After four years away, Fall Out Boy have returned with their latest album, Save Rock and Roll. It has to be one of the most anticipated albums of the year so far, especially after the success of previous album, Infinity of High, which included the hits, ‘This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race’ and ‘Thnks Fr th Mmrs’.
After listening to the album, I have to say that Fall Out Boy have produced an album that current fans will love. There are a number of interesting collaborations on the album that provide great variety but never move away from the traditional Fall Out Boy approach.
The first track, ‘The Phoenix’, is a great opening to the album with an ‘Ill Manors’ inspired violin riff at the beginning. The song sets the scene for the rest of the album; it is dominated by that punching sound that is so exclusive to the band.
The second song from the album is one that has already reached number two in the iTunes charts, ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)’. Although this song has done exceptionally well in the thus far, there are still better songs on the album. Others such as ‘Where Did The Party Go?’ and ‘Miss Missing You’ are dominated by powerful choruses, with lead singer Patrick Stump demonstrating his fantastic vocal ability. One of the standout songs of the album is ‘Alone Together’, which will stick in your head immediately after the first listen.
One of the best features of this album is the fact that the band has included artists such as Big Sean and Elton John to add a different sense of sound to the album. Just like Maroon 5 teaming up with Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy have tried it with Big Sean and, although it is not the best song on the album, the collaboration works effectively.
The best song on the album by far is ‘Save Rock and Roll’; so good they named the album after it! The song is performed with one of the greatest musicians of all time in Elton John and the combination with Stump works perfectly. Another emotionally charged song that screams ‘Save Rock and Roll’ carries a clear message and is probably the best song Fall Out Boy have ever released in terms of originality. The band’s usual instrumentation is combined with John’s astounding skill on piano and when Stump and Elton John combine in the final chorus, it’s created a goose bump effect that turned the album from good to great.
If you are a fan of Fall Out Boy this album is going to be far from a disappointment. The band has kept to what they do best but has also avoided repetition, keeping their originality that made them so successful in the first place. It is difficult to find flaws in an album that is so enjoyable to listen to, and it shows that the band’s absence from the industry eventually paid off with an excellently produced album that feels like Fall Out Boy never really left in the first place.
