Ask me why I like (or liked, since they don’t seem to exist anymore) Fall Out Boy, and I will answer with two simple words: Patrick Stump.  Guy can sing his ass off, and that fact alone separated FOB from the lengthy pack of emo and emo-esque bands that ruled the airwaves a half decade or so ago. The fact that FOB was also co-signed at various points by arbiters of taste ranging from Jay-Z to ?uestlove probably helped a bit, too.

Ever since seeing a teaser video on his website damn near a year ago, I’ve been pretty psyched to see what he’s been cooking up in the studio. Well, news has emerged about Stump’s impending solo debut. It will be arriving in February and entitled “Soul Punk”. Given Stump’s affinity for R&B music, not to mention his instrumental proficiency, I’m expecting a very cool mix & mash of soul, pop and rock flavors. Even if your general reaction when you hear the words “Fall Out Boy” is to sneer, I have a feeling that Stump’s album might surprise you.

Check out this clip from earlier this year, taken from Daryl Hall’s “Live from Daryl’s House” series. Not only does Patrick look almost like a completely different person, but he and Daryl work well together. Y’know, as a side note, I don’t normally advocate the Santana “Supernatural” superstar-young acolyte album model, but something like that just might work for Daryl, given all the artists who have come out as H2O fans over the last few years.

(just don’t do it with Clive Davis)