My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
The Grade:
Continuum: A-
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of My Chemical Romance or dark, depressing concept albums this may be right up your alley. If not, there still might be enough musically that it’ll still hold your attention.
The Review:
To start, if forced to pick with a gun to my head I would have to say that this is not my favorite My Chemical Romance album. However, I still have to admire what they are trying to do. They try something new with every album, and who said a concept album about a patient dying too young would be easy to accomplish?
Here we don’t have the lyrical variety or the over-the-top creativity of “Three Cheers to Sweet Revenge” or the balls to wallness of “I Brought My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.” While I didn’t expect them to be able to top the awesome “Vampires Will Never Hurt You,” “Honey, This Mirror Isn’t Big Enough…,” or “You Know What They Do To Guys Like Me In Prison,” I did expect them to be able to come close. And close they did come - “Dead!” and “This Is How I Disappear” are a pretty heavy one two punch.
There is a lot of slow songs, but they try their best to give us a plethora of sounds. No song is really sung the same, but most are dark, and not many are that fast paced. “Teenagers” may fit that description, but the repetitive lyrics become mundane after the third repition. “Mama” is another song where the idea may be better than the execution, but the end of that song lifts it from mediocre to pretty freakin’ sweet.
“Cancer” is the ballad of the album (if you can call a song about the depressing state of cancer a ballad). While it’s not something I have the desire to listen to everyday, it has it’s place on the album and depending on the mood or circumstances, could be a song that could be some type of release for people.
“I Don’t Love You” is by my far one of my favorite tracks, even though it is one of the slowest. The way that Gerard Way uses his vocals in this song reminds me more of his variety of styles in “Three Cheers.”
The theme of being picked on for being different is prevalent throughout the album, but I think they conveyed these thoughts better lyrically on their previous efforts.
It’s an up and down album, albeit more up than down. But overall, I really enjoyed it, even though at times it can become monotonous and the Green Day vibe seeps through a bit too much in the production, which isn’t surprising since it was surprised by Green Day’s producer. However, if I wanted to listen to a washed up band, I’d just listen to Green Day (just joking Green Day, even though “American Idiot” was, in my humble opinion, highly overrated).
They say this is by far their most over-the-top and intense album they have ever done, but I’m not sure if I’m seeing it. Intense, I could perhaps see what they are saying. But, “Three Cheers,” to me was much more theatrical than this album, one example being the orchestral ending of “Helena” and the melodrama that was “The Ghost of You.” There are spots here where over-the-top definitely comes through and you definitely can see that this draws from 70’s rock-opera inspiration, like the single “Welcome to the Black Parade,” but other than that I think that this isn’t the clear winner.
One thing is for sure, though - this is the unique and eager-to-try-something-new My Chemical Romance, and I can’t wait to see what their next concept is and how’ll they’ll pull it off. As of right now, they haven’t failed yet.
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Great review!! I’m listening to the album right now. Hopefully it proves to be a good one. I was going to write a review upon listening to the album but you’ve beat me to the punch. I’ll link to your review instead.
Shaun on October 24th, 2006 11:35 pm
DID RYAN MUTTON WRITE THOSE LYRICCS?
sheep. on October 28th, 2006 11:29 pm
This was a great review! i bought the album a couple days after it came out (got the last one on the shelf…yess…) But i totally agree with you. It’s a great album…definately. But I’d have to go with ‘Three Cheers’ as my favorite so far! it’s an amazing CD though, and I’m not discouraging anyone from getting it, because its great…and i love Gerard’s new look too. But I’m a BIG mcr fan, soo I’m pretty sure i would like anything that Gerard Way has anything to do with
Ashley on October 30th, 2006 8:26 pm
i agree with the review
there are some good songs
but i cant wait for their next album
i want to see if they change back
cause even when i cant stop listening to the cd
if they do something like this again
i dont know if ill like it
cecilia on November 2nd, 2006 9:36 pm
is it just me, or is the beginning and ending of “Black Parade” a rip-off from “Goodbye Silk City” by Suit of Lights [the NJ band featuring Steve from Thursday] ?
