Why Patrick Stump's 'Soul Punk' might be one of the most important albums for Fall Out Boy
1. Explode
Their last hopes, on him they'd hungAnd they weighed him like a tonBut perhaps for him he'd none much left to loseTony, don't sweat itKeep your hands steadyYou were born on a dare but you were born readyCut the red wireOr was that the green wire?
Initially released as a single, Explode is the most famous song from the album. Just as the title suggests, it is aggressive and powerful, and packs quite a punch, right from the start. With an aggressive beat, the lyrics tell the story of a 'middle aged mess' and how he has to defuse an explosive.
He's defined as an 'action screenplay cliché', but his mind is messed up, and has a nihilistic world view, verging on 'exploding'. This way, the focus of the song is not on the actual defusing, but rather what this 'middle aged mess' is going through.
The instrumental of this song is rather unique as well, marking it distinct from the rest of the album, and what Patrick has done before while in Fall Out Boy. Patrick's vocals also shine here, and are quite fresh and full of energy. Its almost as if the man's declaring he's different than what he was before.
2. This City (ft. Lupe Fiaso)
This city is my city
And I love it, yeah I love it
I was born and raised here
I got it made here
And if I have my way, I'm gonna stay
This City speaks out at how we can always focus on the good parts of life. A love letter to the city he grew up in, the synth and the charismatic beats compliment the track. Lupe Fiaso adds some rap and variety to the track, something which would become the selling point of Fall Out Boy's future album, Make America Psycho Again.
And I love it, yeah I love it
I was born and raised here
I got it made here
And if I have my way, I'm gonna stay
3. Spotlight
'Cause they mightTry to tell you how you can live your lifeBut don't don't forget it's your rightTo do whatever you like, you like
Following the trend, it seems Patrick has attempted to move away from the emo genre to something that is not as depressing at worst and quite inspirational at best. As far as this song goes, it is a celebration of individuality, and so it proudly proclaims,
"Oh nostalgia, I don't need you anymore."
4. Everybody Wants Somebody
A young man is a pull pinLooking for a grenade, yeahA young woman will drive you placesYou never meant to go
Patrick characterized the lyrics as being "90% metaphors", and nowhere is it more direct than in this track. The drums and the sax work together to bring out its amazing score. The song itself this might as well work as good advice to the fans.
Giving hope and keeping it honest, a reality check is offered to the listeners instead of the usual pandering to whatever mood the listener might be in. Whether it works against or for the album, is another story.
While clearly a departure from emo, this song has many redeeming qualities, and ends up being one of the best in the album.
5. Coast
We’re gonna keep livingWe’re gonna get byWe never have to lay down and die‘Cause it’s gonna get better, better
Conclusion
Patrick even left his signature fedora. |
Thanks For Reading! |
really informative. As someone who barely knows fall out boy, the article proved to be an entertaining read. Kudos, mate!
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