Band Members : Patrick Stump (Lead Vocals, Guitar, piano), Pete Wentz (Bass guitar, backing vocals), Joe Trohman (Lead guitar, backing vocals) and Andy Hurley (drums/percussion).
Fall Out Boy : From Under The Cork Tree Year Released : 2005 (2019 repress) Produced by Neal Avron Label: Island Price Range: $60+ Speed: 33 1/3 Album Before : Take This To Your Grave (2003) Album After : Infinity On High (2007) Further Listening : Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out LP : 2 x Limited Edition Blue Mood for enjoying: Fall Out Boy always put out a very fun record and this record can be used as a tool of nostalgia. Also good to sing along with as you probably remember a lot more of the lyrics than you think. Sing when your sad or happy - it all works Track Listing:
LP1 Side A
Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued - 3:09
Of All The Gin Joints In All The World - 3:11
Dance, Dance - 3:00
Sugar, We're Goin' Down - 3:49
Side B Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner - 3:21
I've Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song) - 3:11
7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen) - 3:03
Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year - 3:24
Side C
Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends - 3:24
I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me - 3:31
A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me" - 2:49
Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows) - 3:28
XO - 3:41
Side D - Bonus and Demo Tracks
Snitches And Talkers Get Stitches And Walkers
The Music Or The Misery
My Heart Is The Worst Kind Of Weapon (demo)
Sugar, We're Goin' Down (Patrick Stump remix)
Dance, Dance (The Lindbergh Palace remix)
What's in the Sleeve ? 2 x Limited Edition Blue LP in a gatefold sleeve. Lyric sheet is included as a separate insert. Photographs of the band in the middle of sleeve.
"Put your ear to the speaker and choose love or sympathy. But never both, love never wanted me" ~ XO - Side C
Welcome to Spin #13 - Fall Out Boy : From Under The Cork Tree
Is everyone OK from last weeks Spin? No creepy demonic entities attaching themselves to you or your family? Awesome! Bring your inner high school spirit along for this one as we go back to a very familiar record for both myself and wifey. (I tried to get her to do a guest spin but she refused as she was too into the music to stop and write). It also is her favourite number too so hopefully I can do this one justice. Also I wanted to wish a very Happy Mothers Day for all you mums out there. I hope that you have a lovely day today and get some much needed R'nR.
Our Spin #13 is the classic album from those boys from Illinois - 'Fall Out Boy' and the record is their second effort 'From Under The Cork Tree'. I purchased this one for her after we played a game of "Name 7 albums that influenced your life". I surprised her with the records that she chose one morning all lined up in the loungeroom and 'From Under The Cork Tree' was one of them.
For this review we used the setup in the front room so we could play it a bit louder during the day without waking up the littlest member of our R'nR family. The front room setup consists of the Audio Technica AT-LP60XBT and the Marshall Woburn II bluetooth/RCA cable speaker. It makes my job easier as the reviewer sometimes to be able to work at the desk and listen rather than laptop on my knees and children running about.
Drop the Needle (of course means place the stylus nicely on your wax):
Straightaway without spinning anything just yet I remember a lot of these songs when I look at the back track listing. A lot of these songs take me back to writing essays in my bedroom and trying to see life beyond high school (funny looking back now). The weight and feel of the blue LP is heavy and I'd say just from weight alone it would have to be 180gram. For wifey, she remembers listening to this for the first time over the loudspeaker as she worked at Video Ezy (yes kids we will talk about the weird concept of renting video tapes when you're older).
LP 1 is now on the platter and Side A is getting ready to play as the stylus moves it's way into the grooves of 'Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued'. A lot of the titles on this album are witty sayings or very long which make it difficult to quickly refer too, so I've also underlined it during the paragraph. After the flashes and pops of cameras to start off the song you hear the lead guitar of Trohman coming through and the Bass of Wentz is really clear on this pressing. It's fitting because Trohman and Wentz are the founding members of the band. Stump was originally going to try out as the drummer before they were able to convince Hurley to join. This song has a great chug through it that always makes it easy to get the song stuck into your head.
'Of All The Gin Joints In All The World' starts off with Stumps vocals and the very catchy lyrics usually associated with the band. One thing I didn't know about the band was that the bassist, Wentz was the one who wrote most of the lyrics. I always thought it was the lead vocalist Stump. Loving the clarity of this record compared to memory of mp3 or through the radio speaker as a 16 or 17 year old. So happy that wifey and I enjoy this band together and will have to go see them play live when we can. My family went back in 2013 when the band increased their output and touring again - they loved them. "You only hold me up like this, 'Cause you don't know who I really am". Just when you think you've forgotten a song, it comes on and your singing away - It's amazing how good music and memory can be sometimes. My family also bought me a tour shirt from that Sydney show and I really wish I could have gone. C'mon 'Fall Out Boy' and return for a tour already!
