“I think I-I fell in love again/Maybe I just took too much cough medicine/I’m the best worst thing that hasn’t happened to you yet.” Thus begins the newest Fall Out Boy single. “American Beauty/American Psycho,” the third single from their upcoming sixth studio album of the same name, premiered on Zane Lowe’s BBC1 Radio show a few weeks ago. This song, a frantic tune inspired by Motley Crue, details the disparity between the singer and the object of his affections. From Fall Out Boy’s tumblr:
much of the frenetic energy of ab/ap comes from the motley crue sample-
Too fast for love was motleys tttyg-they made it themselves because no one was interested in signing a punk band wearing too much make up back then. Thirty five years later, they’re still selling out arenas and not playing by anyone’s rules. If there had been the Internet back then, they would’ve broken it.
It’s about accepting who you are, featuring lines like “I wish I dreamt in the shape of your mouth/But it’s the thread count I really care about.”
The music video, released a few weeks later, opens on a ballerina setting a tinkly music box to play before she takes the spotlight. The music kicks in when a boy (the boy featured on the album’s cover) walks in wielding a sledgehammer with the intent to destroy her music box. He runs away when he sees the ballerina. By the time the second chorus comes in, she’s surrounded by dudes who look like underground cagefighters. As each one comes at her in turn, she levels them with a graceful dance move like the BAMF she is. Enter the band members, who remove all the unconscious dudes from her presence.
Unlike those of Save Rock and Roll, the music videos from American Beauty/American Psycho are not connected. The Ancient Rome setting featured in “Centuries” does not carry over, something I’m pretty happy about, having not been that video’s biggest fan. I love the “American Beauty/American Psycho” video; I don’t normally dig music videos that don’t primarily feature the band, but there’s just something about this badass ballerina kicking ass in toe shoes that I adore. Bonus points for how fantastic her routine looks set to Fall Out Boy’s frantic energy.
American Beauty/American Psycho will be available worldwide on January 20th. Tip: any iTunes pre-order comes with the immediate downloads of “Centuries,” “American Beauty/American Psycho,” “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” and “Irresistible.”
Pre-order the album on iTunes here.
Pre-order the album on Amazon here.
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Watch the “Centuries” video here.
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