latest album? Absolutely not. From Under the Cork Tree is their latest released and, to put it simply, it f-ing rocks. Let's have a more in-depth look, shall we?
REVIEW
Artist: Fall Out Boy
Album: From Under the Cork Tree
Release Date: May 3, 2005
1. Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued - The problem with reviewing Fall Out Boy is that I want to give a bias simply because of the creativity in their song titles. This track is definitely no exception. Fortunately, the opening track serves its purpose. A bouncy, guitar churning, anthem for Fall Out Boy to poke fun at their position in the music industry. "We're only liars, but we're the best (we're the best/) We're only good for the latest trends/ We're only good cause you can have almost famous friends/ Besides, we've got such good fashion sense." I won't give away too much else, but it's a pretty clever song, and an almost perfect choice for opening their second full-length album on a major label. Lyrically, it's a great opener - but in terms of tempo, it's no "Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today" from their first album. Overall, it's a great song. A-
2. Of All The Gin Joints In All The World - This is where Fall Out Boy truly shines. A hard-driven song with soaring vocals complete with "Oh Oh's" left and right. This song almost takes off where Jimmy Eat World could have gone after "Bleed American." A perfect example of why Fall Out Boy is so well received. They can maintain a punk-pop style while provided twists and turns which any other punk-pop affair could never offer. A
3. Dance, Dance - Finally we are met with a track which indicates that Fall Out Boy is indeed progressing. Dance, Dance is a sultry blast of punk-pop meets groove fusion. A respectable step, and a perfect addition to the stylistic mix within the album. A must listen (and dance if you want). A
4. Sugar, We're Goin Down - "Am I more than you bargained for yet/ I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear/ Cause that's just who I am this week," P. Stump croons at the start of the track. This is a song which teases you into knowing the words, but then frustrating you because you know you can't sing half as good as Stump, but then you're met with almost neutralizing satisfaction because you know your name isn't Stump, followed by the realization that Stump is, in fact, a badass name and you truly have lost the battle that is you vs. Fall Out Boy. Seriously though, this song is the one you show off to your friends when they tell you they've never heard of Fall Out Boy. The ideal Fall Out Boy formula. I can't stress it enough. Oh, by the way, I love the subtle piano touch in the second verse - check it out. A+
5. Nobody Puts Baby in The Corner - Lyrically, this song will give you a half smile. It's so damn clever. It's so hard to decide which verse to use as an example. For those of you who have a twisted sense of humor, this song offers lines like: "Drink down that Gin and Kerosene/ And come spit on bridges with me/ Just to keep us warm/ Light a match to leave me be." For those of you who are looking for meaninful satisfaction from lyrics, this song offers lines like: "Keep quiet/ Nothing comes as easy as you/ Can I lay in your bed all day/ I'll be your best kept secret/ And your biggest mistake/ The hand behind this pen relives a failure every day." The acoustic version of this song on their EP is just as good. This song is another Fall Out Boy classic. Nothing more to say. A-
6. I've Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth - Now, if this song was the first track on the album, I wouldn't have known who the singer was. It's a way different approach for Stump. He picks up in the chorus, of course, but the versus give a bit of a Cure ambiance to the whole song. Not their best, but a definite success in terms of stylistic change. About the closest to filler that this album ever gets and, believe me, that's saying a lot. B
7. 7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen) - And the energy resumes. A great middle track to give the album it's second wind. The guitar riffs and vocals make a seemingly simple song structure (you gotta admit that was a kick ass alliteration) more intricate. If this song were placed in the middle of the first four tracks, however, it may be less appreciated. I'll keep that thought aside however. B
8. Sophomore Slump or Comeback of The Year - Mid-tempo churning popfest. Fall Out Boy does something incredible in every track that they offer. When you hear a Fall Out Boy, you are guaranteed to like the chorus by the time the last third of the song comes around. Fall Out Boy have a way of stripping down or tweaking their choruses in the bridge. You never realize how much you like the song until the last third comes around. By the time you listen to the song again, you appreciate it that much more. Of course I wouldn't go into all of this banter if this song isn't a perfect showcase of a such a skill. About two minutes into the song, Fall Out Boy works their magic. I hate to do it again, but some of the structure and production of this song remind me of Jimmy Eat World again. What's with that? Did I sleep with them last night or something? But seriously they've got a vibe to the song much like JEW (heh heh) have in Futures. Anyway, I reserved the space for track eight's review for my damn autobiography it seems. B+
9. Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends - Love this song title. 25th Hour, baby. Great verses, great chorus. Relatively catchy all around. A perfect example of pop/punk meets emo. It's not going to strike you like the first several tracks of the album, but it's a well deserved addition to the album. B+
10. I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me - Love the title - ridiculously flippin' long. Good faster-paced song. Once again, I think my standards are too high after the first half of the album. The chorus is catchy, the lyrics are good, what's not to like? Well, it's, um, well, it's not a driving force on this album as a whole? Yea, that works. You'll see! B
11. A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me" - They can't just make a title like "Anthem" can they? The song delivers what the title promises. "And you're just the girl all the boys want to dance with/ And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances." About being too shy to try and get a little "touch me." It's a got a beat which reminds me of all the standard pop punk bands out there deliver. The great thing about this? It's Fall Out Boy! They take a catchy pop rhythm and riff and make it their own. You'll be singing along to this song in no time - I promise. A
12. You're A Concrete Boy Now (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows) – Great showcase of Stump’s pipes. Lots of changeups in the song’s structure and especially vocals. A bit more raw towards the end. At first I wasn’t sure I was into the attempt, but after a few listens it’s good to hear Fall Out Boy adding some new touches in their already much appreciated sound. B+
13. XO – I should have just made a general disclaimer about the last-third-of-the-song thing. Not many people I know responded much to this song, but I’m into it. I love the tempo of the chorus, the vocals, etc etc. An adequate closing song. It leaves you wanting more, and considering the weight of the album as a whole – that’s a good thing. You don’t hear the CD ending and wish you hadn’t shelled out 14 bucks for what you just heard. Well done. B+
