Infinity on High
After the success ofFrom Under the Cork Tree, Fall Out Boy earned the right to indulge their whims. Fortunately, their instincts tend to serve them well (not counting those infamous cell-phone photos). On their most adventurous album, Def Jam prez Jay-Z introduces "Thriller," while Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds produces groove-heavy hit "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and "Thnks fr th Mmrs." A few new flourishes aside, however, like guitarist Joe Trohman's Metallica moves on "Thriller," the Chicago-bred band remains true to their punk-pop roots, even if vocalist Patrick Stump sounds like Mr. Sexyback on "This Ain't a Scene" and "I'm like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me + You)." You can thank bass player/songwriter Pete Wentz for the unwieldy song titles. As he explains in "Fame < Infamy," "I am God's gift / Why would he bless me with such wit without a conscience." Whether spicing up their recipe with R&B; swagger or playing it straight, FOB are at their best when they crank up the volume. Hence, the piano-based "Golden" is the weakest track on an otherwise solid outing. Hey, maybe they just wanted to see what a stadium looks like bathed in the glow of a thousand lighters. Taking its title from a letter Vincent Van Gogh sent to his brother Theo ("Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high"), Fall Out Boy's fourth seems likely to follow its predecessor into the platinum stratosphere.--Kathleen C. Fennessy