Mania
by Fall Out Boy
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Jan 19, 2018
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 185 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 100 out of 185
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 185
  3. Negative: 49 out of 185
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  1. notmeime
    Jan 19, 2018
    7
    MANIA is a wild ride, covering a bunch of different genres. The result is an eclectic album, that is odd to listen to, but still overall pleasant. It also felt a bit short, it could have used an extra song or two. If you're a fan, you'll probably learn to love it, if you aren't, this is not the album to convert you.
  2. jgorham983
    Jan 19, 2018
    7
    I loved FOB's previous albums. I had a lot of mixed feelings going in after hearing Young and Menace but I am pleased to say that I enjoyed this album after the first listen. It started off with a bang with Frosty Royal Milk Tea then went on with some other great songs like The last of the Real Ones and Champion. Heaven's Gate was my favorite song by far. The 2 songs that I didn't enjoy soI loved FOB's previous albums. I had a lot of mixed feelings going in after hearing Young and Menace but I am pleased to say that I enjoyed this album after the first listen. It started off with a bang with Frosty Royal Milk Tea then went on with some other great songs like The last of the Real Ones and Champion. Heaven's Gate was my favorite song by far. The 2 songs that I didn't enjoy so much were Young and Menace and Sunshine Riptide. Then we ended with another bang in Bishops Knife Trick. It was one hell of a ride. It mixed a ton of different genres into one. It is not my favorite by far but I can picture myself coming back to it.… Expand
  3. falloutperry
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    The secret to Fall Out Boy's longevity is best showcased in this album: they are not afraid to try new styles and at the same time stay true to themselves. This is not the type of album you listen only once to understand it, but I'm afraid most people won't get that.
  4. ballcapgamer
    Jan 19, 2018
    8
    Fall out Boy's previous two albums have been absolutely phenomenal and while I still really like this album unfortunately it doesn't quite live up to the high bar set by Save Rock and Roll as well as American Beauty/American Psycho. There are some great songs on here such as The last of the real ones, Hold me tight or don't, and stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea among others. However, there areFall out Boy's previous two albums have been absolutely phenomenal and while I still really like this album unfortunately it doesn't quite live up to the high bar set by Save Rock and Roll as well as American Beauty/American Psycho. There are some great songs on here such as The last of the real ones, Hold me tight or don't, and stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea among others. However, there are songs that don't mesh well with the album such as Heaven's Gate and Young and Menace. Also whereas in the past when Fall out Boy has done a collab on one of their albums they normally turn out to be among the best songs on the album however with Sunshine Riptide the collaboration part drags the song down from being amazing to being good, which is a real shame because every part of Sunshine riptide is amazing except for the one verse that Burna Boy lazily mumble raps through. On the whole MANIA is a solid Fall Out Boy album which could have used a few more tracks and a little less experimentation. I would definitely recommend it.… Expand
  5. MC_SM
    Jan 21, 2018
    9
    It's the best post-hiatus album and one of the best ones in Fall Out Boy's history. It's like a mix of Folie a Deux and Save Rock And Roll. The band made a lot of experiments on this album, stepping out of their comfort zone. FOB pay tribute to past on Stay Frosty, make completely new things on Y&M and open us new dimensions of their sound on the rest of the album.
    As I see, most of the    It's the best post-hiatus album and one of the best ones in Fall Out Boy's history. It's like a mix of Folie a Deux and Save Rock And Roll. The band made a lot of experiments on this album, stepping out of their comfort zone. FOB pay tribute to past on Stay Frosty, make completely new things on Y&M and open us new dimensions of their sound on the rest of the album.
    As I see, most of the critics haven't understood this record yet, like it was with Folie, which people think that it's their best album now, while those times they hated it. But the time will show us the true worth of this record, and now the future looks good.    … Expand
  6. BlackPlantain
    Jan 30, 2018
    3
    While Fall Out Boy's latest record boasts a couple solid songs (Wilson in particular, in my opinion), it does not even come close to standing up to its previous release. While it's to be expected to have at least a few mediocre songs in every album you come across, it gets tiresome to find that the majority of this bite-sized album is just that. None of the singles really seem to have anyWhile Fall Out Boy's latest record boasts a couple solid songs (Wilson in particular, in my opinion), it does not even come close to standing up to its previous release. While it's to be expected to have at least a few mediocre songs in every album you come across, it gets tiresome to find that the majority of this bite-sized album is just that. None of the singles really seem to have any set direction, and the electro-tinged pop that they flirt with do not mesh well with FOB's staple pop-punk sound. Panic! At The Disco's latest record also includes a much more refined EDM-pop sound when compared to what they produced in their earlier days. However, P!ATD says true to frontman Brendon Urie's charismatic style and tone, whereas Fall Out Boy seems to have sacrificed the band's heart and soul to experiment in musical styles, and ended up producing an album that is certainly bold, but that is of sub-par quality. As someone who genuinely loves a lot of FOB's work, I am very disappointed that they've produced this cheap imitation of themselves.… Expand
  7. A7sus4
    Jan 21, 2018
    7
    I'm a casual FOB fan w/ most of my interest lying with Folie a duex. This album is... well, M A N I C. In other words its a wild, fast paced ride that jumps from different ideas and experiments at lightning speed. I'm really enjoying all the variety, it impressively manages to hold together rather well with the core of everything lying with the traditional FOB approach to songwriting andI'm a casual FOB fan w/ most of my interest lying with Folie a duex. This album is... well, M A N I C. In other words its a wild, fast paced ride that jumps from different ideas and experiments at lightning speed. I'm really enjoying all the variety, it impressively manages to hold together rather well with the core of everything lying with the traditional FOB approach to songwriting and execution. There really isn't a weak song on the album IMO, with that however there aren't many blow you out of the water moments either. If you're not a "rock only" type you might enjoy it. It took a few listens to really get into it.… Expand
  8. Dominix99
    Jan 21, 2018
    7
    Although largely an experimental album, Fall Out Boy still proves they still have that touch. Some of the songs don't hit at all, but the ones that do are quite memorable. That said, I don't think the album as a whole is better than American Beauty/American Psycho, but comes really close.
  9. walden54
    Jan 28, 2018
    6
    why fob?!

