Alright, confession time. From time to time, I still listen to the Chicago-based emo pop-punk band Fall Out Boy. Whenever their break-out song “Sugar, We’re Going Down” comes up on my iPod, I never skip it, but sing along to the incredibly catchy chorus instead. Ever since then, Fall Out Boy became headliners, performing for shows like the Warped Tour and the now popular Honda Civic Tour. Now, the band has taken a hiatus, having their members expand to other bands, including drummer Andy Hurley doing The Damned Things, while bassist Pete Wentz tries his had Black Cards (while staying in many of tabloids).

But the most ambitious of the band was frontman Patrick Stump. Stump, since the hiatus, has lost quite a lot of weight, posting videos of himself doing a capella versions of other songs (including “Green Light” by John Legend feat. Andre 3000), and releasing Truant Wave, his first solo EP, which was an incredibly promising six song project. Now, it is time for his first album, Soul Punk, to come out. And, cover art aside, I cannot wait for this album.

Ironically, Soul Punk isn’t “punk” at all. Instead, it’s mostly made up of synthesizers and drum machines. As much as you would assume that it would be a bad thing, Patrick Stump’s almost Michael Jackson-inspired singing ability more than makes up for it. Even if you hate where music is going with all of the electric altering artists put in their music, Soul Punk does a great job of highlighting Stump’s natural voice, as there is no auto-tune anywhere on the album.

The opening track, “Explode” is a synth-heavy pop song, almost diving into some hip-hop territory. The next track, “This City” is very much a hip-pop song, saluting YOUR city (as the song doesn’t pick out a city in general). As a side note, the album version doesn’t have the Lupe Fiasco verse that the video has (see below), but as long as you have iTunes, you can always pick it up if you don’t enjoy the song without the verse. “Spotlight (New Regrets) is a new, more produced version to the inspirational single off of Truant Wave, which in my opinion, blows the original out of the water. “Run Dry (XHeartXFingers)” is a pop party anthem, with a chorus that goes through a step by step formula of having a good time, like drink, make mistakes, and pretend that you don’t remember. “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better,” much like “Spotlight,” is an inspirational synth-heavy song, which I can only imagine it being a single for the It Gets Better Foundation.

Flaws? There aren’t a lot slower songs on the album. Patrick is a great vocalist, and can do a great ballad if he wanted to (see “What A Catch, Donnie” off of his last FOB studio album), but instead, the album is a full throttle pop album. “The I In Lie” is the only down-tempo song on the LP, which is a sensual-sounding cheaters anthem (I thought that was impossible). Other than that, there really is nothing to complain about.

As auto-tune and electric songs now dominating the radio waves as of late, it’s nice to know that some people can still do great pop albums. I don’t know how well the album will go over with his dedicated fan base or the general public, but everyone should give Mr. Stump a try. You can get his EP for only $2.99 on iTunes if you’d like, but Soul Punk eclipses it in every way. The album as a whole is a bright spot in the ever diminishing music business, as it adapts what is popular today (all of it’s electronic instruments), with the vocal power that could have been big when pop music had nothing to do with altering your God-given ability.

In closing, Soul Punk is one of the best pop albums of the year. I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Final Grade: A-

Go Download: “Run Dry (XHeartXFingers),” “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)”