Having said that, I think it’s an awesome album…
SX
Sue Xian on November 5th, 2006 9:52 am
I just listened to the album last night and I totally agree. I like how they’re attempting to steer away from the red ties and vampire profiles of emo and create a sort of rock opera. But I thought Three Cheers was insane. I’m not quite digging the Queen-ish transformation and I hope they get back to their Three Cheers roots, but 10 for creativity in Black Parade. And Gerard, please stick to long black hair. Please.
Free Hugs on November 7th, 2006 4:51 am
hi i love the band the new album and the lead singer Geard!I love his new look the blond hair i have a picture with his black hair ( well i think i’m not the only one with a picture of him, lol ) but he looks so diffrent but HEY, he looks hot both ways! And ashley girl i think i know you but there are many ashleys int he world so i may be wrog… well My Chemical Romance I LOVE YOU , you rock you had a GREAT album do well nest time and !! peace out!!
Lil Girl FRom The SOuth on November 21st, 2006 12:41 am
OMg i love this sight so much i am puting a new post…lol and i hope they use my other one because it rocks to!! and i am So freaked about the new album i wont stop listing to it and i want to buy it soon!!well night night peace and im the girl who put lil girl from the south… lol wells luv ya My CHemical ROmance im doing a project on ya and i hope you do an even BETTER jobe on the next album LUvS u Gerad BUh bYES!!
LLLAAAUUURRRAAA on November 21st, 2006 12:46 am
The black parade only needs one word. Amazing.
Mon on November 23rd, 2006 6:44 pm
when i initially listened to the album i found that it lacked a lot of the creativity that three cheers was dripping with… there was nothing new in terms of the guitar riffs, or the drums, or anything else for that matter. it sounded like a bunch of old (non mcr) songs with new lyrics, in my opinion, and at the risk of taking things completely over the top because i highly doubt it was their intention, i started thinking that maybe they chose to do it that way… nothing spectacular or new about the music because their subject matter isn’t new. you hear about it everyday, there’s not one person on earth who isn’t touched by cancer’s destruction. but again, i’m probably reading too much into it and have probably failed miserably at articulating exactly what i mean.
in any case, gerard’s voice sounded much better on three cheers and i wholeheartedly believe this album was over produced… you can hear how slick it sounds, but at the same time, if success is what they want, they’re going to get it with this album whether or not anyone (me) feels it’s an accurate portrayal of what/who the band really is.
cindersiren on November 24th, 2006 2:04 am
its great!!!
sarah on November 25th, 2006 2:55 pm
OMG who ever dis my chemical romance is ither dum or have a hearing proble o by the way the lead singer is so sexy lol!!!!
Ella on November 26th, 2006 4:01 am
One word: amazing!
Stephanie on November 28th, 2006 5:53 am
MCR rocks! I love the song im not ok i promis. it brings back so many memoris in my life.
dont judge me on November 30th, 2006 7:53 pm
How can you listen to this well,, bluntly shite! This band are alood of crap, they are gay little emos and suck. Listen to good stuff like NOFX, Rancid, and abit of Enter Shikari.. come on dudes.
Sam on January 25th, 2007 6:38 pm
gerard and mikey are the hottest brothers around and frank ray and bob are soooo cute!!!!! who ever hates my chemical romance can kill themselves cuz they dont no great music
samantha on January 29th, 2007 2:05 pm
hi guys. does anyone know what guitar they used in the black parade music video? from what i can remember it was black with a red scratchboard.
Dane on June 18th, 2007 4:44 am
good review, though i have to disagree with “three cheers” being a better album. i believe “the black parade” and “three cheers” are both equally great. the guys switched up the sound obviously on this one, and it seems to me they put more thought into the sound. also, the lyrics are not lacking creatively, they are more honest, simple and straightforward in a metaphoric way.
in other words, it all takes some thinking.
yup, the album does sound more slick (and MAYBE overly produced on a couple tracks *cough* The End *cough*) but is that necessarily a bad thing? No, it just depends on personal preference. I loved the grittiness of three cheers, but i love the theatricality of the black parade as well, and theatricality takes some shoe shine.
Frank on August 4th, 2007 1:56 am
OH btw, Gerard said himself the next album would not end up being anything like the Black Parade. He said himself it would be more “simple and cheap”. Personally, I think he’s implying that they’ll go back to their punk roots. That would be great, and I can’t wait to see what their concept will be with the next album.
Frank on August 4th, 2007 1:58 am