Fall Out Boy were good, weren't they? I mean, when all is said and done, they were the quintessential emo-pop-punk band that plagued the years between 2004 and 2008. They penned some of the most recognisable tunes of the 21st century, opened the worlds eyes to the powers of the once great MySpace, and retaining a fanbase as diverse as they were annoying. I know what you're thinking; "Willoughby, you glorious stallion, why are you speaking as if they've finished for good? They're only on a break!" Well, I reply, if front man Patrick Stump's debut solo effort id anything to go by, there is literally no point in a reformation. Soul Punk is damn good.
Right off the bat, Stump dispells any fears that this is just Fall Out Boy-lite. While alot of front men who release a debut solo album tend to stick with what they know (here's looking at YOU, Brandon Flowers), Stump veers off into new territory, opting for a more electronic/dance sound/RnB sound, one that Micheal Jackson would be proud of.
At it's core, Soul Punk is a love letter to anyone who's ever loved 1980's RnB. The lyrics are soulful, the lyrics worm their way inside your head until you can't think of anything else, and there's synth. A whole lotta synth. It strings together in a way nobody could've expected, leading to incredibly mature album from the guy who used to give his songs names longer than the width of the back of the album in which they were on.
And it all starts with Explode. Right from the off you know what you're in for. It's a beat that's amazingly frantic, on that'll feel instantly familiar despite being incredibly original. Followed up by personal favourite This City, which takes a much more personal route, despite keeping up with the trend set by explode, and the album's off to a flier.
And it's plain sailing from there, to be honest. Run Dry clocks in at about 9 minutes, and feels like two songs were smashed together at points, but it keeps with the overall charm the album's brought along.
It's worth noting that every single instrument heard on the album was played by Stump himself. Every single noise on the album was made by one man, and that is truly a feat to be commended.
Also, at times, the vocals tend to get lost in the instrumentals, leading to a lack of understanding in what Stump's actually saying.
On the whole, however, Soul Punk is a stellar debut. It largely sounds brilliant, it brings a host of infectious tracks to the table, and it feels incredibly natural. If you weren't aware of his musical past, you'd assume he's been making music like this for years. And that is a testament to his versatility and passion for his own tastes. Whether this spells the end for Fall Out Boy remains to be seen. It it did, however, this is a superb reason why.
Essential Downloads:
- This City
- Dance Miserable
- Spotlight (New Regrets)
- Everybody Wants Somebody
- Coast (It's Gonna Get Better)
No comments:
Post a Comment