Fame is the worst thing to happen to Pete Wentz. When Fall Out Boy burst from the underground in 2005, they were scrappy pop punk underdogs with monster hooks. As the year went on, From Under the Cork Tree sold millions of copies, catapulting the boys from Chicago into the upper echelon of mainstream pop stars. People were paying attention and bandleader Wentz lapped it up. Suddenly being a fun pop punk band wasn’t good enough. Pete Wentz was an artist, and he was going to prove it.
Wentz’s pretentious side reared its ugly head for the first time on Infinity on High. Lyrics like “I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies,” were delivered with mind-numbing smugness. You could hear Wentz patting himself on the back for such a “deep” line. The lyrics sucked the life out of an otherwise enjoyable record. Unfortunately, Pete Wentz has not learned his lesson.
Musically, Folie a Duex is a major step forward for Fall Out Boy. The guitars buzz and crackle with a glam-rock tinge as spacey new-wave keyboards weave in and out. The choruses are huge and are designed to reverberate off the walls of arenas. Lead singer Patrick Stump is the band’s most valuable asset. His voice has matured and he no longer sounds like a watered down version of Maroon 5′s Adam Levine. It is now a fairly soulful baritone, and he hits some complicated notes throughout the album. It’s a refreshing change from the nasal whine of other pop punk singers. If Folie A Duex were an instrumental album, it would have been great. Unfortunately, Pete Wentz had to write lyrics.
Wentz’s lyrics consist of clichés, misplaced pop culture references, and unbelievable arrogance. The opening track, “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes,” sets the template for the entire record. The title is a “clever” play on Fred Flintstone’s lodge and bowling team. Wentz claims that you have to “detox to retox,” and then is going to “pitch himself into other people’s dreams.” Sadly, these are some of the best lyrics on the entire album. The pop culture references are especially problematic. For example, there is a song entitled “My Winona.” Because I am fairly proficient in pop culture trivia, I understood that Wentz was comparing his relationship with Ashlee Simpson to that of Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp. However, the majority of Fall Out Boy’s fanbase wasn’t even born when those two were dating, so they will have no idea what Wentz is referencing. He might as well have compared his relationship to Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. It would elicit the same blank stare.
The problem with pop punk is that it is a narrow genre. As you get older, it becomes harder to write teenage songs of torment. However, you can grow up without falling into pretension. blink-182 and Green Day were both able to make the transition. The themes became more mature, but the lyrics remained simple and easy to grasp. Pete Wentz hasn’t figured that out yet, so he overstuffs his lyrics to sound smart. Unfortunately, it makes him sound even more immature. If he can figure out a way to streamline his lyrics, he might have something.
Folie a Duex is a great representation of why Fall Out Boy is reviled by some and beloved by others. They certainly know how to write engaging pop songs, but often fall victim to their lyrical indulgences. Unfortunately, the latter is the reason Fall Out Boy is written off. Simplicity can be a good thing.