Written by Jalen Smith

So Much For A Grand Return.

As the album begins, it kicks things off with good instrumentation, keying you into a good headspace for the overall sound. “Love From The Other Side” is a good tease and decent opener to the best tracks of the album. However, with the exception of a few shining moments, the next few tracks fall by the wayside in terms of vocals. It isn’t until the back half of the album where it actually gets good. Some of the tracks, such as “I Am My Own Use”, “What A Time To Be Alive”, “The Pink Seashell”, and, the title track, “So Much (For) Stardust” are easy stand outs. 

While the beginning of the album feels a bit uninspired and played out by every pop punk band, the rest sets itself apart with some clean experimentation, particularly with The Pink Seashell featuring Ethan Hawke and Baby Annihilation; the former is a nice moving section and change of pace for the album as it leads you into “I Am My Own Muse”. “I Am My Own Muse” is where the album shifts into its own and becomes something different than what was expected. While the first few tracks play a bit more basic the rest feel innovative and different, calling onto previous albums such as Folie à Deux and American Beauty / American Psycho! 

Fall Out Boy takes an ambitious turn here as it foregoes their usual flare and takes on a different feel with its penultimate track, “What A Time To Be Alive”, trading in its usual emo style for a piece inspired by what seems to play alongside a more 80’s techno-funk feeling. While the final track, “So Much (For) Stardust”, balances out the vibrant feel of the previous piece with a more somber overtone, the album closes out, not with flare, but with a hint of catharsis. The final lyrics ring out, leaving the listener with an uneasy feeling but a nonetheless satisfying ending to a decent album. While it takes a bit to get into, the album makes itself worthy of at least a listen for the back half!