Yesterday, I
was enjoying some few days off from work and was spending time on Facebook when I saw
something on my news feed that caught my attention… Let me write if down again
for you.
“this album is one that is particularly close to us. we recorded it in secret from the music industry, critics, and even our fans. an artists first record sounds the way it does because it is often made without expectations. this is not our first record. But because of the way we went about making this one in the shadows it is with out a doubt the first record in a new chapter of fall out boy. We made this music for ourselves and no one else at the end of the day. This is meant to be played loud, with the windows down on summer nights. Four friends with our backs to each other fighting in the darkness against anything and everything that is out there. We bowed our heads, took a knee and plugged back in. From the first strings to the last shouts-this is us. These incantations are meant to conjure realness, to unlock whatever the rock and roll is inside each of you- in each of us. Put on your headphones, turn it up-this is what we have spent the last year and a half making. Most of all, thank you for wishing or waiting-because with out you, the most important piece, this record would have never been made. So we figured you have waited long enough… with out further ado, please listen carefully”
And then… you have a few links leading to Soundcloud and Youtube where… you can listen to the Fall Out Boy’ new album. And… my!
I could make this review VERY short actually: just know that the boys posted that message at nearly 4:30PM (here) and… that I’ve listened to it for… like… let’s say 10 hours straight. Let’s add that 24 hours later, I’m still listening to it so… to say the album is addictive is a nice euphemism!
What makes it so addictive? There’s plenty of energy in that one, good positive energy desperately needed after a long cold winter!!
Let’s add that in Belgium, it seems summer is forever gone and that I sometimes wonder if I am not living in George R. R. Martin’s Game Of Thrones world where winter lasts for years… So… anything to lift you up is good and “Save Rock And Roll” does that reaaaaally good.
I should have known what was coming though… I’ve already had a hint two months before when there was solid confirmation that the band had not split up when they released “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)”. A single one listening was enough to put a smile on my face… That was a full-force coming back! Hard not to clap in your hands and sing alongside, adding some “Light Em Up” to the song…
If you watch the video of “My Songs Know What You Did…”, it is also pretty obvious that the foursome was indeed up and ready for some changes.
“this album is one that is particularly close to us. we recorded it in secret from the music industry, critics, and even our fans. an artists first record sounds the way it does because it is often made without expectations. this is not our first record. But because of the way we went about making this one in the shadows it is with out a doubt the first record in a new chapter of fall out boy. We made this music for ourselves and no one else at the end of the day. This is meant to be played loud, with the windows down on summer nights. Four friends with our backs to each other fighting in the darkness against anything and everything that is out there. We bowed our heads, took a knee and plugged back in. From the first strings to the last shouts-this is us. These incantations are meant to conjure realness, to unlock whatever the rock and roll is inside each of you- in each of us. Put on your headphones, turn it up-this is what we have spent the last year and a half making. Most of all, thank you for wishing or waiting-because with out you, the most important piece, this record would have never been made. So we figured you have waited long enough… with out further ado, please listen carefully”
And then… you have a few links leading to Soundcloud and Youtube where… you can listen to the Fall Out Boy’ new album. And… my!
I could make this review VERY short actually: just know that the boys posted that message at nearly 4:30PM (here) and… that I’ve listened to it for… like… let’s say 10 hours straight. Let’s add that 24 hours later, I’m still listening to it so… to say the album is addictive is a nice euphemism!
What makes it so addictive? There’s plenty of energy in that one, good positive energy desperately needed after a long cold winter!!
Let’s add that in Belgium, it seems summer is forever gone and that I sometimes wonder if I am not living in George R. R. Martin’s Game Of Thrones world where winter lasts for years… So… anything to lift you up is good and “Save Rock And Roll” does that reaaaaally good.
I should have known what was coming though… I’ve already had a hint two months before when there was solid confirmation that the band had not split up when they released “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)”. A single one listening was enough to put a smile on my face… That was a full-force coming back! Hard not to clap in your hands and sing alongside, adding some “Light Em Up” to the song…
If you watch the video of “My Songs Know What You Did…”, it is also pretty obvious that the foursome was indeed up and ready for some changes.
The Fall Out
Boy are quite known for having long song titles and I was therefore quite
surprised when I found out that “Save Rock And Roll” had only one song with a
long title… OK… so… who kidnapped the boys and what have they done to them??
