So Much (For) Stardust Album Review
Fall Out Boy fans are not easily satiated but the band’s new album So Much (For) Stardust has something for every fan, new or old.
After many older fans speculated that this new album would be a “return to form”-reminiscent of the band’s songs from the early 2000s, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz promised that that wouldn’t be the case.
Despite this, So Much (For) Stardust proves to be even better than a “return to form” by combining the thrashy guitar riffs of their older albums and the bold vocals and contemporary pop influences of their newer works-creating something new and still authentically Fall Out Boy.
After the band’s 7th studio album, MANIA brought to life the band’s experimentation with pitched instruments and EDM aesthetics, many fans wondered if the pop-punk days of Fall Out Boy were over.
So Much (For) Stardust proves that despite moving forward, Fall Out Boy will never forget their alt/rock roots, even with their emo fashion senses dying with the decade.
The rampant presence of piano, violin, and other orchestra-inspired instruments, provides a step in a newer direction for the band while echoing their past as these theatrical elements were heard on albums Folie a Deux and Infinity On High.
Each member shines in their own right even with guitarist Joe Trohman taking a break from the tour, he gives his all with speaker-shattering riffs that bring listeners back to the From Under the Cork Tree era.
Lead vocalist Patrick Stump astonishes as always with his signature soul voice and Pete brings back his poetic monologue in “Baby Annihilation”. Drummer Andy Hurley thrashes his way to the forefront with “Love From The Other Side”, his drums always a quintessential and recognizable element in the band’s most striking singles.
In addition to Pete’s monologue, actor/director Ethan Hawke makes a special appearance on “The Pink Seashell” sharing a heartfelt story before leading into the booming theatrical track “I Am My Own Muse”.
“Hold Me Like a Grudge” delivers a long-awaited sequel to “This Ain’t a Scene It’s an Arms Race” with a music video featuring Pete as a superhero, Patrick as a down-on-his-luck wrestler, Andy as a druid, and Joe as a CGI puppet actor-what more could fans ask for?
Not to mention the end of the video features a phone call with Pete’s mom where the bassist asks if she likes the new song to which she replies “eh, I like the old stuff”- a tongue and cheek diss at their “fans” who claimed the band sold out after From Under the Cork Tree.
The So Much (For) Stardust tour kicks off their American tour in their hometown of Chicago at the Wrigley Field on June 21, 2023, and have already sold out shows abroad in Germany, Amsterdam, and Leeds in the UK.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the return of some lesser-known tracks from Folie a Deux such as “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes” which the band has played on some more recent tours as well as fan-favorite darling “Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On a Bad Bet”.
From Under the Cork Tree fans will also be thrilled to know that the band’s pop-punk classic “A Little Less Sixteen Candles A Little More ‘Touch Me’”.
With these classics coming back as well as fan favorites “Centuries”, “Saturday” and “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs”, it’s hard to say that any fan whether they were there for the release of “Take This to Your Grave” or just joining the youngbloods now, will be disappointed.