8.5/10

Fall Out Boy, one of the most influential pop-punk bands since 2001, has been making chart-topping albums since their first release in 2003 of “Take This to Your Grave.” They’ve been a huge inspiration for bands like Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, and Twenty One Pilots. They made four full-length albums before taking a hiatus for three years that left fans in tears wondering if their favorite band will ever return back to the music scene. They came back in 2013 to make “Save Rock and Roll,” which was number one of the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Now they are back again with their sophomore release since their famous hiatus and are following through with the new sound they’ve made for themselves. This sixth studio album had the first single, “Centuries,” off of it which became the Platinum 20 hit single when it was released in September. The album has new contemporary sounds that are infused with the classic pop-punk and pop-rock they are most known for.

“American Beauty/American Psycho,” will come out in the United States on Jan.20 and was listed on Billboard’s 30 most anticipated albums of 2015 as number eight. The “American Beauty” part of the title was inspired by the Grateful Dead album and 1999 film. The “American Psycho” part came from the book written by Bret Easton Ellis and the 2000 film. On Jan. 13 the whole album was streamed via the band’s VEVO YouTube channel.

The album is 11 tracks including the already released songs “Centuries,” “Uma Thurman,” “Immortals,” “Irresistible,” “American Beauty/American Psycho,” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” The album will have three official singles, being “Centuries,” “American Beauty/American Psycho,” and “Uma Thurman.”

The album kicks off with the song “Irresistible,” which takes lyrics about deep love and combines it with the arena-rock instrumentals and the anthemic sing-along chorus. The next song is the title track and it samples the song, “Too Fast for Love,” by Motley Crue and channels the inner glam-rock sound Fall Out Boy has been trying to pursue in this new album. “Centuries,” is the crowd pleasing track sampling the song, “do do do,” by Suzanne Vega that still keeps the classic FOB sound but brings in the new radio-rock sound that will be sure to get stuck in your head in the best way possible.

Two tracks that really stand out in the album for me are “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” and “Uma Thurman.” “Uma Thurman,” is by far the catchiest track on the album and its instrumentals are from the opening credits of the 1960’s sitcom “The Munsters.” This song is easy-to-listen, fun, and doesn’t stray too far away from classic FOB. “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” is a slow pop gem on this album and its lyrics flow perfectly with the lead singer, Patrick Stump’s, talented vocals.

Fall Out Boy has so much talent and they carry so much inspiration for their millions of fans that no matter what they put out; it is rare to disappoint the crowds. This album stands out in ways that FOB has never done before, but in some moments I just feel that they are trying too hard to become the number one new mainstream radio-rock band. They’ve taken the biggest 360 spin to their sound, but they still stay true to being humble and thankful for how far they have come in the music scene.

They have also just announced a summer co-headlining tour to support the album that will be hitting the states with Wiz Khalifa and Hoodie Allen. Tickets will be on sale for general on Jan. 23.

All in all, I recommend this album to someone who wants to listen to something catchy yet still pop-rock sounding. And for the fans: although this album is a complete different sound from the old FOB, it definitely does not disappoint and will not fail to still inspire.