    The energy they're known for is still there, and you can't but applaud the reinvention after each record, but honestly this album is a total mess jumping everywhere, they're trying to achieve too much at once the songs are overproduced and overstuffed which takes of the rock and roll and the emotional rawness especially after layering Patrick's voice and coating it with    why fob?!

    The energy they're known for is still there, and you can't but applaud the reinvention after each record, but honestly this album is a total mess jumping everywhere, they're trying to achieve too much at once the songs are overproduced and overstuffed which takes of the rock and roll and the emotional rawness especially after layering Patrick's voice and coating it with unnecessary filters that make the songs cold and hard to connect with, still i loved Wilson great song but I was expecting more....    … Expand
  10. cwilliamhud
    Jan 19, 2018
    7
    A pretty good album overall. Far from their best work, but M A N I A has plenty of unique and catchy tunes.
    Favorites: Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea, Last of the Real Ones, Wilson (Expensive Mistakes), and Church
    Least favorites: Champion, Heaven's Gates (decent song just out of place from rest of album)
  11. azarusaven
    Jan 19, 2018
    8
    Very original, and creative. I love how Fall Out Boy is experimenting with new Ideas, but staying true to their Pop-Rock origins. Critics, and salty fans need to stop living in the past, and being overly contradictory of anything they disagree with.
  12. alicedjx
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    It's a new age for FOB and they're trying new things, as they've always done. I like to see a band coming out of their comfort zone and experiencing stuff, this reveals versatility and adaptation, I mean, you may not want a person to do the same thing for years and years. MANIA is a pretty good record, and as for the instruments, you can always hear them live.
  13. filipehondrey12
    Jan 19, 2018
    9
    Heavy, strong and criative! This album is one of the almost perfect that I ever heard! Heaven's Gate and Church are the most brilliant tracks I ever heard from FOB and are like an experience out of this world! Thanks, Fall Out Boy!
  14. ColtonGame
    Jan 20, 2018
    7
    I went into this album thinking that I would hate it, but I was wrong. The single Young and Menace just put it off to a rocky start. Many people hated it, but I didn't mind it. It was most certainly NOT a Fall Out Boy song, though. I thought that they would completely swear off their old sound in this album, but not quite. You can still see a hint of that old FOB in there. In M A N I A,I went into this album thinking that I would hate it, but I was wrong. The single Young and Menace just put it off to a rocky start. Many people hated it, but I didn't mind it. It was most certainly NOT a Fall Out Boy song, though. I thought that they would completely swear off their old sound in this album, but not quite. You can still see a hint of that old FOB in there. In M A N I A, the band decided to experiment a bit more, with EDM, some funk elements, and even some reggae, in one of my favorite songs on the album, HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON'T. This album shows more of the true skill and ability that Fall Out Boy have, because they can learn to adapt to any genre, yet still sound good. There are some underwhelming parts on the album, but no songs are truly "bad", unless you're someone who would count Young and Menace as bad. It was a fun, and short listen, and I would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of mainstream music. If you are an old, hardcore FOB fan though, I have some bad news for you. The old sound is just about gone.… Expand
  15. DanielJamison
    Jan 20, 2018
    9
    Hmm, this album has been spammed with 0 star reviews. It's not the best album. but it's surely not 0 stars.
  16. DisloyalOrder
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who doesn't enjoy this. It's so damn good.
  17. adventureperry
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    One of Fall Out Boy's most experimental work yet, it's really interesting to see how they explore other genres and at the same time sound like themselves.
  18. 0Villain
    Jan 19, 2018
    7
    My God critics are harsh on this album... I've seen a lot of crap getting thrown at this LP. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect... but I think people are seriously under rating this damn addition to Fall Out Boy's discography.

    People seemed to think it would be far more experimental then it turned out to be. And... yeah, it's pretty similar to FOB's previous work. However, I'm leaving    My God critics are harsh on this album... I've seen a lot of crap getting thrown at this LP. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect... but I think people are seriously under rating this damn addition to Fall Out Boy's discography.

    People seemed to think it would be far more experimental then it turned out to be. And... yeah, it's pretty similar to FOB's previous work. However, I'm leaving that as a failure of advertising as opposed to a failure of the music. I'ts best to judge a music as is, not based on pre-conceptions.

    Let's start with flaws. First off, pacing. It's a very fast paced album, and has no slower tracks. Not a massive flaw, but this can cause the album to become tiring when on repeat. That, mixed with it's surprisingly short run time means it's the kind of album to play once or twice then put away for later. Don't get me wrong, I love fast music - one of my favorite albums is Mastodon's "Remission"... but even that had a break half way through at the beginning of O'le Nessie. Had FOB thrown in just a short little piece to give listeners a breather, it would be much more enjoyable over extended periods of time.

    Second, some of the experimental choices didn't pay off. My biggest problem was with "Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea." Not with the pounding base, that's awesome. But that one line in french sounds really awkward and forced... it pulls you out of the experience of what could have been an amazing song.

    The key word there was some. Others work amazingly, like the choir's in "Church" (Personally my favorite song off the album. My God it's fantastic!). Each song has it's similarities, but each song is also fairly unique except for a few tracks, mostly the singles.

    Furthermore, though similar in sound to previous records, FOB still pulls off their sound tremendously, the singing is full of confidence (minus that one line), the instrumentals are still blood pumping and kick ass... I don't mind that it sounds traditional, because it's done very well. If it aint broke, don't fix it.

    Honestly, it's nothing special. But it doesn't need to be special to still be worth many hours of musical entertainment... Not prefect, damn solid.

