Fall Out Boy: Infinity On High
Fall Out Boy are the latest in a long line of teenage 'punk' bands coming from America
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Wednesday, 07, Feb 2007 04:15
Mercury, out February 5th.
In a nutshell.
American. Punk. Guitars. Tongue. Piercings.
What's it all about?
This is the second album from the hugely successful American 'post-punk' band Fall Out Boy. If you've never heard of them, then you might not be alone, but they've made a big splash on the other side of the Atlantic, where their catchy hooks and amusing wordplay lyrics have captured the imaginations of kids apparently still trying to get over Avril Lavigne. In truth, their imagination, if not their originality, has even won over fans in high places, with the likes of Jay-Z big supporters.
Who's it by
Fall Out Boy. The latest in a long line of teenage 'punk' bands stemming from Green Day to Blink 182 to Bowling for Soup, only this band is as about as punk as my grandmother. They are Patrick, Peter, Joe and Andy, and one of them even has tattoos. Two of them wear glasses, so there is naturally an intelligent wittiness to their poppy guitar-laden chorus heavy tunes, and one used to go out with Lindsay Lohan, apparently.
As an example.
"I am an arms dealer fitting you with weapons in the form of words/Don't really care which side wins as long as the room keeps singing/That's just the business I'm in." - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race.
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
God only knows what American kids are listening to these days - it may well be this, so who knows. They're massive in America. MTV Awards?
What the others say
"You have to be impressed by Fall Out Boy's ability to divide audiences into love-'em and hate-'em factions" - Rolling Stone
"Fall Out Boy could win the war on emo, the war on drugs and even the war on terror if they wanted to. As it stands, you'll never beat 'em, so perhaps you should join 'em." - NME
So is it any good?
At first glance, the word 'derivative' doesn't even do enough to sum up how easily this album can be pigeon-holed into the emo-punk bracket. Musically, there is absolutely nothing new on offer here. In fact, I'm sure it's the soundtrack to American Pie 3.
But then, that wouldn't do this album justice, which is as catchy as anything you are likely to hear in the charts, and the lyrics are a cut above the rest. Their boundless enthusiasm is endearing and annoying at the same time, as is the underdog status that they seem to court through the geeky styling and the geekier subject matter.
It would be very easy to dismiss Fall Out Boy - and I'm trying my best - but underestimate them at your peril. They could be about to take over.
5/10
Edwin Lane