A Different Stump

Ladies and Gentlemen, the lead singer of Fall Out Boy fame has returned. Patrick Stump is back on the scene with a sound all his own.

Stump was with the band Fall Out Boy for eight years, 2001 to 2009. Now, sporting a new look and fashionable style, Stump is ready to break out on his own with his interpretation of pop, punk and soul.

In his newest single, “This City,” Stump expresses his love and pride for the neighborhood that he calls home. The song has an uncanny, upbeat resemblance to rapper, Jay Z’s 2009, “Empire State of Mind.” The only difference is that Stump has made his song usable to everyone by not citing a specific location. With a strong hook and a great assembly of instruments, this one could be a summer smash.

The song also features a verse by rapper, Lupe Fiasco. This is where things get a little dicey. Fiasco’s lyrics could be considered bigoted. Bring up a poor educational system, gentrification and segregation as examples of African American culture in “his city” may not be receptive to others who are actually listening to what he is saying. Maybe the song will drown him out and the audience will only focus on Stump.

In spite of this, “This City” has Stump’s typical strong vocals, but it is absent of his signature high notes from his Fall Out Boy days. We can still hold out hope that they will appear in his debut album however.

The debut of Stump’s solo album, “Soul Punk,” is scheduled to hit stores everywhere on October 18.