After a three year hiatus, rock band Fall Out Boy released their comeback album “Save Rock and Roll.” The four-member band consists of Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley.
Their 2008 album “Folie a Deux” was a flop and it seemed like the end for the band. In April 2013, Fall Out Boy released this new album as a challenge to change their sound to be more modern and drift away from their previous “emo” persona.
“The Phoenix” is the first track on the album. It’s powerful strings and percussion instantly lets the listeners know that Fall Out Boy is back. The track consists of Wentz screaming over the music and makes it seem like a battle cry song. Definitely a solid choice for an album opener.
“My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” is the lead single for “Save Rock and Roll.” The track is full of energy and chant-like beats. It showcases the change that Fall Out Boy made to their original sound, and it works for them.
“Alone Together” is definitely more pop than most of the other tracks on the album. It has a lighthearted rock feel. The chorus is catchy and makes listeners want to sing along to the simple lyrics. As the song progresses, the instrumentation becomes louder and builds up an energy that makes you not want the song to end.
“The Mighty Fall” features an interesting unexpected collaboration with rap artist Big Sean. The song has the same feel as “My Songs” but it features more of guitar than the single. It takes the track a while for Big Sean to make an appearance after his opening blurb. When he starts his part, it seems more like a spoken word rather than a rap over the music. It is a good attempt at mixing genres but it could have been performed better with more variation in levels.
Rock anthem “Young Volcanoes” has elements that showcase some folk influence. Wentz’s vocals become a clear focus of the song as he belts out the first line of the chorus “We are wild, we are like young volcanoes.” This is definitely one of the best tracks on the album.
“Rat a Tat” features Courtney Love and has a heavy punk influence that resembles some of Fall Out Boy’s old sound with a twist. Love’s vocal addition does not really mesh with the song at all. They could have been left out and the track would be a solid single contender. The repetitive “rat a tat” chanting makes listeners want to sing a long even if it is their first time listening.
The final track on the album is “Save Rock and Roll,” which has a special collaboration with Elton John. This slow-paced track is different from everything else on the album. It seems a little cluttered but as John’s voice comes in, it all makes sense. The title basically tells you what the song is trying to do–save rock and roll.
Ivanna Tucker KSLC
Ivanna Tucker can be reached at [email protected]
