FALL OUT BOY: So Much (For) Stardust

Fall Out Boy is kind of like the Mountain Dew of rock and roll.  Even when they're experimenting with new flavors, they're still pure sugar with a chemical aftertaste.  The fact that they've managed to fill arenas for as long as they have is kind of astounding.  Especially when most of their early 00's contemporaries have gone the way of the iPod mini.  My Chemical Romance, for example, steadily progressed in both commercial success and creative maturity, only to hit the brakes after four studio records.  So Much (for) Stardust is the eighth album by Fall Out Boy, and while they're (somehow) as commercially successful as ever, they're about as creatively mature as a case of Mountain Dew Code Red.

A lot of reviews for Stardust have been positive; heralding a return to the band’s signature sound. This reviewer has never exactly waxed nostalgic for Sugar We’re Goin Down or Dance Dance, but I'll try to find the upside.  One of the best thing you can say about Fall Out Boy is that they have always had a playful and verbose lyricist in Pete Wentz.  They also have an energetic, distinct lead singer in Patrick Stump.  Those traits are glaringly obvious in their best songs, as well as their very worst.  

And unless I've missed a few gems, their best songs are behind them.  There's nothing approaching the charm or the swagger of This Ain't A Scene, Its An Arms Race on Stardust  It's a 44-minute pep rally of dynamics and wordplay, sorely in need of a little restraint and subtlety.  Vocal layers and tempo changes take the place of real melodies.  It's one thing to evolve as a band; it's another to hide weak songs behind studio flourishes and call it a return to form.

The fact that Fall Out Boy still tops the charts and fills arenas tells me that an awful lot of fans disagree.  Anybody who loved those early MySpace-powered records will probably find a lot to enjoy here. I'm just surprised that those fans didn't fall out of touch around the time they graduated high school.  C-