This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy posted a little blog to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Infinity on High. this one was strange. it was transitional. If FUCT was the caterpillar album- Infinity On High was the cocoon one. we had been on tour around the world nonstop but hadn’t really seen any of the magazine covers we were on or had any perspective of seeing our videos on TRL- it was odd how everything was changing but it felt like we were in a time capsule… this record would bring so many ideas from jay z doing the intro to working with baby face on “thnks fr th mmrs” to the flight 101 saga (3 shows in a day in ny, chicago, and la)… but first and foremost it documented this blur that had become our lives. this record more than any of the others has always reminded me of night time- both the anxiety of insomnia and the peace of being awake when everyone else is asleep. i remember before we released it i used like a security blanket listening and trying to fall asleep. i really appreciate everyone who gave this one a chance. “Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.” vincent van gogh I’ll always remember this album for getting to sneakily release the first song, “The Carpal Tunnel of Love,” and seeing AP.net screenshots up on MTV. (And ten years later I feel pretty vindicated in my praise for the album after getting called all kinds of names originally.) “Thnks fr th Mmrs” remains one of my favorite Fall Out Boy songs and I’m feeling in the mood to go give it another spin. Expand - View Original
Personally I think overall IOH is their best album... I know TTTYG is a favourite of a lot of people and mine too, but IOH is everything great about what FOB were and what they ended up becoming all wrapped up in an awesome package.
Crazy that the review talks about whether anyone would still be listening in 15 years. We're at 10 years now, and it sure seems like it's still going to be an album people listen to in 5 years.
Jason, I'm so glad you re-posted your review. Just the other day I was thinking about it and wishing I could find it. I still remember reading it and getting so excited for the album. It felt like a really big moment for the scene. I doubt anyone is interested, but I wrote some thoughts about the album earlier this week. It's still my favorite Fall Out Boy album, even though I enjoy all of them in different ways. With so much that's happened with this band since then, it almost feels like even longer than 10 years ago.
IOH took me SO long to get into. I always said FUCT and Folie a Deux were my tops...but lately, Infinity Has definitely sunk it's claws into me. I feel like I was crazy to write it off so quickly.
Love this album and still return to it frequently. And, I'll say it: I actually really enjoy Golden (and all of the songs have some appeal, for that matter).
This album will probably hold up the best out of all of their work, imo. This really is when Patrick Stump proved himself as the best voice of the genre.
I was in 6th grade in 2007 and I remember sitting in my computer class listening to Thnks fr the Mmrs on the only music video website that wasn't blocked. What an album.
@Jason Tate Whoa, reading the review - do you still think it's better than FUTC? I've always considered Folie their best record then FUTC.
I'm not sure if this is their best album (it's certainly top three), but it's become my favorite over time. I don't listen to them much anymore, but when I do, it's almost always this album. It's very unique and lent itself to a trend of dark, theatrical pop music. It also laid down the building blocks for Folie a Deux.
"While the band may someday create that obligatory “too artsy” album" Would love to know if @Jason Tate thinks Folie a Deux was that. Personally FaD is my favorite, but I think for that time, it may have been "too artsy" or maybe it was "too artsy" for the guys
I do think I like it better than FUTCT. I think I'd go: FAD, SRAR, IOH, FUTCT, ABAP, TTTYG if I was going to do the ranking thing. I come back to all the albums quite a bit, and I really love FUTCT, but I think this has a stronger selection of songs ... if I had to make a call. I don't think FAD was that, but I think FAD is my favorite FOB album as well. I think it was a weird combination of where music was at the time, what people wanted the band to release, and them being a little ahead of their time. FAD is a great pop-rock album, and I think people wanted something different. I'll defend that album to the death too.
just my opinion, I always felt FAD was a combination of all the good parts of IOH and SRAR respectively. that being said, I feel IOH and FAD are tied for being their best work to date
Fascinating ranking. Makes me wanna revisit Save Rock and Roll, haha. I agree with your #1. I could never rank them all though.
I love this album! Though, when I first "acquired" it, I had to edit out a bunch of things that bugged me. Notably the entire intro to Thriller (album now kicks in right at the guitar riff, it's awesome) and the outro "ef oh bee!" and the weird fade-in on "The Take Over" (transition into the second song sounds much cleaner), and the clapping, record pops and "Please press repeat" line at the end of the album.
This album is a distant third in their discography for me after TTTYG, and FUTCT and gets very little play. Love "Its Hard to Say I Do" and GINASFS though.