The Record-sponsored high school journalism
contest - in its fifth year - is open to students across San Joaquin
County. This is the winning entry for reviews.
More
than just a summary, good criticism should offer a careful blend of
analysis and opinion that ultimately helps readers decide how to spend
their time. In undertaking her review of a new My Chemical Romance
album, first-place winner Mikeala Axton of Stagg High School found
herself struggling with how to deliver a fair critique within the
context of her "deep-rooted love for the band." We thought she was
successful. "You're a fan, you like the music, but you're able to
articulate your reasons ... in a compelling way," one judge wrote. "It
makes it useful to a reader interested in giving the new work a listen."
Find the second-place winning entry by Marlena Sauceda (Tokay High
School) at recordnet.com. No third-place award was given.
Judge's note: "I like the style of your writing. I had fun reading this."
Back with a bang
If,
four years ago, you looked at My Chemical Romance and thought to
yourself, "Hmmm, one day they'll misplace their eyeliner and write an
album full of upbeat songs and bright colors," you would have been
crazy. You also would have been right.
MCR has
plunged into its fourth studio album - twice, in fact, considering the
band wrote, recorded and trashed an entire album before releasing
"Danger Days: The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys."
The
album contains a loose storyline, set in California 2019, in the wake
of an environmental disaster. The world has been taken over by a
brainwashing behemoth known as Better Living Industries, or BL/ind. The
band is cast as a color-clad, raygun-wielding rebel force against BL/ind
agents.
If this is starting to sound like the
familiar, storytelling My Chem album, worry no more. Gone are the days
it took a shovel to dig through the band's sweeping metaphors and
imagery (however enjoyable the process).
The
listener is guided through the album by pirate radio disc jockey Dr.
Death-Defying, who opens the blazing first track, "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na)." This first single sets the tone for the rest of the
album, reeking of high speeds, fast times and an element of fun rarely
heard from MCR.
"SING" evokes a similar feeling of defiance : "I am not the singer that you wanted/ But a dancer/ I refuse to answer."
A
track few would have expected from MCR, "Planetary (GO!)" is a
rip-roaring, electronics-infused dance song. The seemingly
uncharacteristic melody is backed by frontman Gerard Way's
ever-impassioned lyrics, spitting that "My word is the Beretta/ the
sound of my vendetta," an open revolt against all things sterile,
ingestible and safe.
"Planetary (GO!)" makes
you want to dance like a complete idiot. Fortunately, it also arms you
with an attitude that doesn't care what other people think (especially
what they think of your wicked dance moves).
Closing
out the album is the old-school-punk-all-over "Vampire Money," an
homage to bands like the Stooges and direct reference to glam greats
like David Bowie and Marc Bolan of T.Rex. The song is a blistering
commentary on the recent vampire craze and a thrashing, resounding "No"
to suggestions that the band get in on all the "vampire money" that the
trend has to offer. And while some may say that this track is MCR
stealing from the classic punk handbook, it feels more like them adding
their own page than anything else.
My Chem has
never been shy about voicing its influences (like comic-book veteran
Grant Morrison, who appears in the band's recent music videos) and this
album is no exception, with shout-outs to the Stooges and others like
MC5 ("Light up the stage and watch me kick out the jams!" commands Way
on "Party Poison").
"Danger Days" is a
rebellion, a fun loud rebellion, armed with pounding drums, savage
guitar anthems and Way's aural assault on all the misfortunes and
criticisms stacked against them, and a sure sign of the good times to
come.
CREDIT: recordnet.com
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