Fall Out Boy's full-length label debut, Take This to Your Grave is a smart collection of emo-influenced pop-punk tunes. It's long on harmony and the kind of earnest, dual guitar riffing listeners have come to expect from young rockers raised on a diet of hardcore, Punk-O-Rama comps, and MTV. But Fall Out Boy really necks ahead of the pack behind the enormous voice of dreamboat-in-training lead singer Patrick Stump and lyrical content that merges musings on love and youth with healthy amounts of cutting cynicism, savvy popular culture touchstones, and cheeky phraseology. Though it was issued by Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello's Fueled By Ramen imprint, a hefty advance from Island allowed Fall Out Boy to record Grave at Butch Vig's Smart Studios compound in Madison, WI, and employ the skills of producer Sean O'Keefe, who'd handled the boards for units like Lucky Boys Confusion and Motion City Soundtrack. Of course, Island will be looking for a substantial return on investment from Fall Out Boy. But before the band follows in the footsteps of Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional - which it deserves to and will - listeners can enjoy Take This to Your Grave's undeniable mixture of exuberance and romantic hardcore.
- Johnny Loftus - allmusic.com
