Fall Out Boy “Stays Frosty” with seventh album
January 23, 2018
Two years after the successful release of their sixth studio album “American Beauty/American Psycho,” Fall Out Boy has released “MANIA.” When “Young and Menace,” (“Y & M”), was released, fans of Fall Out Boy were indifferent. It wasn’t their normal sound, and it was an obvious departure from their 2015 album “American Beauty/American Psycho,” (“AB/AP”).
Although the lyrics of “Y & M” were written in the same style of Pete Wentz’s other work, they weren’t as heavy as they’ve been before. The lyrics are more relaxed and pull from Britney Spears’ song “Oops!…I Did It Again.” “Britney Spears was all of us,” Wentz said to Upset Magazine. “She was America’s sweetheart, who you watched go through a rough time and we all go through rough times. I think hers was just done out in the open which is tough. I’ve felt like that before and I think that the song epitomises that.”
Which leans into the next song, “Champion.” “Champion’s” lyrics are very uplifting with Patrick Stump singing “If I can live through this, I can do anything” and “I’m a champion, of the people who don’t believe in champions.” “Hold Me Tight Or Don’t,” has a very heavy latin influence. The lyrics of it are much more like Wentz’s usual work and attitude. They sound as if they’re straight off of “From Under the Cork Tree.” The lyrics “But when your stitch comes loose, I wanna sleep on every piece of fuzz, and stuffing that comes out of you,” are very similar to Wentz’s attitude of always wanting to be the one coming out stronger and his constant feeling of ‘I’m better off without you’.
“Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)” has a similar sound to the debut track, “Y & M.” It’s a very relaxed and laid back track. The lyrics of “Wilson” are a different story, they mirror Wentz’s writing style on “Take This To Your Grave.” They’re mean and very heartfelt in a way, “If I can get my s—- together, I’m gonna run away and never see any of you again, Never see any of you again.” Wentz’s lyrics are very rough around the edges and are more familiar to his past work. “The Last of the Real Ones,” has a very similar message to “Wilson.” Wentz writes about how his lover is the “last of a dying breed” an has “that ultra kind of love you never walk away from.”
“If you were church, I’d get on my knees, confess my love, I’d know where to be. My sanctuary, you’re holy to me.” With lyrics like that in “Church,” it reminds the listener to the lyrics of “Favorite Record” off of “AB/AP.” “Church” is more of a confession of love than anything. It’s a sweeter song and definitely a slower paced jam than their other songs. With a background chorus and bells, that make you feel like you’re sitting in rows of pews, the band really got their point across with the meaning of “Church.” “Heaven’s Gate” is similar to “Church” because of the overall theme and the soul attached to it. Lyrics like “And in the end if I don’t make it on the list, would you sneak me a wristband?” and “You’re the one habit I just can’t kick,” show that the song is more of a declaration of love than a song of revenge or hate, like a few of “MANIA”’s other tracks.
When the track list of “MANIA” was released, there was one definite song that fans had the most questions about. “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea,” was just plain confusing. But Fall Out Boy didn’t disappoint. The song either makes the listener want to go fight everything in their path or go on a 10 mile run. It starts out with a surprising fast paced beat compared to their other tracks off “MAINA.” “I’m ‘bout to go Tonya Harding on the whole world’s knee,” is one of the best written lyrics on the album. Favoring the French language, “Eau de résistance” rings through the chorus. The “Eau,” is typically used for designer perfumes or cologne, and “De résistance” translates to “the resistance.” It reminds the listener of “Folie à Deux.”
Most of the songs featured on the album have the theme of waves or the beach in some capacity. “Sunshine Riptide” doesn’t deter from the that. Wentz’s lyrics are very similar to the main events of his book, Gray. Without spoiling the plot, Wentz tells the story of Fall Out Boy being picked up by a record label and a producer. Gray is mixed between fictitious and real experiences from Wentz, lyrics like “Driving down the coast again, the pills are kicking in,” hint at Wentz’s prescription drug addiction he wrote about in Gray.
The last track on “MANIA,” “Bishops Knife Trick,” is a slower ballad. Wentz writes that he jumps into things too much with “I’m pedal to the metal make no mistake.” The lyrics “The glow of the cities below lead us back, to the places that we never should have left,” are very similar to the message of “Chicago is So Two Years Ago,” from “Take This To Your Grave.”
With lyrics that make you ready to fight and rebel against society, followed by ones that make you want to drive to your hometown and reminisce, Fall Out Boy has produced their seventh successful album “MANIA”.