    7/10 - Very Good    … Expand
  19. Chartrick
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    This band definitely deserves points for the experimental nature of this album. A number of genres are explored in each song, proving Fall Out Boy’s claim that genre is irrelevant in this day and age. Though it’s a bit short— a ten song album— nearly each song is enough of a journey to make up for it. There’s something for everyone.
  20. caktea
    Jan 21, 2018
    9
    It's really really really good. But I can't find "punk" in this album and that's why old fans hate FOB's new style. Well, give the boys a break... everybody changes.
  21. HPFANBOY1237
    Jan 20, 2018
    5
    Is this really the same Fall Out Boy that gave us fantastic albums such as, "Take This to Your Grave", "From Under the Cork Tree", "Infinity On High", and "Folie à Deux"? Is this even the same Fall Out Boy that gave us good albums such as the ironically titled "Save Rock and Roll" and "American Beauty/American Psycho"? M A N I A is truly a manic album, nothing about it is cohesive. ButIs this really the same Fall Out Boy that gave us fantastic albums such as, "Take This to Your Grave", "From Under the Cork Tree", "Infinity On High", and "Folie à Deux"? Is this even the same Fall Out Boy that gave us good albums such as the ironically titled "Save Rock and Roll" and "American Beauty/American Psycho"? M A N I A is truly a manic album, nothing about it is cohesive. But just about everything about it is repetitive. How many times do I have to hear the same words over and over again?! These are not the lyrics you would expect from Pete Wentz. However, I do enjoy some of the album including songs such as, Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea, HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON'T, The Last of the Real Ones, Wilson (Expensive Mistakes), and Bishops Knife Trick. Unfortunately, the OK songs and the awful songs weigh down the album. The OK songs consist of, Champion, Church, and Heaven's Gate. The awful songs include Young and Menace, and Sunshine Riptide. So, yeah Fall Out Boy finally put out awful songs, that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about how I feel about this album. You can do better Fall Out Boy and you have. Two lines from Champion also sum up my opinion on this album: "I'm calling you from the future. To let you know we've made a mistake." Yeah, it was making this album. 2.5/5… Expand
  22. StefanoBras
    Jan 26, 2018
    0
    It's mindblowing how time can show us how there will always be people (or 12 year old girls in this case, I guess) who can defend the indefensible. It's OKAY to dislike something from your favourite band, I swear it's not a sin, girls.
  23. brouweg002
    Mar 1, 2018
    0
    mania by fall out boy is very good. i have been a fan of fall out boy for about 2 years and have been waiting for a new album by them. i was very happy by this album. quite a few of the songs were like the original fall out boy (ex. stay frosty royal milk tea). but some song were very different (ex. sunshine riptide) (i didn't really like that one). i love fall out boy and i hope theymania by fall out boy is very good. i have been a fan of fall out boy for about 2 years and have been waiting for a new album by them. i was very happy by this album. quite a few of the songs were like the original fall out boy (ex. stay frosty royal milk tea). but some song were very different (ex. sunshine riptide) (i didn't really like that one). i love fall out boy and i hope they come out with more new music soon.… Expand
  24. MalArken
    Jan 25, 2018
    8
    Better than AB/AP. people expected this album to sound similar to young and menace. they lowered their expectations to the point that they wouldn't like the album, even if it was one of their best albums. It's not save rock and roll, but it's fresh, new, and highly enjoyable to listen to. Yes, I agree, Young and menace, and champion weren't very good songs. but you can't judge a book byBetter than AB/AP. people expected this album to sound similar to young and menace. they lowered their expectations to the point that they wouldn't like the album, even if it was one of their best albums. It's not save rock and roll, but it's fresh, new, and highly enjoyable to listen to. Yes, I agree, Young and menace, and champion weren't very good songs. but you can't judge a book by its cover, or an album by its title track.… Expand
