Review Summary: A tiny bit rough around the edges, So Much (For) Stardust is an original, present-day take on the band’s past reflections while encompassing the style and motivation they have excelled at in earlier years.
There’s really nothing like going back to your roots and reimagining past experiences for the better. For Fall Out Boy, this trip down memory lane that spawned their newest release, So Much (For) Stardust was much needed as the band seeks to dust off their knees from their previous album, Mania. An album that had left plenty to be desired which had the boys running for a hiatus (with no signs of a bounce-back return thanks to the Covid pandemic), Mania was a crushing blow to the band’s discography and many were left wondering how they would recoup afterwards. The year is now 2023 and we finally get to hear the newest release that features refreshing yet familiar sounds from moments of the band’s historical higher points. In So Much (For) Stardust, Fall Out Boy buckles down into the formula that has kept them grounded and approachable in earlier years but also sprinkles in originality and refinement that comes from experience from their best achievements.
Part of what makes this album such a delightful refreshment is that it’s something we are actually already familiar with. Neal Avron who has previously sat in the producer chair for Folie * Deux, rejoins the band’s enthusiastic endeavors to make an album that is simple but passionate- stemming from the emotional journey the band has gone through over the past five years. Tracks such as opener, “Love From The Other Side,” “Heaven, Iowa,” and “Hold Me Like A Grudge” are strong sonic callbacks to when the band could dial in their charming, signature pop-punk sound with their wacky, coiled lyrics. The best songs here are strongly produced with a very sturdy sound of boomy and roomy drums, distorted guitars that sit comfortably in the mix, and solid vocal performances by Patrick Stump featuring his iconic bellows and falsettos. Notably, I am a huge fan of tracks, “I Am My Own Muse” that feature a wonderful transition into a powerful string orchestra that supports aggressive syncopated, dark-style guitar riffs and drums. This song adds a wonderful contrast from the first half of the record and is impressively dynamic and exciting to hear. My favorite moment on the record comes at the end where the band creates this yin-yang effect where tracks, “What A Time to Be Alive” and “So Much (For) Stardust” come together in harmonious duality. The former establishes itself as a very fun and flashy, triumphant standard that basks in the band’s journey through the years and hopeful look to the future. The latter is sorrowful in timbre with more somber strings backed by a darker hip-hop style drum beat and accentuated horn pops. There is nice instrumental space here that has room to breathe between Stump’s vocal delivery and a striking chorus that hits to the record’s thematic core.
I won’t delve too deep into what the fallbacks on this record are because they are mostly aligned together with awkward, trivial lyrics (“So let’s sneak in from the cheap seats, honey/And we’ll drive until the engine just gives up,”), and overly standard written sections that leave little to be desired. The point of this project is to focus on Fall Out Boy’s successful comeback after the past couple LP releases have been more of a shallow attempt to reinvent themselves. So Much (For) Stardust creates a great deal of musical interactions that don’t take themselves too seriously but are a wide step above lackluster experiences that seek to dazzle and appeal to a wide array of audiences. Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, Fall Out Boy have been able to come back to the good graces of listeners with an exceptional performance on this latest project. A tiny bit rough around the edges, So Much (For) Stardust is an original, present-day take on the band’s past reflections while encompassing the style and motivation they have excelled at in earlier years.
