As a journalism major, a larger portion of my work comes in the form of articles written for and about various topics. For anything posted here, I’ll describe what the topic was, as well as include if and where it was published.

M A N I A Review

This article was written to review the then new Fall Out Boy album, “M A N I A”. This article was not published, and was written as a project for a class.

M A N I A

MA N I A
Fall Out Boy
Island Records

For a band whose first studio album came out in 2003, Fall Out Boy is still going surprisingly strong. In their third album since a four-year hiatus back in 2009, FOB has done a surprisingly good job of adapting their once heavy punk-based style to the more pop-punk/EDM sound that seems to be the fashion for today. Even when compared to other bands in the genre like Panic! At the Disco, or 21 Pilots, M A N I Aholds its own as something fresh and new. In an album that took more than a year to come out – it was originally slated for September of 2017 but did not drop until January of 2018 and the band started it back in 2016 and…yea it was a long wait – FOB swapped their Fendersfor synths and delivered another lyrically entrancing album. 

While people may say that FOB is past their prime, M A N I A does a fantastic job of showing that they’re not dead yet. Take, for instance, one of the first lines on the first solo of the album, “Young and Menace,” 

“I lived so much life, lived so much life, I think that God is gonna have to kill me twice.”

Adapting to the post-guitar era of mainstream music the song more closely resembles Dubstep than rock anymore. However, this culture shift seems to fit with the overall concept of the album, and the switches between pounding bass and artificially high synths leaves the listener hypnotized. While there is a flow throughout the album, it jumps between tempos and genre, truly exemplifying the namesake of M A N I A.

However, it wouldn’t truly be “mania” if it didn’t have lows as well, and there are absolutely bits that fall flatter than others on this 10-track album. One of those would be the second single, “Champion”. In a song that seems to conjure the feelings brought on by anthems like “Centuries” or “The Phoenix”, “Champion” attempts to be another song for the ages. 

While it’s good in its own right, it seems to fall flat of the lofty expectations set before it, and while the lyrics are inspirational enough, they also show the darker side of Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz’s writing. While that contrast between inspirational music and depressing lyrics may work other times, this just doesn’t feel like one of them. 

Another example of the overwhelming sense of mania (in a good way) leads into the opening song on the album upon release, “Stay Frosty Milk Tea”. The first explicit track – it’s one of three on the album – the song is chock full of allusions to the psycho mentality that accompanies celebrity status and pop-culture in general. From references to Tanya Harding, to claiming that “even at the best of times I’m out of my mind”, to Stump asking the listener if they’re “smelling that sh**? Eau de résistance!” (a play on the French term for perfume, loosely meaning the smell of the resistance), the song feels all over the place. But, if you can listen to it and not want to rise up against some diabolical organization or start a revolution then we must be listening to different songs. As crazy as it feels, somehow it works and comes highly recommended for the next time you want to topple a corrupt government. 

As far as the lyrical genius that comprises so much of FOB’s work is concerned, I would have to point you toward “Church”, the (accidentally) released 7^thsong on the 7^thalbum, (the whole order of the album was changed a month after release by the band, and I really wish there was one more 7 in there but alas) an epic love song, full of fantastic lyrics over choirs, organs, and bells. 

“If you were a church, I’d get on my knees. Confess my love, I’d know where to be. My sanctuary, you’re holy to me.” 

This confession (ah, religious puns…) is not only powerful from a love song aspect, but is also just an impressive metaphor that they somehow can get stuck in your head after the first listen. The religious overtones of this song don’t stop here however, and actually carry into the next song on the album.

“Heaven’s Gate” may be my favorite FOB song to come out since the hiatus. This powerful ballad hits you quick and it hits you hard, shredding on your heart strings lyrically, but musically telling you that you should be in a movie-montage right about now. While this may not feel like any other FOB song, it doesn’t feel out of place either. It’s powerful, it’s fun and it’s everything you’d want out a power ballad.

M A N I A isn’t perfect, honestly, it’s not even great, but some of the songs on this album are damn good and if this is the direction that FOB is heading in, I’m more than happy to follow along. While, in this age of digital piracy and free music online everywhere, I won’t say “go spend $12 on this album”, however, I will recommend you giving it a listen. Or two. Or ten. Or however many it’ll take to satisfy the revolutionary budding inside you after that opening song. Best of luck, and “Stay Frosty” …