Pop punk/rock band Fall Out Boy may have disbanded for the mean time, but that has not stopped former lead singer, Patrick Stump, from moving on with his own solo career. On Oct. 18th, Stump released his debut album, Soul Punk, which differs greatly from the music he created with his former band. Stump took on most of the work in the album's creation, writing all the lyrics, playing all the instruments and handling all of the production. Along with taking on a different style and persona, the project bares a strong resemblance to the work of Michael Jackson. Preceded by first single, “This City (Remix)”, the effort is an impressive departure from earlier releases.
The innovative album starts off with “Explode”, a track that justifies the comparisons to the late King of Pop that many critics have already made. The vocals are show-stopping and give Stump some support at pursing a solo career. The song is catchy, different and early evidence of the talent that the artist really has. The track gives a great and impressive beginning to a highly anticipated project. The album's first official single may be a remix of “This City”, but the original stands out on its own as well. The song showed listeners that Stump was moving towards more of a pop song for the album, he succeeds with the sound on this hometown anthem. The track contains some political undertones, and some unheard lyrics make the song a new experience from the version heard on the radio. “Dance Miserable” takes the album on a different route musically, coming off as if it was crafted in the 80s. While the vocals are powerful once again, the song does not grab attention as well as the preceding tracks quickly did. The song is still a nice piece to add to the artist's arsenal, but I feel that if it was left off of the project it would not be missed very much. The high notes hit in the middle are noteworthy though. The album continues with “Spotlight (New Regrets)”, a track that seems to take on the issues of empowerment and embracing who and what you are. The artist assures the listener that your life is only yours; you make the rules and do what you please. The songwriting skills present on the song are top notch, while the chorus does a great job at tying everything together rather nicely. Stump confesses to being a cheater and a liar on the unfaithful track, “The I in Lie”. The song starts off slower than the rest of the album, and stays that way for a while. It is a great chance for listeners to hear the artist’s raw vocals without much supporting production. When the chorus rolls around, that is when the track truly shines bright. The track is a nice change of pace, shows a different side to Stump. The best moment on the entire album, in my opinion, is the ode to drinking and partying, “Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)”. The track may be a straight up pop song with lyrics that could be found on any mainstream, student college number one hit, but Stump takes the piece to a whole new level. I love the guide to drinking that the artist throws in as the chorus. Catchy! I have been singing along to it for weeks. Attached to the eight minute “Run Dry”, is what seems to be a totally different track. The song is a pleasant surprise, very good indeed, but it is not calculated in this review of the album.
The last five tracks on the project begin with “Greed”, handles the topic that the title alludes to. The background production is set to a very fast-paced beat and while many things may seem like they are all going on at once, they come together perfectly. Listen closely and you will be able to hear some impressive lines that set the fact that Stump is a fabulous writer in stone. Stump quickly reinvents his sound once again on “Everybody Wants Somebody”. The beginning is sung in a voice that does not sound like it is coming from the artist, and then jumps into the slow chorus that any listener will relate to. While the vocals are a job well done as usual, the lyrics are the reason to hit play on this song. The track is a stand out and seems to allude to a past heartbreak in the artist’s life. On “Allie”, Stump recalls some of his sexual past and experiences on the cool, soul-inspired track. The artist is dealing with a woman who taught him just how to be naughty- I guess Stump does not like that part of himself. The track starts of soft and smooth and really keeps that pace throughout while the artist croons some impressive notes towards the end. The song is great as a whole, a nice listen. The new material ends with “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)”, a song that I think could be released as a future single if the album’s sales pick up. The artist’s voice seems comfortable here and just blows through the lyrics with ease. The track is one that would lift anyone’s spirit and that is where the greatness lies: within its message. It was a good idea to leave the song for the end, leaves a positive impression on the listener. As a bonus track, the remix and first single version of “This City” pops up, featuring additional lyrics from Lupe Fiasco, who happens to be one of my favorite rappers. Stump’s verses are the same as the original: brilliant and fresh, but Lupe is able to give the track something more. His verse will allow the song to cross over to different genres and is impressive itself. Great choice for a single, a must listen.
Soul Punk is a very impressive solo debut album from an artist that use to create nothing but pop/punk in an all-male band. The album is a fresh and creative take on the pop, soul and R&B genres, with influences from each one present on the project. There is nothing but high quality music containing vocals that are reminiscent of Michael Jackson, an accomplishment not easy to come by. Stump took on many job roles in the creation of the record and his hard work paid off. The vocals combine with the well-written lyrics to take listeners on a whole new experience that seem to tell a story of the artist Stump really wanted to beat. The album receives an 88%.
Tracks to Hear: “Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)”, “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)”, and “This City (Remix)”
Listen to the full album on Rolling Stone's website here!
Patrick Stump - Explode
0 Yorumlar