Album Review: Soul Punk

In the time between 2009, when his band Fall Out Boy went on an indefinite hiatus, and today, vocalist Patrick Stump has broken away from the pudgy, good-boy punk rocker every girl would pass over to stare at Pete Wentz to someone entirely new: a tall, lanky young man with a dance-rock, soulful edge to his music and lyrics.

Breaking away from his previous musical style with Fall Out Boy, Stump has created what he considers a new genre of music: "soul punk", hence the title of the album. It has a heavy dance beat and lots of synthesizer, but each track is special and unique in the drum patterns, guitar patterns, or just mood. Stump singlehandedly wrote all the lyrics and recorded every layer of every track on this album. If that's not impressive, I don't know what is.

The track list is as follows:

1) Explode

2) This City

3) Dance Miserable

4) Spotlight (New Regrets)

5) The "I" in Lie

6) Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)

7) Greed

8) Everybody Wants Somebody

9) Allie

10) Coast (It's Gonna Get Better)

11) BONUS TRACK: This City (feat. Lupe Fiasco)

"Explode" is a fun number, definitely a "get pumped" kind of song. The fast beat and catchy lyrics stick with you. Like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", the second track of the album "This City" pays homage to Stump's own hometown, Chicago. "Dance Miserable" and "Spotlight (New Regrets)" both encourage the listener to get out and do their own thing, a sort of 'forget the haters' type deal. In contrast, "The 'I' in Lie" isn't such a happy, upbeat song. It's about a couple who are having an illicit affair, separate of their significant others, although it's tastefully written. "Run Dry" chronicles the life of an alcoholic. It is painfully catchy, as I find myself singing it in the car, and then have to stop myself because it's not socially acceptable to sing about your drinking addiction. "Greed" is almost aggressive, the lyrics especially clever as it critiques our societal affliction with, well, greed. "Everybody Wants Somebody" isn't a love song, or a breakup song; it's simply about a fact that many of us are all to familiar with: everyone wants somebody who doesn't want them. "Allie" is a catchy tune, describing a teenage relationship gone wrong. And "Coast (It's gonna Get Better)" is perhaps the best song on the album, reminding the listener to never give up, that there is always an out and there is always a positive future ahead.

Overall, "Soul Punk" is a genuinely unique album with the same heavy, funky dance beats that everyone loves on the radio with a brilliant lyrical integrity that, let's face it, no one expects when they hear the audio tracks. Definitely worth a listen for anyone who likes something catchy, something meaningful, and something just a little bit unexpected.

--as a bonus track, Patrick Stump invited Lupe Fiasco to rap about the city of Chicago over a shortened version of "This City". It's rap. It's social justice. It's awesome.

Album Review: Illuminations by Josh Groban

I will not lie: I am a Josh Groban fan.  I own Awake, Closer, Josh Groban and the "best" songs from Noel, and Josh's live album.  As soon as I discovered a new album in the works early in 2010, I found myself constantly checking Josh's website for details.  Illuminations was released without much to-do on November 15, 2010.  So, naturally, I bought it...November 15. And it has already been well listened to.

Obviously, I'm pleased with the new album.  But, lyrically and musically, how does it stand up to Josh's earlier releases?  Does this album stand alone?  Or am I being seduced by Josh's rich, lyrical voice?

Illuminations will be enjoyed by long time fans of classical/pop crossover, and will hopefully attract some new listeners as well.  Those who complained that Josh only produces "sweet and corny love songs" will find Illuminations a bit more down to earth.  Long time fans will be pleased that Josh's voice still shines in four different languages, and the thirteen songs will leave listeners satisfied but not overwhelmed.  The instrumentation seems simultaneously grander and more raw.  Do I like it?  Yes, I do.  Will you?  I don't know, but this might help:

Song Break Down:

1) The Wandering Kind (Prelude)  An instrumental piece is an interesting way for a vocal artist to start an album.  Even so, it's one of my favorite tracks.  Piano driven in the beginning, it dissolves into a pretty little piece that reeks of romantic melancholy.  Good noveling music.

2) The Bells of New York City  Pretty, romantic, sad...hey, sounds like The Wandering Kind!  Not much to it lyrically, but the music is beautiful.  Every time this song starts, I think it's something by Phillip Glass.  According to my mother (who is also a Groban fan), it's a disguised Christmas song.

3) Galileo (Someone Like You)  Unfortunately, I don't like this song at all.  The lyrics aren't really there and don't seem to match the music.  Sorry, Josh, but this one's a dud.

4) L'Ora Dell'Addio  Slow and a little sad, this song show's Groban's voice nicely.  Some parts feel like lyrically cramming.  

5) Hidden Away  Please don't keep your love hidden away.  A sweet song requesting a girl to show her love, instead of hiding it.  This song reminds me of You Are Loved

6) Au Jardin Des Sans-Puorquoi  It's French.  Nothing else, good or bad, sticks out about this song.

7) Higher Window  One Amazon.com reviewer complained that this song "sounded religious".  It does, but it's subtle and I can't decide what religion it's referring to.

8) If I Walk Away A "poppier" tune than some on this album.

9) Love Only Knows  Another pop influenced song.

10) Voce Existe Em Mim  Possibly the coolest non-English song I've ever heard (it's in Portuguese, if you were curious).  I love it.  Go listen to it.

11) War At Home  Sad but encouraging without sappiness.  This is one of my favorites.  Two ambiguous uses of the word "hell".

12) London Hymn  Composed of a creepy choir.  Moody and pretty, but lacks depth because, well, it lacks lyrics.

13) Straight to You Other than some lyrics-not-matching-the-music problems, this is a wonderful song.  It also has a few phrases that might make Christians uncomfortable (Heaven has denied us it's kingdom/

The saints are drunk and howling at the moon/ And the chariots of angels are colliding).