Album Reviews
View You have to be impressed by Fall Out Boy's ability to divide audiences into love-'em and hate-'em factions. Most of this intense reaction is due to the Wentz Factor. Singer-guitarist Patrick Stump's gee-whiz earnest voice strains with the strip-mall soul of classic Eighties car-radio voices like John Waite or Night Ranger's Jack Blades. But that voice wouldn't mean a thing without bassist-lyricist Pete Wentz's tortured egomaniac confessions. Together, they form a strange singer-writer unit, a hybrid character you would have to call Peterick or Wentztump or something. (Sure, Pete Townshend wrote Roger Daltrey's lyrics, but he also wrote the rest of the songs -- Wentz only does the words, then lets Stump and the band handle the music.) Wentz is the guy who makes non-fans see red, and he likes it that way. As he puts it on Infinity on High, "Fame < Infamy."
Fall Out Boy open the album with "Thriller," named after a Michael Jackson album they'd love to outsell, with a go-get-'em intro from label boss Jay-Z. Now that they're famous, they have even more sordid secrets to dish about, and it suits them. "This Ain't a Scene" is a bold single, complete with sampled drums and a Nineties R&B hook that sounds like Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It." But it's not an album of stylistic departures -- in gems like "The Take Over, the Break's Over," "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" and "The Carpal Tunnel of Love," these guys do all the things they're excellent at (mega-clever choruses, crescendo-stacking melodies, horrific puns) and none of the things they would suck at (saxophones, strings, slowing it down a little right about now).
In a casting coup, they bring in soul man extraordinaire Babyface to produce a couple of tracks, and the funny part is they sound exactly like all the others. But it's great to have 'Face back (where have you been, guy? We need you!), and he has to take some credit for the sheer brilliance of "I'm Like a Lawyer the Way I Keep Trying to Get You Off (Me and You)."
Before Fall Out Boy became famous, they had a song called "Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends." They've got more of both categories than ever now, and it wouldn't be their style to avoid taking sides. For a band that opens its album with the battle cry "Long live the car-crash hearts!" FOB know exactly who their real fans are and make no concessions to non-fans at all. They need non-fans to hate-hate-hate them the way Young Jeezy needs people to think he really sells drugs. When Stump bemoans spending his life "in hotel rooms collecting Page Six lovers," you realize Wentz probably wrote that line before hooking up with Lindsay Lohan. Makes you wonder if he wrote the song, then made a note to date Lindsay before the record came out -- you can't put it past him. He's a dork with his own supposedly hacked sex photos (yeah, right), whose chances of getting even the most sub-Lohan chicks if he weren't in a band would seem to rank with the proverbial snowball in hell, so it's no wonder he's a divisive figure. But he's why Fall Out Boy deserve every bit of their success: On Infinity on High, they expose the secret life of boys, in hilariously bloodcurdling detail.
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Your Turn
Review 1 of 70
mynameissonic51 writes:
If your a fan of Punk Rock music and you asked me which FOB Album would fit your music taste, i would tell you From Under The cork. But if you love good music and enjoy a Beatles St. Peppers Fell then i would tell you to buy this album (or steel it). This is one of my favorite albums of all time. each Track has pure diverity in music style's. From "The Take Over, The Breaks Over" punk rock style to The Carpal Tunnel of Love's Hard core genre to "This Aint a scene's" R&B style. To to mention the maturity and soulful vocals that Patrick Stump can perform brings splender to the ears. 100% orginal and unexpected of this Chicago baed band. Thats why it gets a perfect rating, Long live the Car Crash Hearts!
Jul 7, 2008 18:56:51
Review 2 of 70
dogofthetemple writes:
THEY NEED MORE MOTHER FUCKING COWBELL!!!!!!!!
Jun 1, 2008 13:01:00
Review 3 of 70
emorocker writes:
i am lost. ihave heard mixxed review on fob as a band such as there "stodio made".and that the pete wentz factor is kind of getting on my nervs but i do li from under a coark tree and infinity on high was a good album. but im lost on were i stand on like or dislike tords the band but i would for now go and get a new album if thay made one.but all and all i will stick with MCR and panic at the disco my fav. bands for now!
Mar 23, 2008 20:55:39
Review 4 of 70
jlukechamber writes:
If Fall Out Boy doesn't care about the non-fans
why is it that the only songs that they played in concert from "take this to your grave" were Grand theft Autumn and Satuday
IF they really didn't care what the people who aren't die hard fans think then they should have played more songs from their best CD
Feb 4, 2008 12:15:22
Review 5 of 70
fobislove writes:
okay..im not just another, OMG Pete is so hot! girl...though he is fall out boy is amazing! i love petes words & patricks voice! they aren't just a teenage band, my dad(46) constantly goes around the house reciting random lyrics from different songs & took a friend of mine and myself to the concert in roanoke. they are incredible, i can't stop listening to any of their cds. & can't wait for a new one
<3
Jan 4, 2008 06:56:06
Review 6 of 70
xrawritsmariel writes:
this review is pretty good!
I love fall out boy.
i love wentz's lyrics.
i love stumps voice.
its gives me eargasms.
yes eargasms.
though i feel this review payed too much attention to Wentz and no attention to Trohman or Hurley and very little attention to Stump. I find this a lot. but i guess that's how it is. anyways i think this album is genius.
Dec 30, 2007 17:42:52
Review 7 of 70
xxjustmusicoxx writes:
Fall Out Boy made a name for themselves fast with some of the older albums that appeal to younger teenagers but, I have also know older folks even in their thirties who like the catchy tones. I think Infinity On High is a good album with some good catchy tones on it. They did put out some big time radio hits. I don’t know how many times I am driving down the road and I hear “Thanks For the Memories” or “This Ain’t a Scene, Its an Arm Race”. I do have to wonder what is in store next for FOB.
Dec 27, 2007 19:06:37
Review 8 of 70
KDAW writes:
Fall Out Boy- Infinity on High
Living in a world with thousands of striving artists who endeavor to create the most inimitable, extensive song titles, bassist and lyricist of the Indie band Fall Out Boy, Pete Wentz doesn't make Infinity on High (Released February 6, 2007) an exception to the competition. Many critics have dumped-on this striking fourth album release; nevertheless, Fall Out Boy fans say that the added musicians and random musical choreography makes this one of the best Indie-emo albums of this time.
With song titles such as “I’m Like a Lawyer with the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off (Me + You), with the addition of Babyface performing on the organ, and even “I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None on My Fingers”, gives FOB a sense of both creativity and individuality. Unlike their other albums, Infinity on High has invited numerous featuring artist to mix things up, such as rapper Jay-Z for the intro and outtro to “Thriller”.
Aside from the exceptionally meaningful and intertwined lyrics, statements such as, “At night we're painting your trash gold while you sleep/ Crashing not like hips or cars/
No, more like parties” from hit-single “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” may throw you for a loop with much confusion. The intensive meaning inside the skillfully crafted lyrics gives us that feeling of security and pride in music.
Even though they are commonly referred to as just another “Panic! At the Disco”, the lengthy guitar solos and the extensive vocal range of singer, Patrick Stump, set these two bands entirely apart. FOB doesn’t make direct references to previous life situations, yet they craftily places them into this album at a more furtive level, unlike Panics! Ryan Ross who directly states suicidal thoughts and distresses with drugs.
Having many complaints about inappropriate song titles and incorrect release dates, Fall Out Boy still executed an astonishing accumulation of lyrical and musical wonders.
Oct 29, 2007 13:27:12
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