My Chemical Romance– Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys (22/11/2010 Reprise)

    Formed in New Jersey back in 2001, just a week after the September 11^th terrorist attacks in New York, My Chemical Romance, despite losing two members, have triggered a new sound with the release of their fourth record, ‘Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys’. Making a name by touring with the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Green Day and Fall Out Boy, they were well established by the time they were signed to the major label Reprise Records. When their third album, ‘The Black Parade’ went on sale in October 2006, My Chemical Romance had thrown themselves head first into the re-vamped genre of emo, and appeared at the forefront of which until the construction of ‘Danger Days...’.

     This fourth album, is anything but a straight up emo based record. Conceptually, it is set in the post-apocalyptic surroundings of California in the year 2019. It follows the lives of the ‘Fabulous Killjoys’, which also, believe it or not, includes nicknames for each band member, such as frontman Gerard Way who is named ‘Party Poison’, a name also shared with the eighth track of ‘Danger Days...’.  Commencing with ‘Look Alive, Sunshine’, a ‘song’ that lasts a mere twenty-nine seconds, is a feeble introduction to the rest of the album. It is simply a demonstration of the concept of the compilation, made up of tongue twisters and alliterations for only their biggest fans to bother to learn, ‘You’re here with me, Dr. Death Defying...your proctor, your helicopter...’. If you can bare the strain of such a pointless track, the most repetitive song ever written follows. It is clear My Chemical Romance have refused to let go of their somewhat overbearing conceptual theatrics.  

My Chemical Romance

     ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’, (yes, that’s twelve ‘Na’s’ in total), was release just under a month before ‘Danger Days...’ went on sale and is a solid and simple establishment for the album. In fact, this track may have worked better as the beginning for the record with its punch in the face attitude. It is hardly earth shattering,  but if nothing else, the lyrics are easy to remember, making it festival appropriate. This track also illustrates My Chemical Romance running as fast as possible away from their woe is me reputation gained from ‘The Black Parade’, which is understandably difficult to shake off. However, with its fist pumping rhythm, repetition and emotion-lacking breakdown, ‘Everybody wants to change the world, but no one wants to die.’, they have well and truly eradicated it.

     Track three, ‘Bulletproof Heart’ instigates a simplistic piano riff, painfully dissimilar to that of ‘Welcome To The Black Parade.’ When followed by mind-numbing vocal edits on par with the likes of Jason Derulo, it is only forty seconds into the song when a real song commences. Although nothing special, it proves to the listener that there is some good music behind the conceptual and pop based barriers.  Limp anthem ‘Sing’ follows and it is probably the most well produced track on the album. With its screeching car, unnerving drumming, uncomplicated piano and somewhat sinister vocals, the scene is set for a half hearted reference to ‘everyone that you left behind.’ Released as a single in November 2010, ‘Sing’ depicts how little effect a potentially anthemic song has on the world when it is not ‘teaching’ the listener something specific (Rise Against, 30 Seconds To Mars etc).

     Also chosen as a single in March 2011, ‘Planetary (Go!)’ illustrates that My Chemical Romance have picked up on the fact that mainstream music is changing. Songs topping the charts over the last few months have been club based, and the beginning of this track is no different. Having managed to not eradicate instruments or their individuality completely, the song is hardly heart- warming but the eerie emo vocals and shrill siren opening the track are unavoidable, ‘There might be something outside your window, but you just never know...’. The chorus is dancy, full of funk, and festival perfect, not to mention the tempo variations and build up being entirely irresistible. ‘The Only Hope For Me Is You’ is made up of a magical, movie moulding foundation, but it is not the tear-jerker the listener may be expecting from the title, nor is it a huge track within itself.

    Lasting just twenty-six seconds, ‘Jet-Star And The Kobra Kid/Traffic Report’ stands as an intermission within the compilation which wouldn’t go unnoticed in a video game. ‘Party Poison’, the track named after Gerard Way’s ‘character’ is average and adds very little flavour to ‘Danger Days...’.  Ninth track ‘Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back’ showcases Way’s vocal abilities better than most of the album and the likeable beat and harmonies make it vibrant enough to keep a gig crowd going.  ‘S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W’, inconvientiently spelt as such, although somewhat repetitive is clearly My Chemical Romance playing it very safe due to its obvious similar sound to ‘I Don’t Love You’ (‘The Black Parade, 2006).

'Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous KIlljoys': Artwork

     ‘Summertime’ could do with a little more instrument and vocal variation as it progresses due to it becoming rather cyclical quickly. Yet with its evident similarity to U2’s ‘City Of Blinding Lights’, it is one of the best tracks ‘Danger Days...’ has to offer. As the most sentimental track from the record, the soft vocals that Gerard Way conveys throughout are welcomed with opening arms after the overuse of the futuristic concept from the rest of the album, ‘When the lights go out will you take me with you?’. Twelfth track ‘DESTROYA’ depicts just how tedious a rapid and repetitive track can be, despite its Limp Bizkit, rap metal type influences. ‘The Kids From Yesterday’ is a song you could not skip if it popped up on your IPod. Despite the awful, ear-splitting and distracting wooden drumming throughout (light symbol rhythms are so underrated), it portrays a glimmer of the original emo scene, ‘sun goes black...’, ‘But you only feel the music when your heart begins to break.’ With indie esque ‘oohs’ and a portrayal of the progress of My Chemical Romance as musicians, this track would be at home on 30 Seconds To Mars’ ‘This Is War’ record. Perhaps also nicking the idea of a straightforward concept would have been an idea.

     ‘This is Dr. Death defying signing off...’ followed by the American National Anthem is not exactly something you find on your everyday rock record and there’s a reason it has never been tried before ‘Goodnight, Mr. Death.’ ‘Vampire Money’ is a rapid end to the album with a great guitar solo, gang vocals and pseudo live ending. Bonus tracks ‘We Don’t Need Another Song About California’ and ‘Zero Percent’ pretty much pin point the progression of My Chemical Romance from the emo boys to the overusers of an overcomplicated concept.

     From teen angst to supposedly glamorising suicide, (which would have been an unproblematic concept), My Chemical Romance still had time to create alter-egos for themselves alongside ‘Danger Days...’. Despite overcomplicating affairs, an intense, varied and high volume album was created.

 3/5