Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux

“A Man walks into a bar. Ouch”. Two factors must be understood in order to appreciate the humour that this (hilarious) joke engenders: The daring simplicity of it, and the reference and reflexive connection it makes with both its audience and its respective genre. The same approach seems to work for Fall Out Boy’s music: embracing the relative straightforward nature of their songs and taking note of their connection and reaction to both audience and genre makes for a much better listening experience.

Upon first listen, the most obvious change from previous albums is that FOB seem much more comfortable with themselves and their songwriting. Completing a three-album transition from pop-laden punk to punkish pop to full-blown, unashamed pop, Folie a Deux captures the band in full flight. Having previously copped plenty of criticism for abandoning their underground roots, earlier albums (especially Infinity On High) suffered from being caught in the in-between, displaying the band’s uncertainty about where their sound fit in. Considering their greatest talent has always been for huge, incredibly catchy hooks and melodies, their assured acceptance and embrace of the pop genre is a welcome one.

Songwise, the album hits the ground running. Opener ‘Disloyal order of Water Buffaloes’ immediately distinguishes the albums difference from its predecessor, replacing Jay-Z’s big name endorsement and subsequent hip-hop influence with a soft organ and Stump’s equally gentle warbling. The album starts incredibly well, hitting the listener with well-crafted song after well-crafted song, effortlessly switching between varying tempos and styles. A much improved rhythm section, which now leads songs in the right direction rather than limply propping them up (see She’s My Winona, America’s Suitehearts, Headfirst Slide...) is a definite highlight on the album, as is the comparatively reserved production, which allows the subtle background touches and deft guitarwork to be deservedly heard.

Messrs Wentz and Stump again prove to be a winning lyrical/melody arrangement combination, producing some of their best collaborations to give the album its giddy and seemingly endless highs. Wentz’s ability to create layered and undeniably clever lyrics laced with references that speak to multiple audiences is perhaps at its peak here, displaying an increasing maturity, even if it sometimes strays into a little too much repetitiveness. Stump cements his position as the one of the leading vocalists in popular music, completely unafraid to go after every possible note in his impressive range, elevating him above other, less bold singers. Hearing him play around is just plain fun, and he completely steals the show on the album’s opus ‘What A Catch, Donnie’, anchoring an impressive melody and outclassing his better regarded collaborators.

Most importantly, Folie a Deux feels like an album. Displaying great cohesiveness and impressive consistency, Fall Out Boy’s latest effort has few missteps. Although it falters slightly towards the end, these four boys from Illinois have risen through the often unfair criticism hurled at them to create a surprisingly subtle album of songs that sit comfortably amongst each other unlike ever before. One of 2008 pop’s best, and certainly their finest, Folie a Deux sees Fall Out Boy at the height of their highly addictive powers.