At this point, everyone who pays attention has
probably made up their minds about Fall Out Boy. After the band jumped into
mainstream consciousness with 2005's From Under The Cork Tree, overexposure catalyzed
an inevitable backlash, worsened by the tabloid escapades of bassist/lyricist
Pete Wentz. While the adulation of millions of kids has made the Chicago
quartet a platinum-selling arena act, the group inspires equally passionate
disdain from non-fans, who made "Wentz" slang for "douche."
That phenomenon informs "I Don't Care," the first
single from Fall Out Boy's fifth album, Folie À Deux. "I don't care what you
think / as long as it's about me" goes the chorus, reflecting the
self-awareness at the core of Wentz's lyrics. Although he says Folie À Deux isn't autobiographical
(or at least less
autobiographical), there's no denying it in "I Don't Care," whose video begins
with longhair rocker dudes mocking Fall Out Boy after a show: "What the hell
happened to rock 'n' roll" one says. "I've taken shits with bigger rock stars
than them!"
Bigger rock stars seem to be on the band's mind
with Folie,
though: The excellent opener "Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes" recalls the
piano at the beginning of The Who's "Baba O'Reilly"; the vocal harmonies in "America's
Suitehearts" should have a Beatles trademark (ditto the "Hey Jude"-esque
closing of "What A Catch, Donnie"); and the sunny '70s pop of "20 Dollar Nose
Bleed" could double for "Saturday In The Park"-era Chicago. Those aside, Folie follows the precedent of
2007's Infinity On High, which expanded Fall Out Boy's sonic palette (synthesizers,
sequenced drums, strings, etc.). This one just goes further, with more layers
and cameos from Elvis Costello, Debbie Harry, Lil Wayne, and others. Costello
endorsement or not, Folie À Deux won't change the minds of people who use "Wentz"
pejoratively. But Fall Out Boy seems more comfortable than ever with that.