As far as discovering new music goes, 2019 was quite a year. It was this fact that led me to ask myself, one day in late December, ‘What were the 10 best albums you listened to for the first time this year?’ It actually didn’t take me too long to make that list. When you have a list of 10 amazing albums, what’s left to do but write a piece on each one explaining just what makes it so amazing? And that’s what this is. I’ll let the rest speak for itself.
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- Frank Iero’s ‘Stomachaches’ is getting repressed into a limited edition vinyl. Rachael Dowd-June 30, 2020-June 30, 2020.
10. STOMACHACHES – FRANK IERO (or FRNKIERO AND THE CELLABRATION)
With this, his debut solo album, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero proves that he doesn’t need the other members of My Chemical Romance to bring out his talent as a musician. The heavy sound, admittedly, may not be instantly appealing, but the album rewards attentive, open-minded listening. A familiarity with the melodies that seem to emerge – as if they were not inherently there – facilitates looking beyond the vocals that seem at times best described as a singing-shouting hybrid (such as on ‘Neverenders’ and ‘.smoke rings.’). Although perhaps not his strongest point, Iero is nonetheless a capable vocalist. In particular, when he manipulates his vocals to convey piteous groans on such tracks as ‘She’s the Prettiest Girl at the Party, and She Can Prove It with a Solid Right Hook’ and ‘.stage 4 fear of trying.’, the result is a triumph, adding a layer of emotion to these almost-ballads. Indeed, situating these tracks and similarly, ‘Guilt Tripping’, in an otherwise heavy – and, to put it simply, loud – album adeptly demonstrates Iero’s artistic versatility.
Frank Iero: B.CALM is an entity under which I can release the different things that I make. Instead of finding a label and a publisher and a merch company and a fine art distributor, etc, etc, for all of my different outlets, I just decided to start my own thing, from which I can independently release certain projects under one umbrella. Frank Iero, formerly of My Chemical Romance, has a new moniker and a full-length album ready to release. Frnkiero And The Cellabration—despite what the 'and the' may imply—is a project primarily fueled by Iero, who played everything on his newest work, Stomachaches, except the drums, which were supplied by former MCR touring drummer Jarrod Alexander on nine of the album's 12 tracks.
9. HESITANT ALIEN – GERARD WAY
Not only is Hesitant Alien one of my favourite album titles of all time, but the cover photo of Gerard Way himself somehow seems a perfect match for it. It all bodes well from the very beginning. Thankfully, none of the eleven tracks are a step down. Way’s debut (and to date, only) solo album represents a departure from the dramatic emo of My Chemical Romance, and a step towards something more like pop. However, less dramatic in this case certainly does not mean less interesting. The upbeat melodies and catchy choruses of ‘Action Cat’, ‘Millions’ and ‘Maya the Psychic’ may well tempt you to get up and dance. Equally, slower and more emotive tracks like ‘Brother’ and ‘Drugstore Perfume’ make for splendid wind-down songs. Despite such differences in tempo and character, there is a certain uniformity to the album, a consistency of sound and quality that demonstrates Way’s commitment to this new genre. From the curious opening that is ‘The Bureau’, right through to the striking finish of ‘Maya the Psychic’, the album seems to represent something of a statement from Way, something along the lines of, ‘This is me. This is what I’m like as a solo artist.’ And that gets a resounding thumbs up from me.
8. VICES & VIRTUES – PANIC! AT THE DISCO
I enjoyed A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, less so Pretty. Odd., but this, their third studio album, is where Panic! At The Disco really begin to give it all they’ve got. Perhaps they could have done with a better Track 7. ‘Always’ doesn’t quite have the panache of the other nine tracks, but nonetheless to say that there is not a bad song on this album is no exaggeration. ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ is such a strong opener that it may have you thinking that surely the best must be over. But the likes of ‘Hurricane’, ‘Memories’ and ‘Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)’ just prove you wrong. It is a fun, fast-paced album, brimming with energy, and it delivers triumph after triumph as far as song-writing goes. The peculiar instrumental segments that follow ‘Hurricane’ and ‘The Calendar’, far from being off-putting, only add to the album’s quirkiness and creativity. Driving home the point that the whole album has been of a standard as high as its opening track, the closer, ‘Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met…)’, finishes with the repetition of a line from ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’: “Mona Lisa, pleased to please ya.” Well, Brendon Urie, you have certainly pleased us.