  25. MinakoHouraisan
    Jan 20, 2018
    4
    Not the worst album ever, but extremely mediocre. Fall Out Boy is a very talented group but here you don't see as much as that. There are some great songs like Last of the Real Ones, Stay Frosty and a few others, but for the most part, Mania is rather messy and a weak release coming from a talented group.
  26. Thatislife
    Jan 20, 2018
    4
    This album isn't as great as people tell, or at least in my opinion. Only two songs have impressed me and the rest of the songs have not at all. To me it only seems fair that if I only like 2/10 songs from this album, that I would give it 4/10 as a review score. "Champion" and "Wilson (Expensive Mistake)" are songs I do like from the album. I tried my best to like the others as well, but IThis album isn't as great as people tell, or at least in my opinion. Only two songs have impressed me and the rest of the songs have not at all. To me it only seems fair that if I only like 2/10 songs from this album, that I would give it 4/10 as a review score. "Champion" and "Wilson (Expensive Mistake)" are songs I do like from the album. I tried my best to like the others as well, but I just can't. The album is a bit experimental I think. So they did try something new which I adore. It just didn't turn out the way I thought it would.… Expand
  27. don_Lorenzi
    Jan 22, 2018
    3
    boring & the same as the last 3 records. They show no signs of evolution. It´s sad for a band with such a potential.
  28. BocaJLindsay
    Feb 16, 2018
    3
    Fall Out Boy is fighting to stay relevant while at the same time never stepping beyond their own predictability. The opening track is garbage and it sets the tone for the record. The remainder of the album sees the artist hunting violently for a song and a genre that works while never settling on anything. Jumping genres and stepping outside of them is certainly an admirable thing, andFall Out Boy is fighting to stay relevant while at the same time never stepping beyond their own predictability. The opening track is garbage and it sets the tone for the record. The remainder of the album sees the artist hunting violently for a song and a genre that works while never settling on anything. Jumping genres and stepping outside of them is certainly an admirable thing, and artists like the Gorillaz have done it wonderfully. Fall Out Boy does not create a coherent product, however, and the greatest crime of this record is its inconsistency. Their time is done, this album and any future ones will likely see the band flailing into obscurity.… Expand
  29. idiot---boy
    Apr 5, 2018
    8
    I love this album. As a big Fall Out Boy fan who loves every of their album, but preferring the albums before AB/AP more, i didn't like this one at first. But after more plays, I realized how talented this band is. Patrick's voice is absolutely wonderful and it fits so well with any kind of of music they make. The voice is so powerful, combined with the really nice instrumentation in thisI love this album. As a big Fall Out Boy fan who loves every of their album, but preferring the albums before AB/AP more, i didn't like this one at first. But after more plays, I realized how talented this band is. Patrick's voice is absolutely wonderful and it fits so well with any kind of of music they make. The voice is so powerful, combined with the really nice instrumentation in this album, I can say it is a blessing to listen to. I got to say these songs are less catchy than their classics, but thats okay. It's still a really nice album to listen to. Heaven's gate is beautiful and last of the real ones and champion are absolutely party songs. Well done guys.… Expand
  30. clinton79
    Feb 9, 2018
    6
    I think it was an enjoyable album, but coming after 2 really great ones, it's just feels bad.

