Fall Out Boy has had a very interesting discography, with a jarring style change from Save Rock And Roll onwards, and like most long-running bands, one of the hardest things to do right is to maintain their quality as the years go by. I'll be honest, MANIA is not the best from them. Some of the tracks don't have that signature sound from Fall Out Boy, and some just seem too pop-oriented (in the bad way). However, there's treasure buried in the trash, and Bishops Knife Trick is definitely one of the better tracks in their entire discography.
The otherworldly vibe that the band is trying to inject into the entire album shines the brightest on this song. A tasteful use of reverb on simple guitars and drums plus some well utilised ambient elements is reminiscent of disassociating from reality into a daydream, or floating above the clouds for the neurotypical people. The atmosphere that the song creates, especially with the amped up energy in the choruses and the groundedness in the little intermission-esque bridge, gives this song a very strong sense of finality and acceptance.
The lyrical content is very modern Fall Out Boy, the kind where everything is a metaphor for something else and the meaning is almost never clear-cut. I've always enjoyed writings that are left vague enough to be open to interpretation, an important factor of good music is relatability, and if you leave too little gaps to be filled not a lot of people can fit the bill. Bishops Knife Trick is definitely an ode to the broken people in the world, no matter what kind of situation you're in. I think it's about fighting the temptation to give in to the darkness in your life, and being lyrically vague enough to the outcome, it feels like it's imploring the listener to contemplate their own situation and take charge of the outcome.
I've always been a sucker for songs with darker themes, and even more so for those that have a hint of hopefulness sprinkled in. Whether the "cities below" is supposed to represent the painful past or the deep darkness in us, never is it said that we stay there or are destined to end up there, and I love that about this song. The acceptance of our vulnerability and shortcomings as broken people but it not being our fate, is uniquely comforting.
It's a one of a kind song for sure, even for Fall Out Boy. Not much in their discography stands near this song, and none can match what this can deliver. A personal favourite for sure, and without any strong sentiment attached to it, which is rare indeed.
Rating: 5/5