2014 is the year that fans tears have began to dry up after the My Chemical Romance break up but fans had chance to rejoice when Gerard Way released his debut solo album ‘Hesitant Alien’. Flashback 10 years ago, and My Chemical Romance burst into the public consciousness with ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge‘. Besides the latter being an absolute classic and well worth revisiting, this is a comparison of the two albums. We compare the two performances, and Gerard’s evolution as an artist.
Sound
The two records couldn’t be more different. ‘Three Cheers…’ is slickly produced , with the growling guitars mixed just enough to sound aggressive but pleasingly so. ‘Violent Pop’ was a term coined by the band. The entire record is a wrestling match between post-hardcore angst and stadium rock choruses. On ‘Hesitant Alien’ Gerard jumps into a genre previously unexplored and makes it feel so natural. The album is a fuzzy, brit pop, post-punk 70’s era affair, with a litte glam-rock thrown into the mix. It never feels like it’s merely paying homage. The record feels as if all the songs could only be made with this particular sound in mind.
Pace
‘Three Cheers…’ is unrelenting. From the punky beginnings of opener ‘Helena‘, to the tragic ending, the album bolts out of the gate and doesn’t stop moving till the last note. Despite the morbid content it is the most danceable My Chemical Romance record. The tempo is constantly held at a pace where there is no time to rest. Making enjoying the record a sweaty affair. ‘Hesitant Alien’ is more tempered. Less manic and more precise. The album has the pace of a greatest hits, with each song standing on it’s own. Instead of being an series of tracks building from high energy to low, the set is a consistent mixture.
Singles
Singles tend to be either the catchiest songs on the album, the albums mission statement or both. ‘Three Cheers…’ singles tend to be the former. Not necessarily the best songs on the album, but among the strongest and by far the catchiest. ‘I’m Not Okay‘ manages to hit the nail on head, by discussing the warzone that high school can be. It never talks down to the listener. Instead relaying experiences that will undoubtedly get you onside. The music matches the content on ‘Helena’ which is about the passing of Gerard (and brother Mikey) Way’s grandmother. The punk pace saves the song from being too maudlin, and ends up feeling more of a teary eyed celebration. The singles on ‘Hesitant Alien’ feel as if they were picked at random. This doesn’t speak to the quality of them, more the fact that the whole album is made up of similarly hook heavy songs. ‘Action Cat‘ manages to be gruff whilst at the same time uplifting. ‘No Shows‘ is a song of rebellion minus the teenage angst. The entire song feels like one long hook, and is incredibly catchy. ‘Millions‘ is about the sweetest thing you’ll hear all year. Almost revolting poppy, but the songs message and production weigh it down to create something meaningful.
Vocals
Gerard’s performance on ‘Three Cheers…’ is absolutely deranged. He spits and screams his way through lyrics. And when he holds a note it sounds like his throat is about to collapse under the pressure. This makes Gerard’s contribution an actual instrument as opposed ‘just a singer’. This is one of the main reasons why My Chemical Romance connected with so many people. It felt as if all of your problems were nothing compared to this man having a nervous breakdown on stage. ‘Hesitant Alien’ wears its influences on it’s sleeve. Here, Gerard strips back all of the angst and allows his unique vocal style to come to the forefront. Mostly relying on the upper register of his vocals, with the occasional falsetto. He matches the pop sensibilities of each song perfectly. With a calm and measured performance. He never reaches the madness of My Chemical Romance, because the songs don’t call for it. The songs are mostly upbeat and it’s refreshing to hear Gerard mirror the feeling in his vocals.
Content
‘Three Cheers…‘ tells the story of a man’s mission to send a thousand corpses to Hell in exchange for girlfriends life. The concept is used to discuss themes of pain, love, loss and revenge. The themes are dark, as are the bands performances reflect this. The whole feeling of the record is angst ridden. The two lovers end the album being shot in the back of the head, and it’s over. It’s short, fast and bleak. ‘Hesitant Alien’ has no real concept but is about being proud of not fitting in. It covers familiar topics: from relationships to mental illness. But no matter the subject it always feels light and fun, with a tonne of hidden subtext.
Gerard Way has evolved into a more composed performer. The energy is still apparent, it’s just morphed into something more poised and precise. ‘Three Cheers…’ was a landmark of the genre, and ‘Hesitant Alien’ shows that Gerard Way is no fluke when it comes to making arresting music.
