Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding, 18 Mar 2007
A few eyebrows were raised on the release of 2006's 'Black Parade' by My Chemical Romance' and traditionally, while I'm not really a fan of emo, I thought, seeing as it had good reviews in various guitar magazines, I gave it a try. I'm glad I did.
The music has gone up a notch in quality, and while there was never any doubting Gerard Way and Co's musical ability, Way's vocal ability was occasionally brought into question, but he gets away with it due to MCR's catchy riffs and hooks. Occasionally he does reach the high points, I'll give him that.
The opener, 'The End', is a short, two-minute rock piece that would not sound out of place on Broadway or London's West End, such is the gusto and flair that Way brings to the music. Catchy and witty, this is an impressive opener. 9/10.
Track two, 'Dead!', is also catchy like its predecessor. The guitaring is sometimes reminiscent of Brian May and Queen and that can't be a bad thing. Each song is a story full of pity and remorse but such is the liveliness injected into the songs, it almost sounds like a musical of some sort, and sounds full of fun. The music is much better than on 'Three Cheers...' and the 'la la la la la la....' towards the end is surely aimed to please crowds live at festivals/gigs. 10/10.
Track three, 'This Is How I Disappear', begins in similar fashion to the start of the album, in catchy fashion with appealing hooks and riffs. MCR seem to take the darker side of life and give it an injection of liveliness and make it seem like it's such a positive thing. 9/10.
Track four, 'The Sharpest Lives' is one of my favourites on the album. It has something about it which sets it apart from other tracks. This whole album is dark and sinister and the boys from New Jersey seem to make fun of it all, like a mini-opera. Maybe that's why it's so fun to listen to most of the time. 9/10.
Track five, 'Welcome To The Black Parade', is an epic. Six minutes long, with simple piano to begin, then guitars and marching drums come in to accompany the song and Way's vocals. There is a break with Brian May-style guitaring and Way' screaming vocals, before the song speeds up in tempo and becomes more like the previous four offerings heard on the album. Never has such a melancholy song sounded so positive and upbeat for many years; something which can be said about most of the album. One of the definite highlights of it and I'm sure that if people are only familiar with one song on this album, this is it. 10/10.
Track six, 'I Don't Love You' slows things down slightly, and provides us with a wider scope of MCR's talents. This is a ballad full of feeling and purpose. 'I don't love you like I did yesterday.' Way sings. 9/10.
Track seven, 'House Of Wolves', starts with crunching guitar riffs and lively Gerard Way vocals. Back to the 'rock-opera' style of lyrics and poise in the vocals. MCR really have found their feet on this album and that's what makes it such an accomplished album. After the second chorus, the crunching riffs come in and slick drumming combined with Way's reciting of his vocals at breakneck speed. 'Tell me I'm a bad man, kick me like a stray,' he wails. Brilliant. 10/10.
Track eight, 'Cancer', is a weeping, heartfelt ballad. A very sensitive song, full of meaningful, vivid lyrics. The piano combined with the total frankness of the lyrics make it so compelling. 'Turn away, 'cause I'm awful just to see...'. A song many people can relate to, and there's nothing upbeat about this song, that would be completely wrong. The song itself is beautiful, yet melancholy and has such vivid lyrics. Maybe the best song on the album. 10/10.
Track nine, 'Mama', returns to the 'rock-opera' style of music and lyrics. 'Right now they're building a coffin your size' is one of the witty lyrics heard here among many. This song features Liza Minnelli on guest vocals. This song is split into two parts. The first part is the first three minutes or so, then the huge, heavy riffs come in and the shouts of 'Mama!' and Minnelli on vocals, before Way and co. return on vocals with Minnelli and it really would not sound of place on an opera, with the accordion among other instruments heard with Minnelli crying as the song draws to a close. 9/10.
Track ten, 'Sleep', begins with a piano, and a radio-style broadcast repeating something like 'terrorists' before the guitars come in and Way starts singing. There are strong elements of Rob Cavallo's work here, who worked with Green Day on 2004's 'American Idiot'. This song has soaring riffs and an anthemic feel about it. This is a fantastic song. 10/10.
Track eleven, 'Teenagers' is a real highlight. Catchier than the common cold, it has to be a future classic. 'Teenagers scare the living s*** out of me', Way wails during the chorus. The song as a base is relatively simple, but it's so effective. Another anthem for the stadiums and venues, I think. 10/10.
Track twelve, 'Disenchanted' is another one of my favourites. It starts slowly enough with an acoustic sound and Way's vocals, but it's so anthemic. The chorus is unforgettable, truly brilliant. 'It's just a sad song, with nothing to say...' Way sings. Towards the end of the five minute epic, it slows down with string sections and acoustic guitars. 10/10.
Track thirteen, 'Famous Last Words', is the second release off 'The Black Parade', and it's five minutes of non-stop guitar-rock, combined with Gerard Way's wailing vocals. 'Awake and unafraid, asleep or dead' are easily the best lyrics on the record. The song builds up an anthemic crescendo towards the end and ends a CD which is truly worthy of five stars. 10/10.
