Liquid gold was pumped straight into my ears in the early hours of March 24, when Fall Out Boy released their latest studio album “So Much (For) Stardust.” 

“So Much (For) Stardust” combines the edgy and poetic lyrics of Fall Out Boy’s early works, the polish and sound of 2007’s “Infinity on High” and 2008’s “Folie à Deux” and just the right amount of pop from their post-hiatus albums.

Naturally, I felt the need to break down each song, so buckle up everyone, because I’m about to gush.

“Love From The Other Side”: This is a killer opening track. Beautiful piano and strings start the song off, before transitioning into an incredible guitar riff. The lyrics are wonderfully aggressive and passionate and there’s a sense of sadness as lead vocalist Patrick Stump sings about a breakup with creative imagery, before closing it all with another fantastic guitar solo. 9.5/10

“Heartbreak Feels So Good”: This is a strong followup and acts as another perspective to “Love From The Other Side.” Having more of a pop/upbeat sound, the singer is less angry at the other person in the relationship, but instead more upset that the relationship itself is over. It’s longing for something that was supposed to last forever, but never did. 9/10

“Hold Me Like a Grudge”: This is an incredibly unique song, combining the sound of Fall Out Boy with Michael Jackson. It works well and is a welcome change of pace from aggressive guitars and drums. This song discusses a relationship where the honeymoon phase is over and now the partners must work on themselves as they get older. It provides a perspective many songs don’t seem to focus on, so it’s refreshing in that aspect too. 8.7/10

“Fake Out”: I love this song. Not only did I relate to this a little too hard with lyrics like “I make no plans and none can be broken” and “do you laugh about me whenever I leave / or do I just need more therapy?” but the song’s muffled, slightly sad delivery before it picks up to a more upbeat chorus is fantastic. 9.5/10

“Heaven, Iowa”: I think I died a little (in a good way) when I heard this song for the first time. Starting off slow and somber, the song kicks it into high gear during the first chorus and never loses steam. This song has some of my favorite lyrics and it features amazing guitarwork, drumming and even a choir to emphasize the heaviest-hitting lines, before calming back down at the end. This is also my favorite track in the album, if that tells you anything. 12/10

“So Good Right Now”: This is a happy track and a bit of a breather after “Heaven, Iowa,” providing the listener with some sunshine. This is a great feel-good song and is all about taking ownership of yourself, flaws and all, as well as living in the moment. It’s a reminder that nothing lasts forever, so remember to “feel so good right now.” 8.9/10

“The Pink Seashell (feat. Ethan Hawke)”: I either love or hate interludes and I can say I loved this one. It’s just Ethan Hawke reflecting on life and all the tragedies and happiness it can bring. It reminds you that life will knock you down, but in the end, finding goodness in the little things will keep you going. Featuring a great instrumental bed, this song is the perfect companion to the next track. 8.5/10

“I Am My Own Muse”: I had an out-of-body experience with this on first listen. It’s my second favorite track and it opens with strings before transitioning into a full orchestra and guitar accompaniment. This song has an aggressive delivery, allowing you to feel the passion in full force. It’s all about making yourself better, not for anyone else, but just for you alone. I will be looping this for ages. 11/10

“Flu Game”: This song has one of the best beats, featuring more of the electropop sound of 2018’s “MANIA.” This isn’t overused, however, and has excellent guitarwork to go along with it. It talks about how despite all his work, the singer won’t have his partner with him. He’s not getting any younger and feels as if he is overflowing with love with no one to give it to. It’s a heartfelt, introspective song. 9/10

“Baby Annihilation”: The second interlude, this is just one minute and seven seconds of Stump talking, but the instrumentals and sheer poetry of the lyrics bond it perfectly to “Flu Game.” It forces you to reflect on how time marches on and all things end. It leaves me with a sense of emptiness in the best way possible. 8.5/10

“The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)”: This is my third favorite song and this one sounds the most like 2013’s “Save Rock and Roll” and 2015’s “American Beauty/American Psycho.” The song is all about growing up, realizing that things change, but also reflecting on the changes you’ve made to yourself. It subtly talks about romanticizing a version of yourself that wasn’t in a good place and how we may long for that part of ourselves, even if we know it wasn’t good. 10/10

“What a Time To Be Alive”: I’ll admit, when this song first came on, I was bummed out that I was listening to “another pandemic song.” Those feelings quickly went away, as its pop-ish but deeply reflective look at pandemic life lured me in. “We’re here and we’re ready / to livestream the apocalypse” perfectly captures lockdown and all the emotions that went with it. The upbeat sound paired with the edgy lyrics creates a fun listening experience. 9.2/10

“So Much (For) Stardust”: The final track, this bookends the album with the choirs, orchestras, guitars and drumming from all the other tracks, perfectly summing up the feeling of this album. All of the lyrics are simply stellar and when it finally ended with the choir fading out as it repeated “so much for stardust,” I was left wanting more. It even brings back some of the lyrics from “Love From The Other Side” but with a somber, calmer delivery, truly bringing the listener full circle. It’s the perfect end to the perfect album. 10/10

Categories: Arts & Entertainment