It’s safe to say Fall Out Boy are anything but simple. Having been unheard of since 2018’s MANIA, the Illinois rockers have spent the last two months getting up to all sorts of weirdly cryptic promotional activities ahead of their forthcoming release, So Much (For) Stardust. From a stint of mysterious newspaper ads to sending fans postcards, strange letters, and actual seashells, all of which were also received by Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes, the band has finally shared the first taste of their new album in the form of lead single “Love From The Other Side.” Announced last week, the guitar-forward rock anthem, which is full of the bands trademark dramatics, captures the fear and uncertainty of modern life post-pandemic and highlights frontman Patrick Stump as the otherworldly vocal prowess that he is.
Right from its punchy start, “Love From The Other Side” is a certified banger. It sees the beloved pop-punk titans return to their guitar-driven roots as they hark back to the anthemic rock territory heard in their previous works. In a way, the thrashing track makes up for lost time with its razor-sharp hooks, inventive guitars and timely lyrics that find Stump attempting to make sense of the rapidly changing social landscape. “And I just about snapped, don’t look back,” he yelps urgently. “Every lover’s got a little dagger in their hand.”
With production duties on the record helmed by Neal Avron, who was responsible for three of the bands iconic previous records (From Under The Cork Tree, Infinity On High and Folie A Deux), the eighth full-length reverts to the basics of making music. “Technology has made it really easy to make records much more quickly these days,” says Stump in a press release. “There’s nothing wrong with that, and that spontaneity can be exciting. But we wanted to get back to the way we used to work,” he adds. “We wanted to make a record that was really lovingly crafted and deliberate and patiently guided – like someone cooked you a delicate meal,” he elaborates. “I’m not a very proud guy, but I’m pretty proud of this record.”
Directed by David Braun and Open The Portal, the track is accompanied by a fairytale-themed video which finds the band, made up of Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, drummer Andy Hurley, and guitarist Joe Trohman, prior to his departure earlier this week, star in their own dystopian adventure. The whacky visuals, complete with wolves, sea-bound voyages and electrifying battles against monsters, also include easter eggs such as book titles ranging from Crime and Punishment at the Disco, Of Modest Mice and Men, Catch-182, and Good Charlotte’s Web, which only embraces the fun nature of Fall Out Boy’s music once more.
Set to arrive on March 24, So Much (For) Stardust not only marks the bands first material in five years but also marks their return to record label Fueled By Ramen. “Our band has been an ongoing art project for twenty years and we know there have been many inception points along that journey,” says Wentz. “We wanted to create an album that merged those points together – something new but carved from our foundation,” he adds. “Fueled By Ramen and Elektra seemed like the perfect home for this.”
As the pop-punk resurgence continues, Fall Out Boy couldn’t have picked a better time to return. “We spent the last year jamming ideas in a tiny room and can’t wait to share them with you,” they wrote in an email. “Thanks for always sticking around. Thanks for working the beat.” All that’s left now is a tour and we want it imminently. Take notes boys.