    There's just no heart into anything. The production is great, everything sounds tight, just no substance and forgettable songs. If someone said this was an album of rejected songs from their last one, I'd believe it. It's still strong though, Young and Menace is unique and feels fun,    I think it was an enjoyable album, but coming after 2 really great ones, it's just feels bad.

    There's just no heart into anything. The production is great, everything sounds tight, just no substance and forgettable songs. If someone said this was an album of rejected songs from their last one, I'd believe it.

    It's still strong though, Young and Menace is unique and feels fun, Champion and Wilson are pretty solid, and Sunshine Riptide is very different in a good way. If you're a fan of the band you won't be disappointed, if you've never heard them before, I strongly suggest you start with any other album.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Most Discussed Album of 2018
40
#40 Most Shared Album of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Variety
    Mar 30, 2018
    60
    Any mania in MANIA is limited to the lyrics, while the band’s music is even-tempered and hardly given to extremes.
    Read full review
  2. AllMusic
    Feb 15, 2018
    50
    All this feverish digital desperation makes the already clamorous M A N I A feel positively cacophonic: it may only be 39 minutes but it's one long ride.
    Read full review
  3. Kerrang!
    Jan 24, 2018
    80
    They're strutting along a tightrope without a downward glance here. [27 Jan 2018, p.50]
See all critic reviews »