Soul Punk is the debut solo studio album by American musician Patrick Stump, the lead vocalist, guitarist and composer of Fall Out Boy. It was released in the United States on October 18, 2011 through Island Records. Stump's solo project was officially announced in January 2010 and he later revealed his first album's title to be Soul Punk, his first major musical project since Fall Out Boy's hiatus in late 2009. He characterized the lyrics as being "90% metaphors",Patrick Stump Tweet on metaphors Twitter.com. Retrieved August 5, 2011. with lyrical themes dealing with self-belief, corporate greed,Quickie album review: Patrick Stump, "Soul Punk" http://www.zmemusic.com. Retrieved October 26, 2014. innocence and death.Soul Punk is less a cohesive narrative as one piece and more individual pieces that dissect a few themes. The album as a whole deals with greed and paranoia and how the two influence each other. The record also deals a bit with innocence and death." patrickstump.com. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
Rolling Stone included Soul Punk in their "Fall Music Preview: The Season's Hottest Albums"Fall Music Preview: The Season's Hottest Albums Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 27, 2011. and Spin listed it in their "30 Must-Hear Albums of 2011."30 Must-Hear Albums of 2011 Spin (magazine). Retrieved September 27, 2011. Soul Punk has had tentative release dates delayed and unconfirmed dates on the internet. Stump originally completed the album in 2010 and had a tentative February 2011 release date but re-did the finished album after coming up with "This City". For the album's delay, in place of it is a digital EP, Truant Wave, containing six songs, three of which he collaborated with other artists, released on February 22, 2011, on iTunes.
A remix of "This City", featuring Lupe Fiasco, was uploaded to YouTube before being released to iTunes and other online outlets on July 26 as the album's first single. Its music video was premiered on Vevo on September 20. Stump revealed the album cover art on September 7,Patrick Stump Tweet on Soul Punk album cover Twitter.com. Retrieved September 7, 2011. again done by Aakash Nihalani, whom previously did the art for Truant Wave. Soul Punk was also made available as a deluxe edition with additional tracks. The remix of "This City" is included as a bonus track on both album versions. iTunes' album preorders started on September 27 as well as physical CD preorders from Stump's webstore. With preorders from Stump's online store, a package with a lithograph by Roland Tamayo was available.
Soul Punk was released to generally positive reviews by most music critics, with many critics praising Stump's musical direction and songwriting skill, while negative reviews felt the album was too self-indulgent. His sound was compared to Michael Jackson, whom he has cited as a major influence. Riverfont Times. Retrieved August 5, 2011. thealtreview.net. Retrieved October 26, 2014. The album debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard 200 with 9,000Adele Retakes #1 Slot On Billboard MTV.com. Retrieved October 26, 2014.Who Charted? Adele Earns Lucky 13th Week at No. 1 Spin. Retrieved October 26, 2014. first week sales but fell off the week after, despite its critical reception and promotion.
Background After Stump's band Fall Out Boy went on an indefinite hiatus in November 2009, he announced a new project in January 2010 through a message on his YouTube video. Again working with Island Records, he produced Soul Punk. Originally having a tentative release date of February 2011, it was delayed to October that year. In its place, Stump released Truant Wave as his first extended play (EP) through his own record label Nervous Breakdance Media digitally on February 22, 2011. Stump originally completed his album in 2010 but started again from scratch to re-build the album around a song called "This City" that he wrote at the eleventh hour because he wanted to include it but felt it didn't fit on the record. His bandmates Trohman and Hurley formed the heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things with members from Anthrax and Every Time I Die, releasing Ironiclast as their debut album in 2010. Wentz formed an electropop/experimental band Black Cards with lead singer Bebe Rexha. Commenting on these musical endeavours, Stump said "when I look at Damned Things, when I look at Black Cards, I feel like those are totally viable, legitimate bands. It’s not some side project full of songs your main band didn’t want, it is its own thing. I think that means it needed to happen."Patrick Stump – 08.10.11 AbsolutePunk. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
Soul Punk features no guest artists or other producers, with Stump playing all the instruments himself."When it comes to pop music, there's this perception that all you have to do is press a button on your iPad [to get the sounds] but I wanted to make it with love and put a lot into it. A lot of people asked, 'Where did you get the drum sounds?' I played them. 'What synth plug-in was that?' I played all the synths. 'How'd you get that bass tone?' It's a bass. I really wanted to put in the effort, even if people might not notice."Interview: Patrick Stump Illinois Entertainer. Retrieved October 30, 2011. Several track names were released early such as "This City", "Greed" and "Allie". "Neither I nor my music seem[s] comfortably defined by the DIY punk or R&B/hip-hop scenes," Stump said in a press release. Previously announced songs "Love, Selfish Love" and "As Long As I Know I'm Getting Paid" were released on his debut EP, Truant Wave, instead. A remix of "This City" was later released for streaming on the internet and sent to iTunes and radio in the lead up to the album's release.
