The Fall Out Boy album cover uses simplistic colors and imagery to disguise the hidden meanings and themes of madness within the album. The front cover features two characters - a bear and a person in a bear suit - positioned to represent the album's title "Folie a Deux" which refers to a rare psychiatric syndrome of shared psychosis. Throughout the album packaging, the use of colors, fonts, and mirrored/backward text reinforce themes of madness being portrayed or gradually taking over.

1. Fall Out Boy Front Cover

2. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Colour The colours used in this album cover are very simplistic and this seems to be quite stereotypical for an album within this music genre. The fact that the colours are so simplistic also emphasises the fact that the band have tried to make this album not seem clear at first glance and instead have filled it with hidden meanings; for example, simplistic colours contradict the idea of a madness. The reds could show anger, death or maybe even love, giving the audience the idea that this album could be about many different topic areas and not just a singular one.

3. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Colour (Continued) The browns of the bear and the bear suit signify that there is some kind of connection between the two characters; they share something, and this directly links to the name of the album. The name of the album ‘Folie a deux’ is also the exact same colour as the bear suit, anchoring the fact that the name of the album is about the pictured subjects; disguising the fact that it is actually about the band members. There is also an emphasis on trying to turn the attention away from the band as their group name is the only white coloured part of the album; connoting that the band is very separate from the songs on the album.

4. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Characters The two characters shown on this cover have been carefully chosen and positioned to emphasise the idea behind the title of the album, folie a deux (a madness shared by two). The fact that one character is a bear and the other is dressed as a bear anchors the idea that they are not exactly identical but they share something very similar. Also, the way that they have been positioned. The fact that one is carrying the other again emphasises this idea of something shared and a connection as they could have easily been walking next to each other. This positioning could also show how the figure carrying the bear inherited the madness that they share as he is on the bottom, carrying the bear instead of being at the same level as it.

5. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Font and Language Folie a Deux when literally translated means ‘a madness shared by two’ and also means a rare psychiatric syndrome in which a symptom of psychosis, particularly a paranoid or delusional belief, is transmitted from one individual to another. This is represented hugely by the positioning and chosen characters within the image. On the other hand, the font could be seen to both anchor and oppose this language. The font itself is very simple and, because of this, completely oppose the idea of any kind of ‘madness’ that the title hints at. However, the fact that there is a mixture of both upper and lower case characters emphasises this idea of madness and a psychiatric problem.

6. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Font and Language (Continued) Throughout the rest of the cover the band use imagery and colour to distance themselves from the idea behind the album and the album itself, however, the font is used very differently. The fact that the name of the album and the bands’ name have been written in the same font shows the clear connection between the two and anchors the idea stated by one band member that the songs are almost too personal. This idea of hidden madness within the album could also be hinting to the songs featured on the album.

7. Fall Out Boy Front Cover Layout Similarly to the colours used on this album cover, the layout is very simplistic. This again connotes the fact that the band are trying to disguise what the album is really about and making it unclear at a glance to truly understand what the album is about. This signifies that the album has been designed to be simplistic so that it completely hides the real meaning of the album; madness.

8. Fall Out Boy Back Cover

9. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Colour The colours used on the back cover are also very similar to use on the front cover. The red background has once again been used, connoting the topic areas that could be covered within the songs; anger, death, love. However, the dark red seems to be slowly encasing the simplistic block red above it and this idea of being encased or taken over can be seen all over the album. This could connote that the madness is beginning to take over the personality that the band has established as all the songs on this album were written by a band member about the band themselves.

10. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Colour (Continued) The white and yellow from the cover of the album has also been used, again for the written sections that are to do with the band and their music. The yellow is again the exact same colour as the bear suit on the front again anchoring the idea that the band are trying to draw attention away from the fact that the album is about them and not the characters on the front. However, unlike the front cover, the white font has been coupled with the yellow instead of separated, maybe hinting at the fact that the music is ultimately about the band themselves.

11. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Characters As with the front cover of this album, there are only two visible characters on the back cover. This could again emphasise the idea of the name of the album, Folie a Deux; a madness shared by two. However, unlike the characters on the front cover, these characters are solely black and white. This colouring contradicts the idea of madness as black and white is traditionally seen as very simplistic. However, the body language of the characters also connotes the idea of a ‘madness shared by two’. This is because the characters have been created so that they are exact mirror copies of each other. It could also connote madness as the image is very confusing as there is no reference to anything, such as pirates and skeletons, anywhere else on the album.

12. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Font & Language Compared to the front cover, the writing on the back cover connotes the idea of madness a lot more. This is because all writing to do with the band and their music is written back to front. Even the information about who produced and mixed the music has been written back to front. This connotes the idea of madness as the back to front writing completely contradicts the ‘norm’. However, writing for the business section of the cover is written the correct way, and this could connote how the band distance themselves from this side of the music industry; again connoting the idea that they are not bothered about selling the albums, when they actually are, but instead getting their ideas and messages out to their audience.

13. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Font and Language (Continued) Some names of the songs also connote the idea of madness. For example; ‘Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes’ and ‘Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet’. The spelling and grammar used for some of the titles could also show this idea of madness. For example, the song ‘America’s Suitehearts’ is spelt incorrectly, and the song ‘w.a.m.s.’ is all in lower case while the rest is in uppercase, whereas the grammar should be the other way round.

14. Fall Out Boy Back Cover Layout Similar to other back covers within this genre, the names of the songs are in order going down the centre of the back cover. Below this is the bonus tracks included and also the names of the people who produced and mixed the included songs. Below this, also centred are the two characters dressed as pirates. At the very bottom of the cover there is a change in background colour to black and everything to do with the business side of the music is featured here. For example, the names of all the record companies and their logos, the band and record company’s website, the copyright and year, and to the right of this is the bar code.

15. Fall Out Boy CD Inlay

16. Fall Out Boy CD Inlay CD Inlay Similarly to other CD inlays in this music genre, the inlay is completely blank and only features a background colour. As with the rest of the album, the darker shade of red seems to almost be taking over the block red colour at the top of the inlay. This continues the idea that the feeling of madness that this album talks about is slowly taking over. The fight between the darkness and the deep red background appears to be never ending as it always an issue no matter which side you look at.

17. Fall Out Boy CD Inlay However, the simplicity of the background also contradicts the idea of madness, as the idea of madness would normally encourage thoughts of many things going on at one time whereas this background is very empty and almost gives off a feeling of calmness. This inlay also contradicts the idea of madness represented by the rest of the album through the writing featured up the sides; ‘Your Art Is Being Controlled By You’. This statement almost creates a paradox as the album is based around the idea of madness, whereas this statement is telling their target audience that they are in control.

18. Fall Out Boy Spine Spine Unlike many other CD spines from CDs in this genre, the font of the band name and the album title is the same font used on the front cover. This may have been done for two reasons; firstly it may have been done to make the album easily recognisable just from the spine as this font will be known to anyone who has seen the front cover, and secondly, it could have been used to ensure that the idea of madness is continued all over the album as the font connotes madness as it is written in both upper and lower case but in the wrong sections.

19. Fall Out Boy Spine The colour scheme has also been continued on the spine and this also anchors the idea of madness that the band is trying to get across. It also anchors the idea that this idea of madness is encasing the CD as this is what the colour scheme is doing. The logo and name of the record company has also been featured at the top of the spine and is significantly smaller than the name of the album and band, connoting that, to the band, this is less important than the music itself. At the bottom of the spine is the catalogue number for the album. This number and the record company logo have been placed at either end of the spine with the name of the band and album in between, again signifying the importance of the band themselves and the music they have created compared to the businesses involved.