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The Vector

NJIT's Student Newspaper

The Vector

NJIT's Student Newspaper

The Vector

Fall Out Boy Fans Put On Their War Paint

Fall Out Boy Fans Put On Their War Paint

Jennifer Ligo

The past two months have been a wish fulfilled for Fall Out Boy fans, ever since the band announced the end of their hiatus. Along with that news, the band revealed that they also were playing shows that very week, announcing tour dates, and that they had also already recorded what would be their fifth studio album.

The band, which originally formed in 2001 in Wilmette, Illinois, has been working hard to make up for lost time by planning new tours, releasing songs with videos, and also having giveaways with the pre-orders of the new album. Originally, the album, Save Rock and Roll, was set to be released on May 6, 2013, marking 10 years after the release of their first studio album, Take This to Your Grave. The date was then move up about a month to April 12, 2013 since the fans eagerly welcomed the band back and the album had already been recorded in secret. The album became available for streaming on SoundCloud on Monday, April 8, 2013. The album was also advertised for $7.99 as an iTunes preorder. Featured artists include Foxes on “Just One Yesterday”, Big Sean on “The Mighty Fall”, Courtney Love on “Rat a Tat”, and Elton John on the final track, “Save Rock and Roll.”

Obviously, the band has come a long way, and realistically they can’t be the same band they were years ago. For everyone who fell in love with the band around 2007, it’s a different tune, though not any less intricate, well crafted, or lyrically compounded. Especially considering the band has been on hiatus for about four years, this album definitely has the appeal of a comeback to embrace old fans and welcome new fans with open arms. The band, via their website, described the album as “the first record in a new chapter of Fall Out Boy. We made this music for ourselves and no one else at the end of the day.” The entire album is meant to be reminiscent of the way that a band makes their first album with no expectations and in that the sound it becomes raw and true. After taking so much time off, it is definitely going to be a new chapter of Fall Out Boy. They have changed so much as people and their music is definitely going to reflect that. Their music has always been crafted based on things that were going on around them, being built up around a core of reality. If you take the album as what the band means it to be, then you won’t be disappointed. If you compare it to past albums, it could feel like a different band save Patrick Stump’s vocals and some of the lyrical twists. It’s generally more upbeat and does not have as much of a dark overtone as, say, Infinity on High. It’s somewhat more like Folie a Deux with some of Stump’s Soul Punk swirled in, only with more featured artists and electronic sounds. Save Rock and Roll is “meant to be played loud, with the windows down on summer nights,” and to appreciate it, you should do just that.

I definitely love the new album, even though I know it’ll take a few more listens for certain tracks to grow on me. There are just so many new sounds on the album that haven’t previously been related to Fall Out Boy, but now are. The band is still making brilliant music, but in a slightly different direction. For making this album on their own terms, I have the utmost respect and really appreciate the album, especially as it forms their return as an active band. I know that Fall Out Boy’s members will always produce great music but I’m really glad that they are back making music together.

For those who can’t wait to see the band play the new music live, they have a few shows in the area. Fall Out Boy will be playing a sold-out show in New York’s Terminal 5 on May 29th. They will also be playing at Skate and Surf Festival on May 18th. The last show of the year in this area will be the NY show for the US Fall Arena Tour 2013. General admission tickets for the September 7th date at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY are sold out, but good news, tickets for seating are still available.

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