“Dance, Dance” played at every single awkward middle school dance in my memory. At some point, I decided to do more research on the band responsible for the tune: Fall Out Boy. The quartet from Chicago, Illinois had just released its third studio album, Infinity on High, in February of 2007. I was just a 7th grader who had always played piano and was trying to find my musical footing after growing up on classic rock from my father and pop or alternative music when riding in the car with my mom. After listening to some of Fall Out Boy’s best hits on the family computer, my parents eventually purchased the CD for me and I popped it into my boombox in my room.

After listening to it once through, I simply played it back from the beginning once more. Every time I got home from school, I would go to my room to start my homework and start it up again. After a few plays, I knew the lyrics to each song. I eventually caught on to the time gap between each track so that I could flawlessly sing along or play the drum beat with my hands on my math book as I sat at my desk. It was perfect. Never before had I connected with an album so instantly. There were no “bad tracks” on the record. Sure, I had my favorites, but every song was critical to the overall theme of the entire album. Every song belonged. Like many others who got into the scene after the initial boom, Infinity on High was my gateway to pop punk.

One of the best opening tracks to any album

The Jay Z monologue. The incredibly catchy guitar riff overlay. The powerful drum fill. Patrick Stump’s triumphant first note. I still get chills as I sit here listening to this intro for the 1000th time as I prepare to author this album review. To this day, “Thriller” is on my short list of best opening tracks for a record. I would argue that no opener does a better job in establishing what the album will be about. Jay Z’s opening verse is inspirational, stating “We dedicate this album to anybody, people said couldn’t make it”. In traditional emo or pop punk fashion, the lyrics are meant to be motivating to people going through a tough time or those who may not necessarily fit in. However, Fall Out Boy paints themselves as an example of underdogs, misfits, etc who were able to overcome obstacles. Fresh off two very successful debut albums, here is a band shouting out “Make us posterboys to your scene”. I know at least for me, Fall Out Boy embodied pop punk for me before I even fully understood the genre.

Fall Out Boy has some of the best music videos in the genre

Joseph Trohman folks. He delivers a powerful, in your face, incredibly catchy guitar riff that will make you want to stomp (not tap) your foot to the beat with as much energy as you can muster. For this particular track, Stump cited David Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel” as the primary inspiration. As in Bowie’s hit song, “The Take Over, The Break’s Over” centers on the riff for the entire song rather than following a more traditional format. Trohman nails the ever-important riff, and Stump has the vocal range to keep the song unique despite maintaining its pace and guitar riff throughout.

What do you get when you mix funk, punk rock, soul, and lots of harmonies? Well, Fall Out Boy combined those elements to put together a masterpiece that they released as the second single for the album. The song has a “g******” expletive in the chorus, and yet it still debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was belted out in cars by suburban mothers and angsty teenagers alike. One can see why the song was so commercially successful. It doesn’t have your typical “radio-friendly” sound, but the energy is palpable, and the high speed certainly keeps the listener intrigued.

“You’re someone, who knows someone, who knows someone I once knew, and I just wanna be a part of that”

For a band that has many incredible lines (Give https://twitter.com/foblyricbot a follow on Twitter), Hum Hallelujah delivers some all-timers. Musically, the track is one of my favorites on the record and is in my top 5 from the band’s entire discography. The incredible beat that is set by Andy Hurley’s druming and Pete Wentz on bass sets the stage for a powerful, thumping track. Trohman comes in with intermittent power chords that are filled by much more subtle strums. Stump delivers another fantastic, diverse vocal performance that ranges from lyrics delivered in a low speaking tone to high-pitched belting during the chorus. The guest church-esque choir was a perfect addition for the bridge of a song that has “Hallelujah” in its title.

Orchestra instrument intro. Stump’s isolated vocals. And… monkeys? Known for their often eccentric and artistic music videos, the accompanying film for the seventh track of the album is just another example. The video features some not-so-subtle imagery about the difficulty that often goes into producing a music video, something that the band must be all too familiar with following the success of their previous albums. The song itself features a steady pace that is highlighted by Stump’s powerful vocal range and Hurley’s enthusiastic drum fills. “Thanks fr the Mmrs” was the track that gained the band a lot of new fans, if they weren’t already familiar with the mega-hit, “Dance-Dance”.

“They say quitters never win, but we walk the plank on a sinking ship” is just another memorable line from a long list of “stop and make you think” lyrics from the Chicago band. This song is probably one of the best examples of Stump’s massive vocal range. In a song that would usually require a guest singer or at least some backup vocals from other band members, the frontman flawlessly and effortlessly transitions in his delivery of the thought-provoking lyrics. Wentz gives a great bass line that sets the tone for this one, and Trohman and Hurley provide plenty of flair as well.

As a citizen of the United States, I did not have this bonus track on my copy of the album. In fact, I did not even discover this song until many years after CDs had been replaced by the iPod (or the smartphone). The first time I heard this song I felt robbed that I did not get to enjoy this song along with all the others of the album. To me, it is the perfect cap to a record that tells a story and has a common theme, while featuring plenty of unique elements throughout. The song feels like an anthem, but it is played with a ferocious pace that is so uncommon for a closing track. And yet? It works. Very few vocalists can sing lyrics at this speed while still giving every lyric its proper enunciation, pitch, and accent. I always felt that the first half of Infinity on High featured the highlights of the album, but “G.I.N.A.S.F.S” puts a bow on a spectacular pop punk record.

Album Score: 9.6/10

There is no doubt that Fall Out Boy has taken a very different direction in recent years. If you have only listened to their latest radio hits, I would encourage you to listen to their first two albums:

Take This to Your Grave (2003)

From Under the Cork Tree (2005)

I plan on giving each of these albums their own review in the future. In any case, I suspect that this will not be the last time I write about the band from Chicago who helped me discover my love for pop punk, and for music in general.

Fall Out Boy, “Infinity on High” (U.S. Version), Full Track List