;p)
There’s one thing you have to know about “Save Rock And Roll”: if you’re looking some nice, sweet, tender ballads… well… I suggest you to step away from the album because you will be disappointed. But you know, the album title is “Save Rock And Roll” after all… Not “Eleven Songs That’d Make You Dance Close To Your Lover… And Eventually Cry” (speaking of long titles, eh?).
That album recording was kept secret but there are at least four people who knew about their existence: the vocal guests. Four people coming from very different worlds that ends up fitting quite well in FOB’s world.
Foxes’ voice is very interesting and nice to listen to and I absolutely love “Just One Yesterday”’s tone and lyrics. Its beginning reminded me of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” but the feeling lasted no more than a few seconds… Truth is the song turned up to be quite premonitory for me…erm… yesterday. Now I know what it means to “want to teach [someone] a lesson in the worst kind of way” and “trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday”. Still don’t know if I’ll do the former but definitely wish for the latter… Grrrr!!
There’s one thing you have to know about “Save Rock And Roll”: if you’re looking some nice, sweet, tender ballads… well… I suggest you to step away from the album because you will be disappointed. But you know, the album title is “Save Rock And Roll” after all… Not “Eleven Songs That’d Make You Dance Close To Your Lover… And Eventually Cry” (speaking of long titles, eh?).
That album recording was kept secret but there are at least four people who knew about their existence: the vocal guests. Four people coming from very different worlds that ends up fitting quite well in FOB’s world.
Foxes’ voice is very interesting and nice to listen to and I absolutely love “Just One Yesterday”’s tone and lyrics. Its beginning reminded me of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” but the feeling lasted no more than a few seconds… Truth is the song turned up to be quite premonitory for me…erm… yesterday. Now I know what it means to “want to teach [someone] a lesson in the worst kind of way” and “trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday”. Still don’t know if I’ll do the former but definitely wish for the latter… Grrrr!!
Big Sean’s
hip-hop background brings some freshness to “The Mighty Fall”. It’s well-known
that I’m no fan of hip-hop or rap styles but that I can handle those once they’re
included in rock tunes (like with good old Linkin Park guys, for example!). It’s
once again the case here and this track is nice to listen to…
“Better Than This (Rat a Tat)” starts with a… “It’s Courtney, b**ch”, reminding me if the “It’s Britney, b**ch” in Spears ‘song “Gimme More”. Don’t know if it was made of purpose but it made me smile… The song is however VERY different from “Gimme More”. We talk about rock and roll here and who better than Miss Courtney Love can add some spice to a R’n’R song? Well she surely did here…
Wait… I just wrote this is all about rock’n’roll… Mmm… Here comes the (probably) biggest surprise of the album, courtesy of the fourth guest. Sir Elton John himself… singing “Saving Rock And Roll”. Some of you may think he’s the least rock and roll artist ever but… please forget about the Elton John singing “Your Song”, “The One” or “Candle In The Wind” and remember he’s also the one who brought life to “Saturday night's alright for fighting”, “Bite Your Lips (Get Up And Dance” or… “Rock’n’Roll Madonna”. Sixty-six year-old but still good for rock’n’roll song! This Fall Out Boy/Elton John combination is brilliant! Thrilling moment! Awesome song! And the best song to end the album… It wouldn’t have had the same effect if it had been put somewhere else…
Well say whatever you want, the FOB guys have ways and means to introduce other people in their own world and make it feel like it is... just the best thing for the song!
Lyrically, some songs totally touched me. I’ve already mentioned “Just One Yesterday” but if you dig deeper in Fall Out Boy’s new songs, you may find some interesting point of views. Try it yourself!
Guitars (bass included, eh!) riffs of “Better Than This”, “The Mighty Fall”… Drum beats on “Alone Together”, “Where Did The Party Go”, “Death Valley” or the great combination of both is good for my ears. The choir/clapping on “Young Volcanoes” and that nice guitar melody makes that song a nice anthem for life celebration.
