Fall Out Boy’s new album, “American Beauty/American Psycho,” released Jan. 20, no doubt marks a change in Fall Out Boy’s career, as the overall sound is more pop-oriented than their previous releases.
The album features two already wildly popular tracks that will draw listeners into the rest of the album. This album also features the use of heavy sampling compared to previous releases.
The lead single from the album, titled “Centuries,” includes a sample from an earlier song called “Tom’s Diner,” which is covered by fellow DCD2 label artist Lolo. The chorus of the song proclaims listeners will ‘remember me for centuries,’ and, as it is the third track on the actual album it’s a nice lead-in to the rest of the songs.
Mackenzie Banasik
Staff Writer
The next single from the album, “Immortals,” is driven by synthesizers and the promise that ‘we could be immortals, just not for long, for long’ has a dance vibe to it. This also was featured in the credits for Disney’s “Big Hero 6,” adding to Fall Out Boy’s popularity and exposure.
The title track, “American Beauty/American Psycho” features a sample of Motley Crüe’s song “Too Fast for Love,” and honestly seems out of place when compared to the rest of the album due to how repetitive the lyrics are.
“Uma Thurman” is also a song that uses a sample, this time of the theme to the “Munsters” TV show. This song will definitely make you want to get up and dance because you ‘can move mountains and work a miracle’ in time with the hand clapping throughout the song.
“The Kids Aren’t Alright,” which is tied for my favorite track, has a distinct appeal that nothing else on the album seems to match. From its whistling intro tune to the piano line heard throughout the song, it’s the type of song that will have lighters in the air by the first verse and
listeners singing the chorus in unity.
Perhaps my favorite track on the album is “Jetpack Blues” due to the imagery presented through Wentz’s lyrics. It is driven by a sort of jazz feel. A guitar solo coming towards the end of the song is definitely one of the highlights of the entire album.
Before the album’s official release, the band streamed it on YouTube a week prior, so by the time the CD was in stores, I knew most of the songs.
Fans of Fall Out Boy’s earlier works will enjoy the change in direction the band is attempting, and newer fans will be exposed to the sonic diversity that encompasses this album and the band’s sound.