7. WHITE, PINK + BLUE – BRAVE GIANT
The debut album from my fellow Longfordians seems to mark a departure from their simpler early tracks like ‘Lordy Lordy’ and ‘Way to Love’. The eleven tracks (twelve if you count the 50-second-long ‘Intro’) demonstrate a certain complexity that Brave Giant have succeeded in adding to their music since their early days. Exploring a variety of styles between and even within songs (such as in ‘Lake Of Anna’, where a simplistic folk-style intro explodes into a powerful, spine-tingling chorus), White, Pink + Blue goes a long way towards showing us that Brave Giant have a lot to offer. That they can switch between sounds so effortlessly and effectively, for example as they go from a traditional-sounding folk ballad like ‘Maid Of The Sea’ to the synth-pop-like intro of ‘Wizards and Witches’, would suggest that they have plenty more material up their sleeves, and plenty more stylistic experimenting to do, which will hopefully be delivered in the form of subsequent albums. The only problem is that with the diversity they demonstrate here, and the top-notch smooth and crisp vocals by Podge Gill and Mark Prunty that define White, Pink + Blue, the bar has been set very high.
6. BARRIERS – FRANK IERO (AND THE FUTURE VIOLENTS)
Although Frank Iero does not completely abandon the kind of shouting and screaming one has come to expect from his vocals, Barriers is certainly a more mellow, crowd-pleasing album than is Stomachaches. Don’t be fooled, though. It may be a step closer to the mainstream – as Frank Iero albums go – but if anything, it is a step further away from the predictable, the boring. An album that features tracks with the kind of originality defining, for example, ‘Medicine Square Garden’, ‘Police Police’ and ‘Six Feet Down Under’, cannot possibly be described as boring, whether or not it’s exactly your cup of tea. Featuring a somewhat haunting piano piece early on, and some classic Iero screaming later, ‘Police Police’, in other places, in fact sounds a little like The Police. Generally, though, it’s not easy to compare Iero to any other artist. His sound is something really unique and this shows more on Barriers than on any of his other solo material. It would be a stretch even to liken him to My Chemical Romance, for whom he played and is now again playing – since their reunion announcement back in October – rhythm guitar. He does, however, include a passing reference to the band that made him famous, namely to their hit ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’, in his track ‘Young and Doomed’. Following the lyric, “I promise that I’m not okay” is a spoken line: “Oh wait, that’s the other thing.” Hinting at the reunion announcement that was to come exactly five months after this album’s release, perhaps?
5. TOO WEIRD TO LIVE, TOO RARE TO DIE! – PANIC! AT THE DISCO
It tops their first three albums, and although they continue to produce solid material, Panic! At The Disco haven’t topped this one since. Similarly to Vices & Virtues, there isn’t a bad song on it, but in contrast, there is no room for improvement, whereas ‘Always’ on Vices & Virtues may be questionable. If ever an album could seem to recycle certain elements of 80s synth-pop, and still sound ridiculously fresh and exciting, this is it. From the feel-good fun of ‘Miss Jackson’, ‘Vegas Lights’ and ‘Nicotine’, to the soulful smoothness of ‘Casual Affair’ and ‘Far Too Young to Die’, the album seems to offer a bit of everything, while at the same time feeling committed to the sound that makes it such a resounding success. Featuring a fairly modest 10 tracks, and with a run time of only 33 minutes, it’s an album you want more and more of. Your only complaint may be that it’s not long enough. You may think: ‘They’re on a roll. Why not keep going?’ But one more slightly less good song could ruin it. Yes, we want more. But if it ain’t broke…
4. AMERICAN BEAUTY/AMERICAN PSYCHO – FALL OUT BOY
Well, this gem just doesn’t quit. If you’re a die-hard fan of the traditional emo Fall Out Boy of From Under The Cork Tree, maybe this is a step too far away from that for you. But maybe not. As far as I’m concerned, this is only evidence of how a decade in the music business has helped Fall Out Boy to develop, improve and infuse their music with that bit more oomph. A hugely impactful album with eleven tracks, each of which seems made to accompany a work-out session, American Beauty/American Psycho shows Fall Out Boy at the top of their game. The likes of ‘Irresistible’, ‘Novocaine’ and ‘Fourth Of July’ make perfect the-hairbrush-is-a-microphone songs, but, frankly, every song should make you want to sing (if you can hit those high notes!), even the slower-paced ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ and ‘Jet Pack Blues’. Never in the history of Fall Out Boy have Patrick Stump’s vocals sounded punchier. You can’t escape that silky smoothness altogether, but there are times on this album when his voice comes close to being even gravelly – at least for him. Take ‘Uma Thurman’, for example, namely in the verses: “The stench, the stench, of summer sex / And CK Eternity, oh hell, yes!” Hell yes! Making you want to sing, motivating you to push yourself in the gym, and not without its more emotional moments (as in ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ and ‘Jet Pack Blues’), what hasn’t this album got? Answer: a bad song.
