Patrick Stump’s highly anticipated debut album Soul Punk (in stores now) is a catchy, musically remarkable work. Written, performed, produced, and funded by the man himself, its craftsmanship helps it to stand from the rest. Stump fans have been anxiously awaiting the CD’s arrival since the release of his EP “Truant Wave” in February 2011
Soul Punk is infused with unique, hand-performed drum beats and danceable rhythms immersed in tunes telling tales about drinking to forget and wanting someone who doesn’t want you back. Stump performs all instruments heard on the record including guitars, bass, synthesizers, brass, saxophones, and tricky percussion components. Every part of this record was Stump’s doing.
The CD’s first single, “This City (Remix)” is a tribute to Stump’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The track features rapper Lupe Fiasco (also hailing from Chicago), whose verse is packed with opinions of racism in the city, but despite the negatives, he still loves his hometown.
Lyrics are both clever and hopeful. “It’s gonna get better,” Stump croons, voice saccharine, in the chorus to the forward-looking track “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)”. Songs such as “Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)” and “Allie”, along with others, use clever wording and witty lines that accompany Stump’s R;B feel and charming voice.
Each song is unique, telling different stories from various points of view. Within several songs political, economic, and social views are woven into the lyrics in a way one may never think twice about (track seven, “Greed”, tells of corporate greed while bonus track thirteen, “People Never Done A Good Thing”, communicates stories about the “no-good” people of the world).
There is something special about every track on this record. Maybe it’s the hope-instilling and witty lyrics, the “unexpected” music from the former Fall Out Boy singer (although, if you trace back to his musical idols it would only have been a matter of time), or the ties to Stump’s own influences in music.
In the end the effort and time put into Soul Punk are what define Patrick Stump as a musician. The fact that something conjured up in one’s own mind became reality and that he didn’t take any shortcuts to get there. Soul Punk embodies true brilliance and talent, each note played and every syllable sung with love and passion. And that is what sets this record from the rest.