Five years since The Used released their seminal, self-titled album who would have thought we’d still be entertaining records that sounded like weaker versions of it?
From their sub-Panic! At The Disco music to their choice in song titles (‘I Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers’) to their pained lyrics (“And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies”), Fall Out Boy bear all the classic emo hallmarks. Even the obligatory quirky touches are present and correct: the album is introduced and produced by urban music legends Jay-Z and Babyface respectively.
We’ll give the Chicagoans the benefit of the doubt by believing that their fixation with clichés is tongue-in-cheek, which makes it much easier for the discerning listener to chuckle with them.
So once you get over the fact it’s farcically emo, this album turns out to be a decent enough record to get you in the mood for the Saturday night indie disco. Certainly, the single ‘This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race’ is up there with anything My Chemical Romance could do. At least, that’s if you can hear “arms race” rather than “arse face”. I can’t.