There are two songs called “Thriller” on my iPod. One is by the late King of Pop and the other is by Fall Out Boy — track one on 2007’s ‘Infinity on High.’ In that version, machine-gun drums and guitar chugs set the stage for Patrick Stump’s ethereal vocal range where he assures us that the band’s thoughts are precious, for “every dot-com’s refreshing for a journal update.”
Six years later, that’s exactly what happened. After a three-year hiatus, in which Fall Out Boy’s name became a worldwide Twitter trending topic and 12-year-old girls across the globe lovingly kissed their posters of bassist Pete Wentz, hoping for a reunion, the band is finally back. In late 2012, the Chicago group, which gained radio airplay for several hits on 2005’s excellent ‘From Under the Cork Tree,’ decided they were through with fooling around in failed side projects. It was time to save rock ‘n’ roll. Or at least, release an album of that name.
‘Save Rock and Roll’ is not a continuation of any step in Fall Out Boy’s transformative career. There are no songs with unbridled teenage angst or Pete Wentz’s tortured death metal growl, and only one song features a novel-length title. This is Fall Out Boy 2.0.
The record opens with “The Phoenix,” where orchestral stabs signal Stump’s demand for Team FOB to “put on [their] war paint.” It’s evident that he — and his voice — has not only matured, but also that he is unafraid to venture into the R&B-infused territory that he explored in his solo career. The first single “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” showcases the album’s anthemic ambitions, with big drums and a simplistic, but vocally impressive chorus. “Alone Together” waxes early 1990s pop, but it’s a harmless, saccharine love song, and surprisingly, one of the album’s standouts.
Driven by Wentz’s thumping bass, “Where Did the Party Go” thrives due to its carefree attitude. Guitars take a backseat to drags on synthesizers and theatrics not unlike fun. Featuring London singer Foxes, “Just One Yesterday” mimeographs the rulebook on 1980s-esque duets, but the female lead’s voice complements Stump’s so well, it’s hard to find fault.
There are four guest stars on ‘Save Rock and Roll,’ and “The Mighty Fall” gets the short end of the stick by including Big Sean. With a guitar line that brings back painful memories of the Jonas Brothers, it’s a dud. “Miss Missing You” isn’t much better, with a cloying tonality so stuck in 1986 that Ferris Bueller would have stayed in school to avoid it. “Death Valley” has strains of acoustic guitar against a simple, driving backbeat — and could be one of the few songs that could be performed live out of the box for its inclusion of the full band. The album suffers because it’s mainly the Stump-Wentz Experience, but its final tracks more than compensate.
“Young Volcanoes” echoes the — dare I say abysmal? — later catalog of Train, but is fodder for pop radio. The last two tracks feature guest appearances, and lend themselves to the strongest cuts.
“Ratatat” features Courtney Love, remembered only for her brief and torrid marriage to Kurt Cobain. Her feature is brief, spouting a quasi-rap filled with demons against an alternative-rock instrumental. With chants of “Rat-a-tat-tat!,” it’s a sure-fire sing-along.
The closing title track is chill-inducing. Fall Out Boy has been particularly good about choosing finales, but this particular one includes Elton John — no big deal, right? Stump’s voice is at its strongest and most irresistible, and the chorus is undeniably powerful as it caps off an album full of half-hearted, contrived hooks. It’s a bold statement from the boys: we’re back, and we brought the big guns.
‘Save Rock & Roll,’ with its R&B-tinged agenda, seems like a misnomer. The album’s more like ‘Infinity on Higher.’ Welcome back.
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