Oh, Nostalgia, I Don't Need You Anymore 3 Out Of 5 Stars
Patrick Stump takes a walk from Fall Out Boy for his debut solo CD, and strolls into the time machine that lives on in Stump's collection of Prince and Michael Jackson albums. Or maybe Duran Duran's turn with Justin Timberlake. Either way, he's created a wickedly catchy collection of synthy-soul pop that is as self-assured as it is NOT Fall Out Boy.
It's obvious from the first track, "Explode," that Stump wants to distance himself from the pop-punk that made him rich in FOB. From there, it's one man show-time, with Stump doing the writing, playing and production for the entire album, minus a bonus track of "This City" featuring Lupe Fiasco. (Which happens to be the CD's best song.) Stump is also really open on the disc, with a blatant admission of a drinking problem on "Run Dry" and a great adultery song, "The I in Lie." After all, how many singers would gleefully shout their guilt in a chorus that boasts "I'm a Cheat, cheat, cheat!"
The mess of the modern world isn't left aside either, as "Soul Punk" has its surprisingly political moments. The funky "Dance Miserable" exhorts that you push yourself through the litany of ailments like climate change, unemployment, foreclosures, etc. Or the Timberlake ape of "Greed," with the catchy refrain of "turn your white collars up." Stump reveals himself to be a really smart pop-crafter on "Soul Punk," proving he can make his own kind of music apart from Pete Wentz. However, it is Wentz's presence that pulls the disc down a star; Stump's self-production makes the album sound at times claustrophobic and falls victim to the loudness wars. I bit of band chemistry might have helped to loosen things up a bit. Even so, better than half the songs are good for repeat listens, making "Soul Punk" a better than average solo project.
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