It’s been five years since Fall Out Boy released their seventh studio album, “MANIA” (2018), and almost four years since they have released any new music at all (i.e. their three-track EP, “Lake Effect Kid” (2018) and 2019 greatest hits compilation, “Believers Never Die Vol. 2”). Although the band had been touring in those past few years (post-quarantine in 2021), namely on their area tour with Green Day and Weezer on The Hella Mega Tour, the fans were desperately pleading for new music.
On January 18th, their pleas were heard and Fall Out Boy released their first single, “Love From The Other Side.” The band had been inadvertently teasing the release of new music in early December with cryptic websites and oddly inviting postcards sent to fans. On Christmas, fans received a strange email containing a weird video of a claymation dog traveling through “the other side of the apocalypse.” Fans were unsure what to make of it, but one thing was for sure: the boys were back. Almost three weeks later, Fall Out Boy officially announced the release of their new track and declared its release on January 18th.
“Love From The Other Side” opens with a beautiful, starry-sounding piano accompanied by bright, almost melancholy strings. It quickly crescendos into hard-hitting drums and rapturing electric guitars, which captures the listener’s attention quickly. The drums and guitar added together with the violins make for a lovely cacophony of sound and really draws the listener into the rest of the song.
The song draws back on Fall Out Boy’s older albums, namely their 2008 Grammy-nominated album “Folie á Deux,” with their heavy rock front and additional string accompaniment. Some fans might also feel a sense of nostalgia from the return of their rock-heavy roots as producer Neal Avron came back to produce the track. Avron produced three Fall Out Boy records, “From Under The Cork Tree” (2005), “Infinity On High” (2007) and the aforementioned “Folie á Deux.” The return of Avron’s signature producing style is quite evident on the track, and fans are overjoyed to see his return as he has produced some of Fall Out Boy’s most fan-favorite albums.
The lyrics are exquisite, as always, thanks to lyricist and bassist Pete Wentz. They reflect a sort of melancholy, as Fall Out Boy lyrics typically do, and reflection on the band’s past as well as looking at where they are now. The music video reflects this mentality, although masked in a fairy-tale allegory of wicked wolves and magical amulets. Moreover, the track is a beautifully crafted story of the band’s history while also showcasing where they’re at now as a band.
“Love From The Other Side” is the opening track of their new record, “So Much (For) Stardust,” which is set to be released on March 24th. As of now, there has been no announcement of a new single releasing in the time before the album’s release, but the band teased that there’s “lots more to come soon.” Whether it be tour dates or more singles, Fall Out Boy fans are eagerly awaiting more content from the band. In the meantime, stream “Love From The Other Side” wherever you stream your music because it is an absolute banger!
