Fall Out Boy's album From Under the Cork Tree is an over load of sarcasm, wronged romance, and hardcore-derived passion. A friend of mine had given me a copy of their CD after I practically freaked out upon hearing it first in my sisters discman.
When you listen to them as though you get the impression that most of the songs themselves are rushed by little blurs of caffeinated misery, rousing enough (and clever enough) to help skeptics understand why emo hasn't gone away…yet.
I first heard the single "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" and as stated from the lyrics it is but another break-up song in which the band's lyricist (and bassist) Pete Wentz proves he's not above pettiness: "I'm just a notch in your bedpost/ But you're just a line in
a song."
It sounds mean but I must admit it was well thought of.
In fact for me it is a practiced contemporary dramatic poetry (if there is such a thing).
From Under the Cork Tree burns through it's fair share of melodramatic tunes that briefly expose the anguish.
All of this isn't to say that the pop hooks that caused Fall Out Boy's lightning fast infusion aren't present.
Fall Out Boy experienced a pretty big change (from their first album), but who wants to hear the same album twice?
Bandwagon fans will probably hate the musical growth that makes From Under the Cork Tree so special but those who appreciate will understand exactly where Wentz and the rest of the gang are coming from.
Maybe "Of All the Gin Joints In All the World" says it best: “You only hold me up like this / 'Cause you don't know who I really am."