3. DANGER DAYS: THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS – MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
“Well now this could be the last of all the rides we take,” goes the first line of Track 13, ‘The Kids from Yesterday’. Danger Days was indeed the last ride that the band took – in album form, at least – before their break-up two and a half years after the album’s release. But a hell of a ride it was, and remains, to this day. The first words we hear are: “Look alive, Sunshine,” delivered by Dr Death Defying, who plays the role of our tour guide through this particular ride, returning to speak to us again twice after his introduction, on Tracks 7 and 14. But his first words call on us to pay attention to what’s to come, and with good reason. This is an album well worth paying attention to, and difficult not to. Attempting a very different sound from all of their preceding albums, My Chemical Romance definitively prove that there is a lot more to them than emo. While possibly disillusioning many of their die-hard emo fans, Danger Days illustrates the band’s versatility. ‘We’ve proven we can do emo. Now look: we can also do straight-up arena rock, and put our own spin on it,’ they seem to say. It doesn’t get much catchier than ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’, much more emotional than ‘The Kids from Yesterday’ or much more upbeat and energetic than ‘Planetary (GO!)’. Thus, although Danger Days takes My Chemical Romance a step closer to the mainstream, that something special about the band still shines through triumphantly.
2. THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE – MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
Who doesn’t love a bit of imagery relating to hearses, cemeteries, ghosts and executions? You? You don’t? Well, my case still stands. Ignore the imagery embedded in the gothic lyrics, if you have to. With or without it, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge is an explosive album. Chock full of mind-blowing riffs, powerful vocals and melodic yet badass choruses, it’s an album that can hardly help but have an effect on you, even if it’s not necessarily a positive one. ‘Helena (So Long & Goodnight)’ and ‘The Ghost of You’ are so intensely moving, ‘You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison’ and ‘Thank You for the Venom’ so originally thrilling and ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’ such an outrageously honest expression of a feeling familiar to us all, that Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge simply cannot be described as boring or “just alright”. From the heartbreak of ‘Helena (So Long & Goodnight)’, to the defeated resignation of ‘I Never Told You What I Do for a Living’, each track on this album is an explosion of sound, while Gerard Way’s rasping vocals seem to plead with you, ‘Here we are. Listen to us because what we’ve got to say is worth hearing.’ And we’d all do well to take his advice.
1. THE BLACK PARADE – MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
That the first track is entitled ‘The End.’ and the last (excluding cheeky hidden track, ‘Blood’) ‘Famous Last Words’, tells us all we need to know about the album’s predominant theme: finality, the end, death. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. While tracks such as ‘Sleep’ and ‘Cancer’ are rather emotionally heavy, The Black Parade is not without its moments of hope, and even fun. While ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ indeed addresses the album’s recurring theme, it does so rather optimistically, propounding the idea that death is not quite the end. “Though you’re dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on,” goes the chorus. Hardly all solemnity and anguish. If you only remember one thing about ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, it should be the commitment to simply carrying on. Similarly ‘Famous Last Words’, though sung in the first person, seems to urge its listeners not to be afraid “to keep on living” or “to walk this world alone.” Hope is one thing. Fun is another. Taking a break from the death motif, the undeniably catchy ‘Teenagers’ is colloquial in its lyrics and rather funny-because-it’s-true in its sentiment. My Chemical Romance also prove, though, that they needn’t turn away from death to have fun. In ‘Mama’, an incredibly unusual and absolutely unique track, the combination of such lyrics as “we all go to hell” and “we’re meant for the flies” with a simplistic, foot-tapping melody is in fact almost amusing, it’s so bizarre. If possible, even more explosive than Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, The Black Parade is absolutely one not to be missed.
Frank Iero seems to really dig an era. The three albums he’s released under the moniker Frank Iero and the … each have a different sound, lineup, and band name. It’s hard to classify them as a unified discography because, for all intents and purposes, they aren’t.
It’s evident that Iero subscribes to the sentiment in his opening “Moto Pop” lyric: “We need a new sound to kill the old sound.” These records are unique pieces of work, each exploring a different avenue of musicality and the human psyche.
So now that we have three full albums to dissect, let’s do so. How do these records differ, and what journey do they take us on?
Weighted Frank Iero Lyrics
Stomachaches – Frank Iero and the Celebration
Band Members: Frank Iero, Jarrod Alexander (studio recording), Evan Nestor (touring), Rob Hughes (touring), and Matt Olsson (touring)
Stomachaches has a pretty distinct tone. It’s darker, with a heavy focus on the rhythm section, fuzzed out guitars, and a significant filter on the vocals. Iero’s guitar is more concerned with playing a series of individual notes rather than chords. Or at least, that’s what stands out.
