Folie a Deux

Fall Out Boy gives itself full swing

One of the new millennium’s most outstanding collectives, a pop punk band Fall Out Boy, has certainly revealed its creative potentials to full extent already releasing three quite successful albums. Its 2007’s creation Infinity On High has proved to be especially interesting conquering even more fans and proving that the guys appreciate their reputation of bold, original and professional musicians. Yet less than two years later vocalist Patrick Stump and bassist Pete Wentz have already written so many new songs that they are more than enough to make a new album which Fall Out Boy releases a bit earlier than the Christmas eve. The record Folie A Deux (translated from French as ‘madness shared by two’) proves worthy of each of its predecessors and continues to confirm that this band always have a great multitude of most unexpected ideas. This time around Fall Out Boy has gone even farther in widening the stylistic frames and given itself full swing. First, there are collaborations with hip-hop producers and performers on Folie A Deux, second, the piano parties are notably more numerous here and finally some folk elements have appeared on songs for the first time.

Folie A Deux most impresses with heavy numbers

The producer of the album is Neal Avron in whose house Fall Out Boy has spent hours recording and processing the material. The result of these joint efforts is an outstanding record Folie A Deux most impressive with the band’s characteristic heavy numbers. Such is for instance the first single I Don't Care, the most easy-going piece on the album full of self irony flavored with a small portion of boldness. A contagious rhythm and simple melody leave no doubt concerning the rightness of the song choice as it gives quite a complete impression of the entire album. Another unserious song She's My Winona is refined with great guitar hooks while track America's Suitehearts proves to be one of the highlights on Folie A Deux due to an impressive many layered arrangement, a most powerful chorus and appropriate backing vocals. Besides those folk elements the authors have boasted are revealed here especially brightly. A nice composition The (Shipped) Gold Standard pleases with a memorable chorus whereas song (Coffee's For Closers) is another example of the successful use of the new elements from Fall Out Boy who has still preserved its punk sounding. A melodious ballad What A Catch, Donnie contrasts with a heavier composition 27 filled with despair. A stylish track w.a.m.s proves to be one of the most danceable on the record, by the way, it is collaboration with Pharrell Williams refined with splendid heavy metal-like guitars. The album closes with another rock number West Coast Smoker making it clear that despite all the experiments Fall Out Boy always remains itself.

Even more interesting nuances, layers and implications

It seems that everything should be very easy and understandable for a collective like Fall Out Boy: it could well be continuing to write those powerful bold hits which can be found in abundance on the previous albums. Yet it is apparently not the one to choose the beaten path. Flying with the speed of lightning to the tops of the world charts in its time this band is still looking for and successfully finding the ways to approve or at least verify its sounding. The protagonists of the new ‘madness’ Folie A Deux are once again Stump and Wentz who have had no difficulty in adding even more interesting nuances, layers and implications into their music. Besides an important role is given to the vocals here as the new lyrics shines even brighter with witticisms and irony. At the same time the object of the authors’ close attention is not only the album’s content side but its form, too. Thus as before there are some songs with long titles on the new record and also some other jacks like numbers, brackets and abbreviations. Definitely if Fall Out Boy wanted to surprise the audience recording Folie A Deux it has succeeded. Most probably these guys will not relax on their next work so we can surely wait for another surprise and judging by the frequency of the new releases we will certainly not wait long.