Fall Out Boy achieve alt-pop perfection on ‘MANIA’

To witness Fall Out Boy transform is deeply personal and special for so many – as the band grow up, explore new territory and discover new sides to themselves, so do we, as fans. Fall Out Boy were the soundtrack to your first day of high school, the time your life was changed seeing ‘Sugar We’re Going Down’ on TV for the first time, your first heartbreak and every milestone, great and small in between.

Watching them grow up is a little bittersweet – that feeling of the unknown manifests itself in the chaos, sweetness and unadulterated fun that is MANIA.

Every Fall Out Boy album has signified a new era of creativity and passion, breathing new life into a band that refuses to ride on the laurels of their past. Their identity as a band is based on change, whilst maintaining their integrity in that they are willing to explore every inch of themselves, unafraid and willing.

On Infinity On High, the band delved into RnB an hip hop, whilst even their traditionally pop punk early releases proved heavier and more searingly emotional and than their contemporaries, rendering them with a uniqueness. 

MANIA is the showcase of a band who’ve basked in the glories of fame, wandered in the perils of grief and have in the process, refused to back down – a triumph evident in it’s highly dynamic, diverse and sleek alt-pop theme.

Combining sleek pop elements that range from the humidity cooked dance-hall beats of ‘Hold Me Tight (Or Don’t)’ to the synth-heavy ‘Church’ that could double as a worship anthem, quirky and nuanced but wholly fun at its core.

Aggressive bass tones that reverberate over Patrick Stump’s swag-drenched vocal delivery, that culminates in an equally transcendent chorus finds a home in the sassy ‘Stay Frosty Milk Tea’. ‘Champion’ is a bonafide anthem of positivity, showcasing what Fall Out Boy do best – act as a voice for the underdogs, a renegade spirit evident throughout the entire album.

Stream MANIA below:

Pete Wentz’ iconic lyricism is as introspective as ever, evident on ‘Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)’ –  “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker colour” is as iconic as they come and we know that it’ll be spawned over Tumblr in no time. The track is a life lesson, looked at with a maturity – an upbeat anthem that finds the perfect balance between melancholy and jubilance… reminiscent of ‘Disloyal Order Of Water Buffalos’.

MANIA is a state of mind, a feeling and a moment in time. In many ways it’s chaotic and frenzied but channeled into tracks that ring true to the band’s fervent spirit. Fall Out Boy continue to live out their stride of unfiltered creativity and passion for creating art that resonates so deeply with us. Whether it’s in the form of a blistering pop track or a deep-bass heavy ballad, it’s a sincerity and blazoning fire that weaves it all together – and we’ll be the lifers, here till the bitter end.

This review originally appeared on Don’t Bore Us

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.