“Better Than This (Rat a Tat)” starts with a… “It’s Courtney, b**ch”, reminding me if the “It’s Britney, b**ch” in Spears ‘song “Gimme More”. Don’t know if it was made of purpose but it made me smile… The song is however VERY different from “Gimme More”. We talk about rock and roll here and who better than Miss Courtney Love can add some spice to a R’n’R song? Well she surely did here…
Wait… I just wrote this is all about rock’n’roll… Mmm… Here comes the (probably) biggest surprise of the album, courtesy of the fourth guest. Sir Elton John himself… singing “Saving Rock And Roll”. Some of you may think he’s the least rock and roll artist ever but… please forget about the Elton John singing “Your Song”, “The One” or “Candle In The Wind” and remember he’s also the one who brought life to “Saturday night's alright for fighting”, “Bite Your Lips (Get Up And Dance” or… “Rock’n’Roll Madonna”. Sixty-six year-old but still good for rock’n’roll song! This Fall Out Boy/Elton John combination is brilliant! Thrilling moment! Awesome song! And the best song to end the album… It wouldn’t have had the same effect if it had been put somewhere else…
Well say whatever you want, the FOB guys have ways and means to introduce other people in their own world and make it feel like it is... just the best thing for the song!
Lyrically, some songs totally touched me. I’ve already mentioned “Just One Yesterday” but if you dig deeper in Fall Out Boy’s new songs, you may find some interesting point of views. Try it yourself!
Guitars (bass included, eh!) riffs of “Better Than This”, “The Mighty Fall”… Drum beats on “Alone Together”, “Where Did The Party Go”, “Death Valley” or the great combination of both is good for my ears. The choir/clapping on “Young Volcanoes” and that nice guitar melody makes that song a nice anthem for life celebration.
I also can’t
write about Fall Out Boy without mentioning the vocal ability of Patrick Stump:
this guy’s vocal range is one of the most incredible I’ve ever heard over the
years for a guy so young. It’s not like I didn’t know that until now, I’ve
heard it on Fall Out Boy’s other albums and on his solo project but no matter
what, he always succeeds in impressing me. Every time I’m like “OH-MY-F**ING-GOD”.
And don’t even go for the “it’s OK on the album but it’s not the same thing
once you have to do it for real on a stage” thing ‘cos… it doesn’t work for
him. Not. At. All.
One thing
hasn’t changed though.. nice video concepts. “The Phoenix” is the follow-up
video of “My Songs Know What You Did…” and both are linked. Picking that song
as the opening track of the album is another reminder that the band wants to
start from scratch and get a new life. Like “The Phoenix” rising up from his ashes,
Fall Out Boy comes back… stronger. And better in my point of view!
Now I wonder what will happen to the boys in the third video ‘cos they seem to have a pretty bad time in both videos… Also wonder which song they’ll pick as the third one… Let’s wait and see…
Now I wonder what will happen to the boys in the third video ‘cos they seem to have a pretty bad time in both videos… Also wonder which song they’ll pick as the third one… Let’s wait and see…
Oh also…
Having Fall Out Boy coming back out of nowhere after recording this album in
secret while everyone out there (journalists included!) was thinking that they
were - from this point - a band that was no longer “alive” is just brilliant!
In a world filled with social media or numerous communication channels spreading
1.000.000 news in a second, these guys managed to keep something secret until
now. I absolutely love that… It’s like a big slap in the face at this
generation of artists that keep talking about them all the time and everywhere,
just because they don’t want to get out of the spotlight. Fall Out Boy, you are
pirates in the music industry! And I – once again – absolutely love that!
So… Did Fall Out Boy saved Rock And Roll? Who am I to judge, eh? One thing is sure, I had a great time listening to their new album and it brought a smile on my face. Guess we can all afford some happiness every once in a while… Isn’t that a good start to… well… to be "saved" from this world’s craziness?
And if Belgium’s ready to trade Game Of Thrones’ world for something warmer (like… “Death Valley” weather style?) in the near future, I’ll open my windows and let the neighbors enjoy some good music! ;)
So… Did Fall Out Boy saved Rock And Roll? Who am I to judge, eh? One thing is sure, I had a great time listening to their new album and it brought a smile on my face. Guess we can all afford some happiness every once in a while… Isn’t that a good start to… well… to be "saved" from this world’s craziness?
And if Belgium’s ready to trade Game Of Thrones’ world for something warmer (like… “Death Valley” weather style?) in the near future, I’ll open my windows and let the neighbors enjoy some good music! ;)
Tracklist :
The Phoenix
My Songs
Know what You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)
Alone
Together
Where Did
The Party Go
Just One
Yesterday (Feat. Foxes)
The Mighty
Fall (Feat. Big Sean)
Miss Missing
You
Death Valley
Young
Volcanoes
Better Than
This (Rat A Tat) (Feat. Courtney Love)
Save Rock
And Roll (Feat. Elton John)
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