Gerard Way: Hesitant Alien

When gothy-rockers My Chemical Romance split up a few years ago, there were, no doubt, tears shed by a certain section of the teenage/20-something Black Parade community. Former MCR frontman Gerard Way, however, had other irons in the fire. His creative interests in rather good graphic books notwithstanding, Way had always made known his liking for British music. On Hesitant Alien, Way's solo debut, such preferences are even more to the fore. So wave goodbye to often flamboyant and pompous navel-gazing nihilism and say hello to leaner songs that reference Way's touchstones (Bowie, Blur, Pulp, Gang of Four). Hello, also, to much tighter arrangements and tunes (No Shows, Drugstore Perfume) that have an actual groove to them. Not so much a reinvention as a reassessment, then, and it suits the man big time. gerardway.com