My Chemical Romance

"The Black Parade"
My Chemical Romance
Reprise Records
2006

It's been my experience that people either hate My Chemical Romance or love them. I seem to be one of the few people I know that just likes them. Their 2004 release, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge," gave the world and emo/pop lp with hits like "Helena" and "The Ghost of You" which received heavy rotation on MTVU.

Drawing on the success of "Revenge," MCR united with Rob Cavallo, who produced Green Day's epic "American Idiot" album. The result is a theatrical rock record steeped in teenage angst and morbid imagery. "The Black Parade" is a concept album about an alienated teen facing his death, but don't write it off as some whiny emo kids complaining about nothing. The band clearly drew heavily on influences from other theatrical acts like Queen and Meatloaf as well as rock bands like Green Day. The lyrics can be alternately frightening, touching, and funny. Take the track "Mama," which opens with "Mama, we're all go to hell," and conjures up memories of Pink Floyd's "The Wall." Later in the album, the song "Teenagers" will get your blood pumping as a short, fast-paced rocker with humorous lyrics. This is followed by a slower ballad, "Disenchanted."

Where "The Black Parade" succeeds is in creating the angst-y rock opera that will definitely connect with the band's teenage audience. For the rest of us, though, lead singer Gerard Way's voice is an acquired taste. The album is good but not great, although it does have some potential stand-alone hits. I recommend "Welcome To the Black Parade," "Mama," and "Teenagers."
I give "The Black Parade" $15