Fall Out Boy's semipermanent vacation has left frontman Patrick Stump with a lot of pent-up creativity. He seems to be struggling to get a thousand ideas out at once on this EP, made up of leftovers from the forthcoming LP Soul Punk. Mostly, Stump explores a post-emo club-pop style, dispensing wry aphorisms and sleazy come-ons ("Feeling woozy, not a floozy, but the booze makes her less choosy") on top of over-caffeinated synth loops. The results are a bit unruly: Does Stump know who he wants to be outside his old band? Maybe not, but hearing him try to figure it all out can be pretty fun.

Listen to "Cute Girls":

Video: Patrick Stump Merges Punk and R&B in New Solo Tunes

Gallery: Random Notes, Rock's Hottest Photos

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”