Can We Talk About Fall Out Boy For A Second?
I need to rant. Like, I really need to rant.
About Fall Out Boy.
I know. This is a vocal analysis site. But FOB is tied for my favorite artist, so I'm making an exception.
MANIA came out recently-almost three months ago now. Now, I haven't seen a lot of people making this comparison, but I definitely see it. Mania is the new Folie a Deux.
Lets rewind ten years to 2008, the year that Folie A Deux was released. Does anyone remember the endless stream of hate coming from FOB fans, saying they had sold out, and hating on them for creating something different? That has been what I have seen recently.
I would like to tackle two things that make Mania different from Folie. The first being production, and the second being lyrics.
In my humble opinion, no one has taken a civil side to the real issues with this album. You have the "fangirls" who will literally ATTACK people who feel like Mania is bad, you have the "haters" who don't like this album and are calling FOB sellouts, and then you have the people like me who don't even have an opinion on the album because they don't know how to feel about it. So today, I am going to settle the debate because I'm a Mediator.
Let me get the comparison between Folie and Mania out of the way before I jump into the real meat here.
1. Production
I think Mania had really shit production, to be honest. Folie had very good production.
2. Lyrical Content
I think Mania was weak lyrically. Folie wasn't.
So, is it valid to compare Mania to Folie? I think it is, not based on the content, but based on the reception.
I've seen so many people that are calling FOB sellouts because Mania was so electronic, but can we examine this claim for a second?
First of all, when FOB came back from hiatus in 2013, Pete Wentz talked about staying relevant quite a bit, and how they needed to change their sound if they were to come back. The product of this was Save Rock And Roll, which was a very natural evolution. If there was any selling out, it was happening during that record.
Second of all, Mania is not anything like pop radio. Sure, the singles are catered toward to the radio, but deeper cuts like Sunshine Riptide, Heaven's Gate, and Bishop's Knife Trick are really different pieces.
Third of all, they delayed the album. Now, this may not seem significant, but comments from Patrick allude to the fact that they felt like the songs were forgettable (sell outs) and they were trying to avoid that path. So they rewrote songs that felt different and compatible with what they wanted to hear.
I heard a comment from Pete Wentz which said: "I'd rather create something people hate and have it be remembered than create something forgettable."
I have mixed feelings about this comment.
I think Pete Wentz is a pretentious asshole, to be honest. He knows that he's attractive, talented, and smart, and this knowledge has birthed a level of arrogance that has bled into his persona. I don't know if he really is a pretentious asshole as a person, but that is definitely the image he shows to the public (there is evidence to the fact that fame changed him in the form of heychris's livejournal shitstorm).
Knowing this, does the comment allude to the fact that they will make shitty music to stay relevant, or that they genuinely want to make music they like and have it stick in people's throats, than make music they don't really like and have the general public like it.
I don't know what he meant, but I'll leave it open for discussion.
Now for the actual album.
This album would've kicked ass if a few small things had changed on each track.
1. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea
-the lyric "are you smelling that shit". What does that even mean?
2. Champion
-the chorus repeats A LOT.
3. Young and Menace
-the length of the first chorus. The EDM is great, but in moderation.
4. The Last Of The Real Ones
-i really like this song, but the lyrics are slightly unintelligent.
5. Hold Me Tight Or Don't
- I love the vibe but it seems a bit off key to me.
6. Church
-the verses kick ass, the chorus is a little too repetitive IMO.
7. Heaven's Gate
- the use of the word wristband and boost. It's dumb but it bothers me.
8. Sunshine Riptide
- it feels a bit cluttered, and I can't really understand Burna Boy (is that his style maybe? I don't know much about him)
9. Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) and 10. Bishop's Knife Trick are good IMO, no issues!
This is how I feel: FOB tried something new which I think is great, and the style is cool. However, I think this is such an experiment that it couldn't be done perfectly. It is new, it is purple, it is an experiment.
Everyone should let it be one.
It is a pallet cleanse as Pete has said.
