Rating: 4/5
After a three-year-long hiatus from the music industry and a far longer break from releasing quality music overall, Fall Out Boy is back with their single “Love From The Other Side” off their upcoming album So Much (For) Stardust.
The pop-rock band, active since 2001, found its acclaim from their alternative soulful rock and pop-punk sound with albums such as Infinity on High (2007) and Folie à Deux (2008), but later diverted into a pop-centric sound in 2013 with the release of Save Rock and Roll (2013).
It has been regrettable seeing the music quality of the band decline in the last several years, more notably marked by the band’s latest synth-heavy album, MANIA (2018). As stated by Fall out Boy’s guitarist Joe Trohman, “Mania has some cool ideas and interesting stuff in there. But it didn’t work as well, and I can’t say I love it…”
Regarding their newest single, “Love From The Other Side,” I admit I was hesitant to give it a listen due to previous disappointment with the creative direction explored by the band in MANIA, but the new single was pleasantly surprising in several ways.
The sound in “Love From The Other Side” shifts away from the pop-synth influences of MANIA by honing in on heavier guitar and drum performances that the band once perfected in early albums such as Folie à Deux. Not only does it feel like all the band members are shining in their instrumental performances, but it is as if the band finally feels comfortable going back to the sound they established in the early 2000s in a new way.
That said, the loud instrumentation is perfectly mixed with vocalist Patrick Stump’s soulful voice, making for a listening experience where both the vocals and instruments are equally given center stage. Once again, this was a pleasant shift from busy production in albums such as American Beauty/American Psycho (2015) and MANIA, where Stump’s voice was heavily overshadowed in the production process to give priority to pop-synthesizers.
One thing to note with the innovative, yet classic sound production of Fall Out Boy’s new single, is the chosen producer for the project. For this occasion, it is the making of their new album, So Much (For) Stardust, where “Love From The Other Side” belongs; the rock band collaborated with Neal Avron for production. This was a significant step into the past for the band, as Avron extensively worked with Fall Out Boy on early albums such as From Under the Cork Tree (2005), Infinity on High (2007) and Folie à Deux (2008).
As to whether or not Avron’s influence will ensure that So Much (For) Stardust will be comparable in terms of quality and sound to previous successes in Fall Out Boy’s discography is to be seen, but it is hard to deny that the leading single for the album is highly promising.
Overall, “Love From The Other Side” strongly reflects the soulful alternative rock sound that the band established in the early works of their career. It confidently communicates that they are ready to embrace their roots while moving forward in a fresh new way.
Fall Out Boy’s upcoming eighth studio album, So Much (For) Stardust, will be out on March 24, 2023, and it is currently available for pre-save on several platforms.