Genre: Emo/Pop-Punk

On a Playlist With: “Death of a Bachelor,” “Scaled and Icy,” “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys”

March 24 marked the release of Fall Out Boy’s (FOB) eighth studio album, “So Much (for) Stardust,” the first after a five-year hiatus. The band teased new music back in December 2022 with the launch of a website featuring a short clay animation of a Dobermann embarking on a colorful journey with strange creatures. 

The band released the song “Love From the Other Side” along with an accompanying music video on Jan. 18. The song and video were an absolute hit, portraying an old Pete Wentz (bassist/lyricist) telling the story of FOB to his granddaughter. It also included nods to other bands in the pop-punk/emo genre such as Panic! At The Disco, Taking Back Sunday, Good Charlotte, Blink-182, The Plain White T’s, Weezer, My Chemical Romance, and Of Mice & Men. 

In the music video’s story, the band lives in a small town called Winnetkaland, where they dream of seeing the outside world but are forbidden by the mayor, who hates the band’s music. The band escapes to “Emo Island,” where they are protected by the power of music. The emos of the island gift them a necklace depicting the band’s new logo: a black-and-white half-smiling and half-frowning face. The video had a plot reminiscent of FOB’s past musical film, “The Young Blood Chronicles.”

FOB also released the music video for “Hold Me Like a Grudge” on the same day their eighth studio album debuted. The music video is the third in a trilogy with the preceding music videos being “Dance Dance” and “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.”

FOB then posted the official cover for the new album, portraying an oil painting of a Dobermann opening its mouth to catch bubbles. The Dobermann is surrounded by a black border and stardust particles with the name of the album, “So Much (for) Stardust,” in bubble writing.

Following the release of the new music video and album announcement, the band’s lead guitarist, Joe Trohman, released a statement on FOB’s Instagram that he is taking a temporary break for mental health issues. Fans were saddened by his leave but wished him a speedy recovery while expressing their gratitude toward the band’s openness regarding mental health.

On Jan. 25, a week after the first release, FOB revealed another song, “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” accompanied with a music video in which the band pulls a prank with River Cuomo, frontman of Weezer. 

Six days later, FOB announced their tour with supporting performances from Bring Me The Horizon, New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, The Academy Is…, and Royal & the Serpent.

“The Pink Seashell” embodies finding meaning in life while “Baby Annihilation” marks breaking out of nihilism.

FOB also released the music video for “Hold Me Like a Grudge” on the same day their eighth studio album debuted. The music video is the third in a trilogy with the preceding music videos being “Dance Dance” and “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.” The music video tells the tale of the band getting back together following their split due to an effort to save their music and prevent a space-time continuum. In this world, Wentz moves on to become a Flash-like superhero; Patrick Stump, lead vocalist and guitarist, becomes a buff wrestler; Andy Hurley, lead drummer, becomes a monk; and Trohman becomes a motion caption actor.

The fourth track on the album, “Fake Out,” takes influence from the punk rock band The Cure and is reminiscent of one of FOB’s most-recognized songs, “Dance Dance.” Hurley revealed that his favorite off the album is track five, “Heaven Iowa,” because Stump absolutely captivates listeners with his powerful vocals. Track six, “So Good Right Now,” provides fans with a light melody and bittersweet lyrics, reminding them of FOB’s early album “Take This to Your Grave.”

The one that intrigued me the most following its initial reveal was “The Pink Seashell,” the seventh track features actor Ethan Hawke reading a monologue his character gave in the movie “Reality Bites.” This particular monologue stood out to Wentz as it discusses death and the meaning of life. The album follows a similar pattern later with the track “Baby Annihilation,” originally titled “A Little Annihilation,” in which Wentz reads lyrics in a poetic tone. 

With its authenticity, community and Wentz’s genius lyrics, this new FOB era helped remind fans why the band is such a special group and one that many hold dear to their hearts.

FOB’s new logo has relations to both tracks, as the halves in the logo are representative of two parts of the record. “The Pink Seashell” embodies finding meaning in life while “Baby Annihilation” marks breaking out of nihilism. The pure emotion and poetic thought emanating from these tracks remind me of the beauty of Jim Morrison’s “An American Prayer.” 

Personally, the songs “I Am My Own Muse” and “Flu Game” have been stuck in my head, with the latter referencing Michael Jordan’s iconic basketball game in which he played effortlessly while being sick with the flu. 

Finally, the titular song “So Much (for) Stardust,” provided a nice closing to the album, a repitition of lyrics from the first track such as “What would you trade the pain for?”

Overall, the album was an absolute 10/10, and each song is a must-listen. These anthems are perfect for the upcoming summer. The band incorporated their authentic pop-punk sound from their old albums, contrasting from their last album, “Mania,” in which they explored a new sound. 

With its authenticity, community and Wentz’s genius lyrics, this new FOB era helped remind fans why the band is such a special group and one that many hold dear to their hearts.

The Bottom Line: “So Much (for) Stardust” is perfect for the summer and reminds listeners of the band’s timelessness.

The Peaks: “Hold Me Like a Grudge,” “Flu Game” and “Baby Annihilation”

The Valleys: None

The Verdict: 10/10