Fall Out Boy is screaming “This Ain’t a Scene,” but why don’t we believe it?Playing the first song on “Infinity on High,” the new Fall Out Boy album, may confuse a few people.
The first voice you hear is that of rap mogul Jay-Z, and that isn’t the only trick this pop rock band has up their sleeves. While the band still retains their loud, jagged sound apparent on their first two albums, it is extremely apparent that they worked and toiled for a newer sound. Excitingly, a few songs show us a glimmer into the world of R&B and a little bit of hip hop, which can undoubtedly be accredited to their producer, Babyface. This is the first time Babyface has worked with Fall Out Boy.
But once again, bassist Pete Wentz opts for his pun-filled and angsty song titles such as “I’m a Lawyer With the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off” and “You’re Crashing, but You’re No Wave.” Unfortunately I also think Wentz pushed a little too hard for change, attempting a rather disastrous run at “screamo” on the track “The Carpal Tunnel of Love.”
Perhaps the most prominent change came in lead-man Patrick Stump’s voice, which has transformed from rough to sweet and a much cleaner falsetto; although Wentz’s occasional forays into vocals is still harsh and sometimes hard to listen to.
Fall Out Boy did slack off a few times on lyrics in their tracks “Golden,” “I’ve Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None On My Fingers,” and “Fame