As one of the modern game’s most successful chameleons, the odds were always pretty good that Gerard Way would be able to make a solo career work. Still, even with that said, ‘Hesitant Alien’ is a fine opening statement.
Having left My Chemical Romance behind last year, the return of Way and guitarist Frank Iero, who went it alone with ‘Stomachaches’ during the summer, has been faster than many predicted and certainly more streamlined.
Way has dispensed with elaborate teases, conceptual images and storylines, opting instead for a tweet to announce the album’s title and a live bow - solely comprising new material - at a Portsmouth festival warm up.
Unencumbered by responsibility to an overarching theme, Way indulges his personal influences here. There are waves of guitar fuzz, nods to his love of Britpop and a glam swagger that extends beyond the stylish new wave cover photo. More than anything though, there are some mighty pop songs.
No Shows and Action Cat set out something of a template pre-release, highlighting the collection’s melodic sensibilities and scuzzy backbone, but there are similar high points in Millions’ soaring falsetto chorus, the snotty strut of Zero Zero or the lilting Drugstore Perfume.
Its few missteps aren’t catastrophes - Brother’s ‘Black Parade’ vibe is a little familiar, Get The Gang Together plods - and on balance this is a very, very confident showing. Way’s been a superstar before, and he could be again.
Gerard Way Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed November 05 2014 - MANCHESTER Ritz
Thu November 06 2014 - OXFORD O2 Academy Oxford
Fri November 07 2014 - GLASGOW O2 ABC
Sat November 08 2014 - CARDIFF Cardiff University Students Union
Sun November 09 2014 - CARDIFF Y Plas
Mon November 10 2014 - LONDON KOKO
Fri January 23 2015 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
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