Fall Out Boy Surprisingly Fun

Fall Out Boy's fifth album begins with "Disloyal Order Of Water Buffalos," in which singer/guitarist Patrick Stump sings "Nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy." This is the theme of the album and what sets FOB apart from their so-called emo peers. The album is still self-indulgent in the emo tradition and the band are still wallowing in something, but it isn't self-pity or gloom.

It's hard to tell exactly what the album is about because the lyrics are so idiosyncratic. "She's My Winona" is about bassist Pete Wentz's wife, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, and their son. "What A Catch, Donnie" is about soul musician Donny Hathaway, who committed suicide, but the rest aren't so easily deciphered.

It would be hard to listen to the band's endless musing if it weren't for the music's pure catchiness. The album's melodic, has strong beats, and Stump's vocal range and the use of strings and synths make each song distinguishable, which isn't something a lot of FOB's peers can claim.

FOB employ lots of guests on the album, but you have to listen closely to catch them. Debbie Harry's vocals on "West Coast Smoker" are indistinguishable from Stump's. Elvis Costello is given a single verse on "What A Catch, Donnie" and Panic At The Disco's Brendon Urie is parachuted in to sing lyrics from FOB's previous hits. The band don't need to name-drop, though, because Folie A Deux is solid and stands up on its own merit.

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