The next two songs were probably the biggest from the album in 'Dance, Dance' and 'Sugar, We're Goin Down'. I don't know which one would be my favourite or which one ended up being the biggest song. I do know that this pressing has a lot of time and attention paid to it because it sounds incredible. I've noticed that a few of the earlier pressings had issues or didn't sound as good so it's great to see that 'Fall Out Boy' have continued to rectify this problem. 'Dance, Dance' has a hooky start with the drum pattern followed by the bass and then Stumps vocals come in before Trohman jams. Its layered well and the band knew they were on a winner straight away. I do remember singing along to this with mates at the beloved school discos (we thought we were so cool).
I like the ending how its just ends and the completely different paced banger comes on in 'Sugar, We're Goin Down'. The track is a lot more chilled compared to the upbeat song before. "We're going down, down in an earlier round and Sugar, we're going down swinging. I'll be your number one with a bullet. A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it". Such a strong Side A on LP1 and going to be hard to top. The stylus stops and and returns to cradle as it's time to flip and hit play on Side B. Which song do you think was the bigger single?
The first song on Side B is 'Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner' and its a very familiar style of upbeat punk/rock. Stump on vocals just has a great range in his voice and he tests it a bit on this track. It's a quicker song that fits well after two huge standouts. I think Trohman has some nice moments on this one especially towards the 2 minute mark. If you like Stump, you need to check out his solo work - click here for a sample
'I've Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)' starts with a different sounding Stump on vocals. This one has some sadder lyrics "and the record won't stop skipping, and the lies just won't stop slipping, and besides my reputation's on the line. We can fake it for the airwaves, Force our smiles, baby, half dead. From Comparing myself to everyone else around me". The drums run out the song before the next track starts and instantly picks up the mood - '7 minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)'. Similar to the first track on Side B. They really hit it out of the park with their second record after so much underground hype and anxiety to make something bigger and better. It did take a personal toll on the band and especially Wentz who struggled with selfworth at the time - before this record was released. Just lucky his family and bandmates brought him back to keep him grounded.
The final track on Side B is 'Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year', which is more of a question - Will we as 'Fall Out Boy' be successful with this follow up? The short answer is yes, hell yes. This track makes the mood feel a little bit more sombre and the pressing is still faultless. Such a different experience listening to this: A) A lot better sound quality from my younger days
B) Watching our children playing in the loungeroom as I listen to something
that came out when I was a child. Very surreal moment for me.
"Are we growing up or just going down? It's just a matter of time until we're all found out. Take our tears, put 'em on ice. 'Cause I swear, I'd burn this city down to show you the light".
Time to take LP1 off the platter and place it back into the poly bag. LP2 and Side C is placed on the platter and the start button is pushed. I recognise this one by the riff at the start of the song, 'Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends'. I like this song for different purposes now and it's so important to be confident in yourself and not worry about others opinions. "Everyone is trying, Everyone is shining. Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame, such a shame". This track starts off with probably my favourite guitar riff on the album.
Another BIG song was 'I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me' and probably the song I know the lyrics of the most on this record. "Douse yourself in cheap perfume, It's so fitting, so fitting of the way you are. Can't cover it up, can't cover it up". I'd like to test this one on the loungeroom setup at a later date because of the bass and range of the band. Side C is a strong challenger for best side on the record also.
Another strong song (this album is awesome) comes on in 'A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"'. I wish I had of known my wife when this record came out, can imagine her dressed out all punk rock and singing along to this one. "I don't blame you for being you, but you can't blame me for hating it. So say, what are you waiting for? Kiss her, kiss her. I set my clocks early 'cause I know I'm always late". It feels extremely short but it's only because it's nostalgic and you seem to breeze on through things you like. Our daughter is on my lap helping Daddy type as she was crying in the loungeroom - I think our son was playing paw patrol and wasn't sharing his cars.
The second last song on Side C and the record is 'Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)'. I remember singing this one on my ipod a lot "If you are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons, I'm mailing letters to addresses in ghost town". I like how Stump really stretches out "moooo oooo ooons".
The drumming on this one is mixed really well on the pressing and will be looking at getting further 'Fall Out Boy' records because they are just so much fun to listen to. I like the back and forth vocals on this one between the band towards the end before Stump takes control again and stretches out "matters" to good effect. A little bit of spoken word towards the end of this track for those of you who like that too.
The last song on the album (besides the bonus tracks and demos that were included on this pressing ) is 'XO' and its a strong finisher. I remember hearing this song and memorising the lyrics. I love the drums how they take over the song with Stumps vocals. "To the love , I left my conscience pressed through the keyholes I watched you dress. Kiss and tell. Loos lips sin ships".
I really hope that you enjoyed listening along to this one and don't forget to give us a like on our social pages and below. I will leave the bonus tracks and demos as a secret so you can experience them yourselves when you purchase this fantastic album. I'm going to grab a cuppa and dive into some other 'Fall Out Boy' records while I'm taking a trip back down memory lane.
Until our next Spin, Believe in yourself and don't be afraid of what others think. No one needs that added stress and negativity. Also Be Kind to your Wax!