And that is my dumbass opinion.
About Fall Out Boy.
I know. This is a vocal analysis site. But FOB is tied for my favorite artist, so I'm making an exception.
MANIA came out recently-almost three months ago now. Now, I haven't seen a lot of people making this comparison, but I definitely see it. Mania is the new Folie a Deux.
Lets rewind ten years to 2008, the year that Folie A Deux was released. Does anyone remember the endless stream of hate coming from FOB fans, saying they had sold out, and hating on them for creating something different? That has been what I have seen recently.
I would like to tackle two things that make Mania different from Folie. The first being production, and the second being lyrics.
In my humble opinion, no one has taken a civil side to the real issues with this album. You have the "fangirls" who will literally ATTACK people who feel like Mania is bad, you have the "haters" who don't like this album and are calling FOB sellouts, and then you have the people like me who don't even have an opinion on the album because they don't know how to feel about it. So today, I am going to settle the debate because I'm a Mediator.
Let me get the comparison between Folie and Mania out of the way before I jump into the real meat here.
1. Production
I think Mania had really shit production, to be honest. Folie had very good production.
2. Lyrical Content
I think Mania was weak lyrically. Folie wasn't.
So, is it valid to compare Mania to Folie? I think it is, not based on the content, but based on the reception.
I've seen so many people that are calling FOB sellouts because Mania was so electronic, but can we examine this claim for a second?
First of all, when FOB came back from hiatus in 2013, Pete Wentz talked about staying relevant quite a bit, and how they needed to change their sound if they were to come back. The product of this was Save Rock And Roll, which was a very natural evolution. If there was any selling out, it was happening during that record.
Second of all, Mania is not anything like pop radio. Sure, the singles are catered toward to the radio, but deeper cuts like Sunshine Riptide, Heaven's Gate, and Bishop's Knife Trick are really different pieces.
Third of all, they delayed the album. Now, this may not seem significant, but comments from Patrick allude to the fact that they felt like the songs were forgettable (sell outs) and they were trying to avoid that path. So they rewrote songs that felt different and compatible with what they wanted to hear.
I heard a comment from Pete Wentz which said: "I'd rather create something people hate and have it be remembered than create something forgettable."
I have mixed feelings about this comment.
I think Pete Wentz is a pretentious asshole, to be honest. He knows that he's attractive, talented, and smart, and this knowledge has birthed a level of arrogance that has bled into his persona. I don't know if he really is a pretentious asshole as a person, but that is definitely the image he shows to the public (there is evidence to the fact that fame changed him in the form of heychris's livejournal shitstorm).
Knowing this, does the comment allude to the fact that they will make shitty music to stay relevant, or that they genuinely want to make music they like and have it stick in people's throats, than make music they don't really like and have the general public like it.
I don't know what he meant, but I'll leave it open for discussion.
Now for the actual album.
This album would've kicked ass if a few small things had changed on each track.
1. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea
-the lyric "are you smelling that shit". What does that even mean?
2. Champion
-the chorus repeats A LOT.
3. Young and Menace
-the length of the first chorus. The EDM is great, but in moderation.
4. The Last Of The Real Ones
-i really like this song, but the lyrics are slightly unintelligent.
5. Hold Me Tight Or Don't
- I love the vibe but it seems a bit off key to me.
6. Church
-the verses kick ass, the chorus is a little too repetitive IMO.
7. Heaven's Gate
- the use of the word wristband and boost. It's dumb but it bothers me.
8. Sunshine Riptide
- it feels a bit cluttered, and I can't really understand Burna Boy (is that his style maybe? I don't know much about him)
9. Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) and 10. Bishop's Knife Trick are good IMO, no issues!
This is how I feel: FOB tried something new which I think is great, and the style is cool. However, I think this is such an experiment that it couldn't be done perfectly. It is new, it is purple, it is an experiment.
Everyone should let it be one.
It is a pallet cleanse as Pete has said.
And that is my dumbass opinion.
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