'The Black Parade' is unlike anything I've ever heard before. Not since the days of Queen and Bowie has music been sung so vigorously and full of gusto. At times a rock-opera, at times MCR's own sound, but always a huge leap forward from the previous offering. The album can be split into two parts. The first seven songs are all relatively similar- quick, high-tempo, feel-good/melancholy vibes. The odd one out is track six, as it's a rock ballad which is melancholy but uplifting at the same time. From track eight onwards, we see a different MCR. 'Cancer' is beautiful, and a song most of us, if not all of us can relate to. It's a more grown-up MCR, as are 'Mama', 'Sleep, 'Disenchanted' and 'Famous Last Words'. The odd one out is 'Teenagers', which is a feel-good track, and a fantastic sing-along.
Rob Cavallo has done to MCR what he did to Green Day. He's developed their sound and taken them up a level. I'm not saying MCR and Green Day are similar, I'm just saying they've both improved under Cavallo. This is a wonderful album, very consistent and heavy yet listenable. Cavallo produced the album of 2004 with 'American Idiot'. He might well have produced the album of 2006 with 'The Black Parade.' 9/10.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deserving of Your Attention - a brilliant piece of work!, 15 Nov 2006
Although different from earlier releases, make no mistake this brilliant and ambitious album retains the MCR trademark. Earlier MCR albums (which I also like very much), have had a greater sense of urgency and spontaneity - The Black Parade is measured, deliberate and focused.
The Black Parade is a Concept (thematic) album based on the voyage through the death process of "the patient". Unlike "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" their second album (also a concept album), the metaphor and fiction have not been plied as thickly - the audience is lead on a journey that is in essence a thinly veiled reflective analysis of Gerard Way's (lead vocals and lyricist), own life. Growing up as a somewhat overweight introverted nerdy kid ostracised by the mainstream, Gerard initially pursued a career as a comic book illustrator, but quickly became disillusioned after working in the industry. Having witnessed events of 9/11 on his way to work, he decided to do something more meaningful with his life....that something became music. After forming the band, MCR very quickly exploded in popularity and Gerard found himself catapulted to rock icon status - initially his coping mechanism for rite of passage being pills and alcohol, which made him suicidal and almost pulled the band apart. Now well free of the chemical props, Gerard has embraced his position as "rock star" and driving force of a band that will surely find a position in rock history. This album is very much about putting the uglier moments of his life under the microscope.
Musically, the band has matured and gained a greater sense of artistic confidence - allowing them to take risks to explore different musical styles. Yes of course they have incorporated sounds and styles from other artists and genres (and how many other artists haven't), but they do it in such a way as to retain MCR integrity. We are exposed to a lot more of Gerard's vocal capability (somewhat buried in the more chaotic layers of guitars, yelling and screaming of earlier albums), the guitar work is much more skilful and "positioned", and a broader range of instruments have been introduced to the suite of sounds - all adding to richer, more multidimensional pieces of work. Each song is a stand alone gem, different from the next - varying in tempo and style to suit the message. The lyrics are simpler, direct and more visually powerful than those of previous albums.
This album is evidence of a band that has a greater sense of clarity about their music and what they want to say through it. Sadly, it's likely that this album will see the loss of MCR's hardcore emo/punk fans, but the gain is a broader audience who can appreciate the music for what it is rather than something from a genre the band supposedly represents.
I have added The Black Parade to my all time favourite classic album list, but for those who are uncertain, at least listen to it all the way through - it is most deserving of your attention.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best album of 2006, 30 Oct 2006
I'm old enough to remember punk [and I don't mean the tame, ironed-over version of it that we've been treated to by some 'punk' bands in the last 10 years] and grew up listening to the Clash, SLF etc. MCR are unique - I like the description 'emo punk titans' used on this page, because they really do have a lot of strings to their bow. They embody everything that's good about guitar music from so many genres - some definite thanks owed to Thin Lizzy in Ray Toro's guitar - yet they add their own totally contemporary and individual brilliance to everything they do. On this new album, there is the growing trademark MCR sound, which really is unmistakeable - in itself the sign of a great band. Yes, you can hear shades of many 70s, and some 80s, bands in this album: pre-Ure Ultravox, The Sweet even, and on the brilliant 'Mama', I am thinking there might be a son of Nick Cave somewhere in MCR, but essentially these guys stand alone as having a very definite and unique sound. In a time when we have a lot of lame, over-hyped 80s clone bands cluttering up the airwaves, MCR are a shining, huge talent. And amazingly, they're even getting played on Radio 1 now!
They have, as has been said elsewhere, matured amazingly quickly. The excellent 'Three Cheers...' was a distinct improvement on the 1st album, and I thought was going to be very hard to beat, but the Black Parade is just one level above, quite clearly. They've always written witty lyrics and had great song titles, but they're clearly just surpassing themselves with each album. We've had new albums from Muse, Placebo etc this year, but I've got to say the Black Parade is the best of them all in a good year. Downside is, we'll never see them play a small club again! If you love good music and appreciate genuine talent, buy this fantastic album. And I'm not one of their mums, I promise!!
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