Saturday, June 6, 2009

Folie A Deux: A Madness Shared by Two

I figured I could start this blog by describing what is going to be in it, but I could not just sit and wait to start this. So on that note, lets jump right in, and I'll let you all figure it out as we go.

As you could probably guess, first up on the chopping block is the band everyone loves to hate, or hates to love, Fall Out Boy, and their most recent album "Folie A Deux"

Lets start off with the beginning, Fall Out Boy brings something very poppy and catchy, very good tune, and catchy lyrics of course. But as the album progresses it seems to lose its power, or its musical flow. The energy of the album seems to burn off in the first couple of songs, with a try for redemption, yet failed, later on.

This album yet again finds more synth and instruments that the band themselves does not even play. It reminds me a little bit of some late 80's or 90's pop rock. The instrumentals that the band does play, is greatly dumbed down, even since their last album (Infinity on High). This is not to even mention that since the first "well received" album, with each release, the instrumental playing seems to slide as well.

The lyrics take a little bit of a hit as well. It seems with more and more acceptance into public eye and "progression" as a band, their lyrics become more and more like every song on the radio and less about their joy. Many songs on this album revert to old songs and old times of being a band, and partially of how they don't seem to have liked where this is starting to veer off into.

In the early days, before the "Joe fro" and before Pete went all femme on us, there was background screaming (a lot in Take This to Your Grave, and some in FUCT), the drumming was insane, and there were fast paced guitar riffs that resembled some of their hardcore backgrounds as well. Have we all forgotten that Pete was once in a band with Tim McIlrath (lead singer of Rise Against) in which Pete was the lead vox (and yes, he scrame, check out Arma Angelus, who was also signed to an amazing record company for metal/hardcore - Eulogy Recordings).

I hate to say this, but it needs to be said. With each album, Fall Out Boy progresses and shows us great musical range, but with each album, their music is dumbed down and becomes less and less interesting to listen to. I can admit that they have catchy tunes and catchy lyrics, but it isn't an album that even if I liked one song on it greatly, that I wouldn't skip any songs. They once said in an interview on their DVD, that they were going to dress up their music, and Fall Out Boy music was always going to be Fall Out Boy music, and I have to disagree. I feel like they changed themselves for the money, and that they don't stay true to themselves.

All I can say is this, I used to love them, even designed a tattoo or two based on their lyrics. But where were you all when Fall Out Boy played with Acceptance on a nationwide tour in 2003 and entrance fees were about $8? Oh yeah, thats right, you were in 4th grade. Young ears are easily persuaded by media and peer influence.

Bands that go down this road, tire themselves out. Fall Out Boy's on stage performance looks so routine, it looks like they don't want to be there, and it looks like they don't enjoy playing many new songs from the past 2 albums. Find performances from 2003 or 2004, their attitude looks so much different. Look what happened to Good Charlotte, they were the "Fall Out Boy" when FOB was just getting started. GC got tired of how "sold out" they were and started writing songs about how they don't like where they are, and then tried to lay low.

To anyone who disagrees, to each their own, but Fall Out Boy needs to shape up and remember their roots. I have to say, when I first heard "Thriller" by them, I was excited and hoped they were going to incorporate a little more heavy riffs and everything into their music, something like Four Year Strong or New Found Glory started to do recently.

























Album: 3 out of 10 zings.

Message to band: bring back some of your old roots. I think old and new fans would love to hear some pop-punk/core fusion.

No comments:

Post a Comment