| An energetic bunch, Fall Out Boy
capitalize on cleverness from their name -- a reference to The Simpsons, of course -- on
down. Shooting in the same vein as Alkaline Trio, the Chicago quartet succeeds in creating
a solid record of what we would call "emo" these days. Go down the checklist --
is it more a more melodic, slightly more complicated version of basic hardcore punk?
Check. Does it have personal, intense lyrics? Check. That still doesn't say much about
Fall Out Boy -- a lot of groups good and bad fit the emo definition these days. With these
guys, though, the playing and compositions are top-notch -- each song has a few more
chords than three, more than one key signature, a little innovation and a lot of harmonies
-- plenty to keep you interested. Drum basher Andy Hurley prevails on Take You to Your
Grave's crisp mix, just slick enough that playing it louder adds punch, especially on
tracks like "Dead on Arrival." What Fall Out boy traffic in, mostly, are songs
about heartbreak, filled with singer Patrick Strump's lyrical attempts at Elvis
Costello-level stinging snarkiness. But the material's less literary, blunt as a bat, full
of quips alternately cringe-worthy and hilarious, like on "Tell That Mick He Just
Made My List of Things to Do Today:" "Let’s play this game called
"when you catch fire"/I wouldn’t piss to put you out." These twelve
love/hate songs also remind of Alkaline Trio by virtue of morbidity: "when you wrap
your car around a tree/Your makeup looks great next to his teeth." Or, on
"Chicago is so Two Years Ago:" "With every breath I wish your body will be
broken again." Apparently Fall Out Boy have had some really bad experiences with some
really bad women. Of course, in true emo fashion, on "Grenade Jumper" Strump
concedes and admits he hates the proverbial "you" (her again?) as much as he
hates himself.
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