Album Review

Patrick Stump – Soul Punk

• 9th Oct 2011

Soul Punk is the definition of a solo album, with former-Fall Out Boy Patrick Stump playing every instrument, singing every note and producing every inch of this record. That in itself is something of a feat, and the end product is more than worth the wait that FOB fans have been waiting for, to hear they’re beloved doing what he does best.

That said, don’t expect Soul Punk to be a reiteration of anything Fall Out Boy have released. Much like the other member’s side projects (Trohman and Hurley going members of Anthrax to form hard-rock The Damned Things, Wentz forming dance-experimental Black Cards), the sound of Soul Punk is very much Stump’s revealing his humble musical beginnings, which is a mix of Pop, R&B and for obvious reasons, Punk.

Although Stump plays every part of this album, it is his voice which is stand out above everything else. He seems more confident here, singing his own penned lyrics than that of usual scribe Wentz, and also seems more powerful and practiced. Songs such as “Dance Miserable” and “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)” really showcase the diversifying range within his voice, and just how much he is able to stretch it without feeling strained.

We first heard Stump’s lyrical capabilities back in 2003 on the mini-LP Fall Out Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend, where a young man wrote of high school and girls. Now, we can see his song writing has grown a shocking amount in that time. One such song to turn to for evidence is “Run Dry (X Fingers X Heart)”, an 8 minute epic which never feels drawn out or long. This is clearly a stand out, and the strongest song on the album.

“Run Dry (X Fingers X Heart)” does tend to bring a touch of familiarity to the punk fans, along with “The I In Lie”, where Stump proclaims “I’m a cheat, cheat, cheat” as he describes the failures some put on their marriage – “It might have felt good for a minute, but admit it to yourself it ain’t right/when you’re sleeping with your lover but you’re living with your wife”.

“Everybody Wants Somebody” safely entombs some FOB essence while more-so standing as one of his solo efforts. Everything else steps out of Stump’s FOB shell, which is great to see. “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)” is a superbly put together album closer, slowing down an album frantically paced to a slightly more reduced pace, while still keeping in tune with the album as a whole. “This City” is much more R&B driven than most on the album, but once again Stump’s vocals reign supreme and do a fantastic job.

Stump also deliberately tries to distance himself from his FOB past in some of the tracks. In “Allie”, Stump roars “I’m not broken hearted/I’m just kinda pissed off”, moving from the shadow of angst and heart-laden drama often at the core of some Fall Out Boy songs.

While listening to this album, I had to remind myself on several occasions that everything I was hearing was performed by one man, which is always both a treat and overwhelming. The intro to “Allie”, the bass/guitar in “Run Dry (X Fingers X Heart)” are only 2 examples of phenomenal musicianship on this record, though there are many more.

There are many fans out there hoping that Folie à Deux will not be the last effort from Fall Out Boy. I can say I am one of those fans. That being said, if we are going to see more music like this from Mr. Stump, I am in no rush for another FOB record. Soul Punk was an enthralling album. After the release of the EP Truant Wave earlier this year, I was expecting a lot from Soul Punk. It was easily my most anticipated album of the year, a year which included the return of Blink-182.

I can safely say that Soul Punk hit every expectation with a deafening wallop. A terribly important album, one that needs more recognition than most music out there right now. One that deserves more too.

Download: Run Dry (X Fingers X Heart); Allie; This City