Fall Out Boy explores a new sound and aesthetic on ‘MANIA’

Sarah Beckford

When the first single for Fall Out Boy’s seventh album, ‘MANIA’, dropped, not all of us were ready to jump into this new era of Fall Out Boy. Fall Out Boy going EDM? It’s unheard of, it seems, considering that we typically associate Fall Out Boy with favorites such as ‘Sugar We’re Going Down’, ‘Thnks fr the Mmrs’, and ‘Centuries’. But that very convention of associating Patrick Stump and Co. with our favorite tunes of MySpace and Live Journal eras of the past is what ‘MANIA’ challenges, in just ten songs. Since we have the full record now, it’ll be a little easier to understand this new, purple, and llama-filled iteration of Fall Out Boy and their music as a larger cohesive picture and message, once you look past the newer bells-and-whistles that have taken the fans by surprise.

‘MANIA’ is definitely not your typical Fall Out Boy record, and it’s safe to say that that is intentional. The album opens with ‘Young and Menace,’ the lead single that sets the pace of the album, which is mostly power chord driven with heavy choruses and surprises. ‘Young and Menace’ is a heavy hitter, especially with the breakdown instrumental piece that’s more commonly heard in EDM, dance, and house music, especially when it comes to the vocal distortion and delays. Despite that, Patrick Stump’s voice is still as strong as ever, and the lyricism is as enigmatic as it is witty. The album then rolls into the anthemic ‘Champion,’ and is one of the songs on ‘MANIA’ that fans will most likely recognize as a standard Fall Out Boy song- the lyrics are inspirational, and its message of perseverance and determination is as perfectly timed as the song’s instrumentals. It’s at the end of ‘Champion’, though, that ‘MANIA’ takes a complete turn. Let’s remember that this album is a step in the band’s experimentation and sonic innovation, and ‘Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea’ is the textbook example here. ‘Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea’ is two minutes of a swaggering anthem that doesn’t hold back at all. ‘Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea’ is a song that captures the revolution that Fall Out Boy is trying to create, as they reflect on what they’ve done so far and what they hope to do. ‘HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T’ is a sunnier track, inflected with Latin and reggae elements that serves as the pop side of the album, and could have success as a radio single. The first half of the album ends with ‘The Last of the Real Ones,’ another anthem sure to get fans excited during their upcoming tour, as it’s got strong guitars, percussion, lyricism, and choruses.

After that, there’s ‘Wilson (Expensive Mistakes),’ which is another track on ‘MANIA’ that’s on the lighter pop-rock side, but features the memorable line, “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color,” which is pretty applicable for all too many of us. ‘Church’ is one of MANIA’s more interesting tracks, blending innuendo, romance, and religious imagery in a way that’s truly unique to Fall Out Boy, but it’s not one that is entirely all the rage. Albeit it is soulful, but for those more attentive to the technical aspects of creating songs, the effects may not be to your liking unless you let it grow on you after a few listens. Despite this though, the lyrics here are slightly reflective and quite witty, as Patrick sings, “And if death is the last appointment/Then we’re all just sitting in the waiting room”, as a voice in the background calls, “Mr. Stump!”. It’s not the first time Fall Out Boy’s used religious imagery to get romantic points across, as they did on the B-side ‘From Now We are Enemies’. The album then slows in tempo with ‘Heaven’s Gate,’ a soulful love ballad that’s almost as heart-wrenchingly beautiful as the classic ‘What a Catch, Donnie’. This song shows that Patrick is able to navigate the many avenues in his voice to really connect with listeners especially on more soothing songs like ‘Heaven’s Gate’. The album then picks up with ‘Sunshine Riptide’, featuring Burna Boy, and is another rather experimental track that also showcases Patrick’s ability to sing-rap, as well as play around with reggaetón and rap elements. ‘MANIA’ closes with ‘Bishops Knife Trick’, which provides a soft ballad-like close to the album.

In closing, ‘MANIA’ was worth the wait. ‘MANIA’ is an album that isn’t made for everyone, and that’s okay because the band can’t manage to please each and every one of their fans. Nevertheless, it is a venture into new territory, and though it may take a few listens to like or to love, it’s a metaphor and example for the future and music itself. Music evolves and changes, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to lose Fall Out Boy as we know it. ‘MANIA’ is a ten-song journey into a new era, as well as a reflection of past discography. ‘MANIA’ is a step into new ground for Fall Out Boy in aesthetics and sound- its success, though, depends on if Fall Out Boy’s fans are willing to step in that direction too.