During the past decade, there have been two rock bands that have been notoriously associated with making bad music: Nickelback and Fall Out Boy. Although I don't have much to say on behalf of Nickelback, I've summoned up the courage to offer an impassioned defense one of my all-time favorite rock bands. The cynic might respond, "Well that's just like, your opinion man." That's a valid point, but I can try to make a case for at least giving Fall Out Boy a fair shot.
1. The musical genius of Patrick Stump
Most people would associate Fall Out Boy with this guy, Pete Wentz:
And while Pete is a perfectly respectable bass player, his claim to fame really comes from his outgoing personality. The beating heart of the band, however, is Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy's lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter. Patrick was originally the band's drummer back in the band's early days, until it was discovered that he was gifted with a uniquely powerful and soulful voice. He put his multi-instrumental skills on full display with the release of his 2011 solo effort, "Soul Punk," playing all the instruments on the album himself. Here's a little-known song off of Fall Out Boy's third album featuring Patrick's voice in all its glory:
2. Musical Diversity
This point would probably take most non-Fall Out Boy fans by surprise. People usually think of Fall Out Boy as your typical pop-rock band that is radio-friendly enough to get major airplay. However, anyone who digs through their discography will find a starkly different picture. The band started off in the underground pop-punk scene in Chicago in the early 2000s, in the wake of bands such as Green Day and Blink-182. Fall Out Boy's earlier material has a decidedly heavier and more rock influenced edge, perfectly capturing the tension of teenage angst. Exhibit A:
Fast forward to 2007's "Infinity on High," and we start to hear a more mature, polished, alternative rock sound, with occasional hints of R&B. Fall Out Boy's 2008 release "Foile á Deux" is their most varied album to date, replete with unabashed hip-hop beats and poppy chord progressions, while not straying from their rock roots. While their recent albums have fallen squarely into typical pop-rock territory, it is fascinating to listen to the gamut of styles Fall Out Boy has adopted. This song off of "Foile á Deux" is a remarkable blend of R&B and rock elements:
3. The Lyrics
One consistency you can find throughout all of Fall Out Boy's albums is a love of wordplay and lyrical cleverness. Nowhere is this more prominent than Fall Out Boy's penchant for wordy song titles (apparently this was a response to a tendency in '90s rock music to have one-word song titles). For example:
"Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends"
"Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued"
"I've Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)"
Their earlier albums are chock full of snarky one-liners usually directed at the members' ex-girlfriends. Here's an example off of Fall Out boy's first album stacked from top to bottom with these witty "zingers":
4. The Catchiness
One thing that I remember about when I first listened to Fall Out Boy's music was its instant likability. I was able to listen through an album once, and while I wouldn't necessarily like every song, I would immediately know which ones were going to be my favorites. On top of this, the way Fall Out Boy writes songs isn't the typical manner you'll find today, where most songs you hear on the radio pound the chorus into your head with the mercilessness of a jackhammer. The best Fall Out Boy songs have melodies with amazing "stickiness," or tunes that are so melodic that they don't even require a plethora of plays to get into your head. The best example of this is a classic song that all of us have heard on the radio at some point during our childhood:
Now go forth and listen, my friends.
