Rolling Stone Review

[ofyourdeath.livejournal.com]

SCANS SOURCE

My Chemical Romance Toughen Up
Leaving theatrical gloom behind, the Jersey boys make a blazing synth-rock album
My Chemical Romance, 3 and a half out of five stars, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

My Chemical Romance used to be so sad, they could make your cold goth heart bleed. On 2006's The Black Parade, Gerard Way wailed about cancer and misery, emerging as a savior for the broken and damned. Now, he's dyed his hair fiery red, and he's pissed at everyone: junkies, party girls, Hollywood and most of all himself, for getting so damn famous. "When you want to be a movie star/Play the game and take the band real far/Play it right and drive a Volvo car/Pick a fight at an airport bar," Way scoffs on the dirty-garage scorcher "Vampire Money."

That bad attitude suits this synth-laced album, which plays like a love letter to all the juvie-hall grads and Ritalin rats still waiting for someone to build a bomb big enough to blow all the pop bands off the airwaves. Somewhere between the metal-messiah riffs of "Destroya" and the Red Bull-fueled stomp of "Bulletproof Heart," Danger Days offers a total rejection of bloated celebrity rock. Intercut with fake radio-DJ skits (supposedly transmissions from a post-apocalyptic radio station) and powered by spite for rock-star clichés, MCR trade their signature broadway-musical theatricality for simple loud-fast defiance. "Sing it for the ones that'll hate your guts!" Way declares. But it's gonna be hard to get people to hate songs like "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)," an anthem that taunts (nyah, nyah!) you even as it gets you to sing along.

Comments

[crossbow1.livejournal.com]

I can't WAIT to hear "Vampire Money."

Is anyone else ever bothered that they only ever run pictures of Gerard?

PS. It should be "toughens." Collective noun. RS should know.

[yekith.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm very much bothered, especially in this instance with a new album from the BAND about to be released. It always happens, but it still bothers me. Also...read the caption of the only band pic there. What the fuck? "With Way"? Why mention him separately, like "Gerard and the band"? As far as I know, he's part of My Chemical Romance.

p.s.: I'm desperate to hear Vampire Money too!

[oudemia.livejournal.com]

Especially distressing since they fail to indicate *which* Way they mean. There are two in that picture, and they are both on the right.

[yekith.livejournal.com]

I guess, for them, saying just "Way" automatically implies Gerard 'cause he's THE Way. *rolls eyes*

[yuleshootureye.livejournal.com]

To whoever was in charge of labeling Scan #2: It's not a mohawk, he's whipping his hair!

[yuleshootureye.livejournal.com]

Other than that, though, I actually liked this little write up thing. When I actually have my hands on the album I'll probably disagree re: starpower, but whatever.

[fire-at-wi11.livejournal.com]

Yeah that's what I thought when I read the caption too. Although he really should style it in a mohawk one day, would be epic lol

[(Anonymous)]

There are other people in the band. I feel like all the focus on Gerard is making it so that it's easy for him to do his solo project.

[figilio-vampiri.livejournal.com]

FIVE. Five people in the band. Of these five, Gerard is ONE. This frontman crap gets blown waaaay out of proportion.

[sisterspooky.livejournal.com]

lol at the photo label

My Chemical Romance with Way

because Gee isn't in MCR; he's just there for lulz

[saint-sorrows.livejournal.com]

Well he is the frontman...

But yeah. Getting seriously excited for this album now.