Fall Out Boy Are Tres Bien!

Fall Out Boy: Folie a Deux
Release date: 13 December 2008 (Island)
Review ...
There's a whole lot about Fall Out Boy's fifth studio album, Folie a Deux, that screams pretentious. Firstly, the album has a French name and Fall Out Boy are from Illinois. Folie a Deux means madness shared by two, which is a rare syndrome whereby psychosis is transmitted. So really, the French translation does sound much better. Then the track listings are printed in mirror format, which is a nice gimmick for a minute, but it becomes annoying. It screams 'pretentious'. Although when a band is really good, sometimes you have to forgive this quality.

And that's just the situation here. Folie a Deux sees Fall Out Boy teaming up with Neal Avron (his third FOB album) and, strangely, Pharrell Williams as producers. And the shake up (paired with the adult nature of the album) gives it, and ultimately Fall Out Boy, a sense of strength and longevity. While there's still an emo sense to FOB, the alternative feel has started to take a leading role, which means the band have outgrown their fad.

I Don't Care, which you have no doubt already been privy to, has a catchy rhythm and melody. It's an anthem, a definition of their style and instrumentally interesting. FOB stay true to their sound but show us every angle - Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On a Bad Bet is monstrous and dark, What A Catch, Donnie is stripped, acoustic-like, and America's Suitehearts has a trippier feeling, it's relaxing. Watch out for She's My Winona; it's punk, it's mess, but has heart.

FOB are the current kings of meshing strong vocal and rhythmic lines. Folie a Deux is off-beat, has its own style and is impossible to get out of your head. It shows FOB as adults, and whether you like it or not, they are here to stay.

Tracks:
1. Lullabye/Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes
2. I Don't Care
3. She's My Winona
4. America's Suitehearts
5. Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
6. The (Shipped) Gold Standard
7. (Coffee's for Closers)
8. What a Catch, Donnie
9. 27
10. Tiffany Blews
11. W.A.M.S.
12. 20 Dollar Nose Bleed
13. West Coast Smoker
14. Beat It

Catherine Hogan, Citysearch, January 2009