Fall Out Boy Releases New Single from Up and Coming Album, M A N I A

Originally posted via Modest Truth Mag on June 25, 2017.

Fall Out Boy may have fallen off of your radar in recent years, but it’s time to pay them another listen. They may have just released the soundtrack to your summer. ​After weeks of teasing a new song on social media, the band you probably haven’t heard since high school released their most recent song yesterday, titled “Champion.” And it’s most likely going to be stuck in your head all day. Possibly even for the rest of the year.

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With heavy guitars and Patrick Stump’s soulful vocals, the song speaks to the “people who don’t believe in champions.” And with a resounding chorus, it’s set to remind you that if you can get through this, you can do anything. The inspiring message comes courtesy of songwriter and guitarist Pete Wentz, who states in an interview that he wanted to write a song for the generation that grew up on underdogs. He also drew inspiration from the film “The NeverEnding Story,” which is a fantasy film from 1984 that focuses on overcoming obstacles to become the hero of your own story. 

Fans are already anticipating this to be the highlight of the yet-to-be-released album, with some saying that they can already see ESPN taking a stake in it for their commercials. This also comes at a time when a lot of people are seeking outside sources of motivation and inspiration to grapple with political upheaval. The song is guaranteed to put a fire under you for whatever challenges you are facing.

The first song released from the new album was “Young and Menace,” a synth heavy track with modified vocals that would be just at home at a party as it would a sweaty EDM nightclub. With many nods to the 90s, like Britney Spears and Nikki Sixx, the song seems to be geared to the older generation of fans while still having enough of an electronic influence to pull in the younger crowd. With a video featuring freakish llama costumes and an overtone that is at once apologetic and unapologetic, the song sets the stage for an album that will likely be heavily experimental. 

Wentz has previously stated that this album is the most “off-script” the band has gone in years, partially because “life is short.”  They’re taking a hard left turn and trying something new with their music, and time will tell if it will work for them. 

Another colleague of Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, recently reached platinum status with his groundbreaking work, Death of a Bachelor. Experimenting with new sounds seems to be paying off for this generation of songsters who show no signs of slowing down.

Fall Out Boy is currently in the process of completing M A N I A, which is scheduled for a release date of September 15th. This will come just before their headlining arena tour around the United States, which begins October 20th.