On November 29, Stump released "Spotlight" on his website in two different versions, "Spotlight (New Regrets)" and "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)". He also included download links for both songs. The website viewed a message from Stump saying that he could not decide between the two versions and asked his fans to vote in a poll, also on his website, for the public's preference as to which version should appear on the album. Although "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)" was ahead in the poll before it was hidden, Stump since decided to put "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)" on Truant Wave, saying that the votes were too close and that he felt as if "Oh Nostalgia basically needed its own record", building Truant Wave around it. "As Long As I Know I'm Getting Paid" and "Love, Selfish Love", two tracks included on the EP, have both been played at Stump's first solo performance, at South by Southwest (SXSW), in 2010 and as acoustic versions at Stump's live Rolling Stone session.Rolling Stone Live: Patrick Stump Merges Punk and R&B in New Solo Tunes On Twitter he mentioned that the songs he had debuted at South by Southwest in 2010 would not be on Soul Punk, but would still receive a "proper release", which is now known to be Truant Wave.Patrick Stump Reveals Soul Punk Album Details NewsVH1.com
He released a "Spotlight (New Regrets)" 7" vinyl through his Nervous Breakdance Media label, which was his label's first release. It was yellow and limited to 500 pressings, featuring "Spotlight (New Regrets)" and "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)" as a Double A-side. It was available through his online store. A music video was released for the "Oh Nostalgia" version. "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)" was featured in The Vampire Diaries in the Episode: "The Last Dance".
Stump unveiled a video of him performing "Spotlight (New Regrets)" live on his redesigned website as of December 20, after both "Spotlight" versions reached 100,000 YouTube views the nights before. The clip features Patrick Stump as a "one man band" simultaneously singing and playing multiple instruments, including an electric drum and a synthesizer, in his studio.
On May 6, 2011, Stump updated his website and also posted to his Facebook and Twitter, announcing "I feel like I'm gonna explode 5.9.11" with a link which led to a video called "Tsar bomba", which was a video of a bomb explosion. The "I feel like I'm gonna explode" phrase came from a song called "Explode", which Stump had premiered at a live show. A new song, titled "Explode" was revealed on May 9, 2011, with a message, "Listen to "Explode" off of my upcoming album Soul Punk on Vulture". Vulture was the website that Stump released the song to. NyMag.com commented that the song is "heavily indebted to Michael Jackson and, in good news for FOB loyalists, not totally unlike Stump's old band".Vulture Premieres Fall Out Boy Front Man Patrick Stump’s Solo Track ‘Explode’ NyMag.com. Retrieved May 9, 2011. The song's video caption read "Soul Punk: coming late Summer", which is Stump's first official announcement to the public regarding Soul Punk'''s release date. ""Explode" features Stump’s unique, unmistakable vocals and the clever wordplay that was used to be expected from Pete Wentz," Idolator favourably reported. "In addition to kinship with previous tracks from Fall Out Boy, there’s a little Michael Jackson flavor in here, too." Idolator. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
On June 27, 2011, Stump wrote on his Facebook and Twitter page, "Tuesday".Patrick Stump Tweet "Tuesday" Twitter. Retrieved July 19, 2011. The next day (the Tuesday he was referring to) on June 28, 2011, Stump premiered remix of his Soul Punk track "This City" which features rapper and fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco. The remix was released to digital outlets on July 26, 2011, as the album's first single. The original album version will be released on Soul Punk. Stump said his relationship with the rapper goes back several years. "Before Food & Liquor came out he and I were talking about working on something together. I ended up producing the song "Little Weapon" for his The Cool record," he said. "I actually wrote the hook for "This City" with him in mind before I decided to use it for Soul Punk, so when the label asked me if I'd be interested in doing a remix with an MC he was the only real way I'd say yes." He also added "I'm kind of pop but a little left of center, It sounds kind of like it makes sense on the radio but at the same time doesn't at all. It's very me." Becky Bain of Idolator commented on the song's "full-on R&B mode [...] pop-synth explosion" and noted that the "catchy tune [is] more soul than punk". Idolator. Retrieved July 11, 2011. A music video has been made for it and it premiered on Vevo on September 20.
With a few days' lead up on Twitter, Stump announced the release date of October 18, 2011, for Soul Punk and again updated his website.
Stump revealed the cover art on September 7. It was done by Aakash Nihalani, who also did the art for Truant Wave. Soon after, Stump announced the track listing and a deluxe edition with four additional tracks. The remix of "This City" will be included as a bonus track on both versions of the album as part of his label's idea. iTunes' album preorders started on September 27 as well as physical CD preorders from Stump's webstore. There are two options on Stump's online store: a package with a deluxe edition CD with a lithograph by Roland Tamayo is available and limited to 1000 units, of which the first 250 signed by Stump and Tamayo, or a stand-alone deluxe edition CD. Anyone who preorders from his webstore will be entered into a contest where he will record a custom-made version of "Allie" for 20 random people with their name throughout the song. To mark 100,000 fans on Facebook, Stump posted "Allie" onto the internet. Days before the disc was released, he put it up for free streaming in its entirety on Rolling Stone.Exclusive Stream: Patrick Stump Embraces Club Pop on 'Soul Punk' Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
Composition