This record is, to borrow a phrase from the more recent “Young and Doomed,” classically sad. Even with the songs that are more upbeat in melody or energy, the lyrics are a complete downer. Love songs like “She’s the Prettiest Girl at the Party, and She Can Prove It With a Solid Right Hook” are more somber than anything else.
Basically, this album has imposter syndrome; it questions its own worth at every turn. It’s defeatist, filled with self-loathing (“I hate the sound of my voice when it shakes,” “I hate my weaknesses, they made me who I am,” etc.) and is overtly depressed. Stomachaches sounds like curling up in bed and weeping softly into your pillow. Or ugly sobbing, depending on the song. When you sing along, the lyrics get caught in your throat.
But even with this raw emotion, Iero only lets us in a little bit. Though it’s vulnerable, it is the least intimate of the three records.
Parachutes – Frank Iero and the Patience
Band Members: Frank Iero, Evan Nestor, Matt Olsson, Alex Grippo
While Stomachaches felt like mourning, Parachutes is straight grief. It’s the end of that “Young and Doomed” lyric – it’s inclined to get mad. The feelings are shaper and more active. This is not a dull pain that you’ve grown accustomed to. It’s here, it’s present, and it hurts like hell.
Parachutes is the kind of record that will grab you by your throat, pull you in close, wind up for a punch, then tell you about its feelings. These are sometimes feelings about its family, as evidenced by the album art and the mere existence of the song “9-6-15.”
The record is also much more confident. (“Finally proud to live inside my own skin.”) While the last album said, “Oh no. Am I fucked up? Shit, I think I may be fucked up,” this one plants its feet and yes, “Yep. I’m fucked up, and I’m good with it. Anyone else?” Instead of blaming itself like Stomachaches does, it points the finger at literally everything else in the room.
This confidence exists musically as well as lyrically and tonally. Iero isn’t filtering his voice anymore. He’s coming into his vocal style, screaming more than he did on Stomachaches, and singing with more authority.
The sound of Parachutes is more full and powerful than the last album. You need to move when listening to this record. Instead of crying into your pillow, you’re throwing it at your wall. You’re moshing and jumping alone in your room, and it feels good to get it out.
Barriers – Frank Iero and the Future Violents
Band Members: Frank Iero, Evan Nestor, Kayleigh Goldsworthy, Matt Armstrong, Tucker Rule
Barriers is a moment of crisis. It’s mental and emotional turmoil incarnate. The world has spun off its axis, and this is an attempt to stabilize, while also feeling completely disoriented. But because it starts with hope (and some organ sounds that take me right back to church), it also feels like a resurrection. But then the reanimated corpse has no idea what the hell to do with itself.
That is not to say that Barriers has an identity crisis. The music is exploratory and a sound experiment, but it knows what it is. It’s just about an identity crisis.
To me, Barriers is about moving on from trauma, both hesitantly and defiantly. There’s a kind of sass and wit that comes out in this album – a sense of resentment. Like, “Yes, I’m alive (I think), and fuck you for it all.”
There is something in the pit of my stomach when I listen to this record. I feel physical pain in some moments. I relate to the sentiments on the other albums, but that’s a different feeling. This one straight-up tells you that you do not know how it feels to go through what it’s expressing.
And even though it pushes you away, letting you know your empathy is almost invalid, this is the most intimate Iero gets with us. The first two records told you they had feelings, while Barriers shows you exactly what those feelings are. Here, Iero rips his heart out and shows it to you. And we’re all shocked to see just how many scars and tears are in it. The devastation of isolation has never been so potent. Barriers is emotional with reckless abandon.
It’s also the first time Iero does a lot of things. He’s overtly political in “Police Police.” He tells us, “I don’t wanna die,” instead of the opposite. Instead of mourning some outside force, or a past band, or a relationship of any kind, he hesitantly mourns himself. He embodies all our fears of oblivion and tells us we know nothing of them.
Frank Iero And The Celebration
As I alluded, the Future Violents experiment with sound here. It’s upbeat, full, and dynamic most of the time. The addition of Goldsworthy’s backing vocals, in particular, add depth to Barriers. But the only thing that carries through every song in a sense of dread. It’s ominous as hell. And even so, the music sounds almost ironically celebratory at times.
The Connecting Thread
Through it all, Iero has no qualms about being completely authentic and transparent with his audience. That’s the one thing that carries through all of these records. They’re raw, and they’ll make you feel a lot. Several times while I was reviewing the records to write this piece, I stopped and cried.
Frank Iero Stomachaches Vinyl
There is a lot to relate to here. Even if you don’t know how it feels, you’ll respect the honesty and vulnerability Iero brings to every single one of his projects. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to understand and cope with your own stomachaches, ghosts, and barriers.