Friday, January 26, 2007 Fall Out Boy hits new highs on latest album "I'm a leading man/And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate/Oh-so intricate" Fall Out Boy- "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" By Josh Lane student life editor If you're a fan of Fall Out Boy it should come as no big surprise that the first voice you hear on their newest album Infinity on High is not their lead singer Patrick Stump, hut is actually their label h)ss Jay-Z. He takes the liberty of opening the album with his usual pre-track howling, only he ditches the usual, "I need more snare in the headphones" line that usually precedes every track on his albums, and instead gives a shout out to the long time FOB supporters say ing, "To the fans that held us down till every body came around. Welcome, it's here. - And Jay-Z couldn't he more right. It is all here. You get the ridiculously long titles of their songs i.e., "I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me and You). - Yes that is an actual song title, yes we get it. It's clever. You get that same FOB humor and A major musical hangover By Ryan Gallagher contributing writer After glancing at the top five hest-selling albums of 2006, I got a feeling similar to when I wake up most mornings. To experience this same feeling, either take a quick glance at the charts or drink one-fifth of cheap whiskey with a roommate until two in the morning, whichever sounds more appealing. I have not had the opportunity to listen to the and makes me wonder if we'll ever hear music soundtrack from "High School Musical," how- comparable to the works of artists such as Frank ever I did notice that below its position at num- Sinatra. the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Pixies, etc. her one, sits Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, These legends contributed some of the finest and Nickelback. Now I music to the world that is understand that some people continued to be exploited in enjoy country because they entertainment to this day. were raised in farmish/country Last and certainly surroundings, and that was all least, we have Justin they knew. That's fine. Timberlake bringing up the However, the last time I rear. I'm not quite sure how checked, the entire country of this happened, considering America was not raised on the you can't go a day without farm, so why don't we support hearing his voice, whether some music that uses a little it's via radio, television, more variety. If you've heard nightclubs, etc. So why are one country song, you've people spending money to heard them all. listen to this music to the And isn't it a hit strange that fullest extent and when are country band sounds an awful they listening to it? All it is lot like contraband? Chris good for is dancing, if you LaFuria made me aware of CONTRIBUTED PHOTO enjoy dancing in that style, this the other day and I had aso this just leads me to Justin Timberlake, always on the radio good live minute guffaw. But let's put the country music aside and get ly people out there that would classify their life down to brass tacks. In case you weren't read- as a constant dance party. ing to your fullest potential, the number four The problem is that every form of respectable position was filled by Nickelback. music has already been originated, so now we're Nickelback. inventing music just to invent it. It doesn't have Do not get me wrong here, I have enjoyed to be worthy; it just has to satisfy the tastes of a many drunken nights listening to my old room- growing number of teens and college students. mate do outstanding impressions of I keep getting this picture in my head that 20 Nickelback's work. But any day now, lam wait- years from now, this kind of music can be con ing for lead-singer/guitarist Chad Kroeger to sidered classics from our generation. As far as I come out and laugh in America's face, revealing can tell, music is doomed from here on out, so that the whole project was a joke that he got rich please go out and take some advice from musi off of. cians and listen to something that wouldn't nec- I have yet to figure out why 2.7 million people essarily be found on the radio or on the charts. It paid good money for the band's latest "All the would be great for you. Right Reasons" in 2006. To make an attempt at Auditions NE Radio is conducting voic auditions for a part-time production opportunity. To schedule a demo recording, E-mail Ron Slomski at rfslo@psu.edu Fall Out Boy's Infinity On High hits stores February 6. The first single is "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" wordplay throughout all of their songs. But still, something feels different. In this album FOB matures and makes a departure from their multi-platinum album From Under The Cork Tree. They show no fear with their first single, "This Ain't a Scene, It's solving this mystery, 1 unfortunately had to sit down and listen to the band the other night and had to turn every song off as soon as the vocals began. This doesn't mean the music was good until the singing started; it just means that I could tolerate it until my ears were bombed with a combination of the most unbearable voice in rock music today and lyrics that actually made me laugh out loud. The fact that there's a record label out there that even gave these guys a chance disgusts me an Arms Race. - The track opens with layers of abstract synth sounds and heavy electronic drum loops that make the song sound like it could he an early nineties Top 40 hit, that is until the guitars burst in for the chorus. Other songs on the album, like "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" Billboard top 10 singles 1. Beyond Irreplaceable 2. Fall Out Boy This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race 3. Nelly Furtado Say It Right 4. Akon ft. Snoop Dogg I Wanna Love You 5. Jim Jones We Fly High 6. Daughtry It's Not Over 7. Fergie Fergalicious 8. Akon ft. Eminem Smack That 9. The Fray How To Save a Life 10. My Chemical Romance Welcome to The Black Parade MILL.CRIRK MEW 6 • SO P•ga U./ WS .1144114151 Mai Calmat USA. Inc 'Cinainarti and Pram Raw 3a• Aratrataa sad donate name an ersiared foram marks alilliagplaa araperfea • iwbadiary al Onamart USA, tie. The Behrend Beacon I 1 -1 CONTRIBUTED PHOTO either like them or you hate them. No one ever says Fall Out Boy is "alright." So if you like Fall Out Boy, go and pick this one up on February 6. You're going to enjoy this album a lot. If you hate them, well this one won't make you change your mind sound like threy're straight out of a musical. The track "Golden" is stripped down to just a piano and singer Patrick Stump's crooning voice that builds layers until it feels like an entire church choir. It's not just their musicianship that's grown since their last record, hut also the writing. Writer-bassist Pete Wentz shows us a little (just a little) more matu rity on this album. Wentz writes more songs about dealing with their sudden superstardom than with teenage love problems. We get lines like, "Make us poster boys in your scene/ But we are not making an acceptance speech." Or the chorus from the first single, "I'm a leading man/ And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate/ "oh-so intricate." There are only two ways peo- ple feel about Fall Out Boy; you
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