My Chemical Romance - "Helena": RFD

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This is so beautiful.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Moments in love:

The way the song explodes out of the intro is dynamic (c Tim Ellison)! The whispers and building cymbals and kick drum.

The way the vocal line, on its own, could be a ballad but it's set to probably the fastest musical track on alt radio right now.

The counter-hook from the backing vocals about 0:35 in, on the second classic melodic hook.

The momentary jangle about 1:00 in (after the first grand chorus) before another explosion.

That breakdown: like Mozart for feedback, drum machines, and vocal distortion.

The way the guitars play a melodic counterpoint to the vocal on the last time through the chorus - is it different from their line the first time?

The perfectly pitched feedback ending.

And all so concise, like an opera in three minutes of verse/chorus.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

And, obv, the goths ballroom dancing at warp speed.

I like (not sarcastic - I like and envy this) that the singer looks like the hermaphrodite offspring of Billy Corgan and Avril Lavigne.

...

-- sundar subramanian (sundar_subramanian200...), March 18th, 2005.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

they look like afi!
they sound like the used!
c'mon everybody!

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

The Used are generally lighter-sounding. The faster Used songs are pretty indistinguishable from most MCR songs, I'll give you. But this is my favourite song by either band so far. The chorus of "All That I've Got" is classic too though.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

MCR will do a better job selling out, funnier

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

yah that last video they had out had some pretty impressive production values.

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

heck, they did a better job selling out and being funnier on "I'm Not Ok" song-wise, screw the video.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like "All That I've Got" much at all, but "Take It Away" (and the video) matches "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" every step of the way. And that's saying a lot.

But yeah, "Helena". Great song.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

yr trippin' ballz, bill. 'take it away' is a chore.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

That one's catchy too but, guitar solo aside (and even there, I'd probably take Sum 41 for real), it seems more like typical pop-punk to me, doesn't grab me the same way. I realize that's probably why you like it. I like pomp. And feedback. I'd take a number of non-singles over "I'm Not OK" even (e.g. "Drowning Lessons").

2xpost

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't mean to be harsh, but I really don't get what makes that song remotely worthwhile

(x-post)

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

sum 41's guitar solos are definitely better than the one on "I'm Not Ok" but their sense of hook is way above Whibley's imo

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:48 (twenty-one years ago)

i actually don't know the names of the non-singles aside from the guys like us in prison track cuz I burnt the station copy and didn't write 'em down. Didn't know which track was Helena till I saw the video!

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

the solo in im not ok kind of shreds

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

not like that sum 41 dude! the solos have actually been my favorite parts of theirs often.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

they bite their guitar harmony solos from iron maiden (this a very good thing) i dont think MCR have maiden type harmonies.

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't mean to be harsh, but I really don't get what makes that song remotely worthwhile

well, it begins with a shotgun blast for one thing. No bad song has ever begun with a shotgun blast.

Second, I dunno. Ridiculously high energy / excitement without ever being annoying. Especially with that great video, it was one of the more thrilling rock songs of last year.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

No, but they kinda cop Maiden-style riffs/rhythm on some tracks like "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for Both of Us".

xpost

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:28 (twenty-one years ago)

mcr guitars sound like gnr + fugazi. and anthony, sum 41 solos suck! yay! you know scales!

where was everyone on the mcr threads a year ago?? they've always been great.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

the singer sucks so bad

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been appreciating (loving, even) GnR a lot more recently. I can see where you're coming from, at least with this song. The guitar melodies are a little Slash-like, including how they interact with the vocals. The noise is kind of Fugazi-like.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

But it's probably faster than most songs by either GnR or Fugazi.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 21 March 2005 00:04 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Love (shitty) Music"

― jmeister (jmeister), Monday, 21 March 2005 07:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Way to have a point!

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 21 March 2005 07:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Just watched both the MTV2 $2Bill concert with them and The Used (they duetted on a cover of "Under Pressure"--hott) and the Making the Video for "Helena".

Due to a comment of Gerard's and I think one in this thread, it dawned on me that MCR are really shaping up to be the Smashing Pumpkins of the 00s. They have the look, the sound, the videos, the ambition--dunno about the albums yet, but I suppose I'll find out soon enough.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 21 March 2005 08:07 (twenty-one years ago)

well gerard ain't a singer. he used to be just the guitarist. and the bass player ain't a bass player. he's just gerard's brother. the key to the band is ray, the guitarist. i've known ray for a few years, even played music with him a few times. the dude knows his shit, and loves the misfits more than anyone i've ever known.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 21 March 2005 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

um. okay.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 21 March 2005 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

is ray the guitarist with the big hair? If he's the 'brain' of the band that would help explain why he gets so many cutaways in the video for this track.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 21 March 2005 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

hearing the dude with the big hair's voice was sorta disillusioning. I dunno if I'll be able to think of him as "the cool one" in the same way again.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 21 March 2005 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

OK THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT MCR ADS ON TONIGHT ON MTV HEAVY HEAVY MARKETING CAMPAIGN HERE ITS WAY GHEY

― charleston charge (chaki), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:21 (twenty-one years ago)

someone should tell me why I should or shouldn't buy the MCR album. I totally cannot remember the last time I seriously considering buying an album by a newish mainstream alt-rock band based on nothing but the singles/videos.

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:28 (twenty-one years ago)

buy it sure no skin off my nuts

― charleston charge (chaki), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:29 (twenty-one years ago)

ok how about someone who's heard the album

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/11hahaahahah.jpg

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:32 (twenty-one years ago)

they recommend it

― charleston charge (chaki), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Dixon, Ca folks!

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.citypaper.com/sb/64033/music.jpg

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

BUY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE RINGTONES AT MTV.COM

― charleston charge (chaki), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm interested in a sellout/crossover band from a subgenre that involves silly haircuts and that I otherwise have little interest in. so pick an angle, either silly haircuts or sellout, not both.

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 06:54 (twenty-one years ago)

http://c.myspace.com/00066/69/14/66264196_l.jpg

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

http://chumpco.com/~snicker/pix/random/emo.gif

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 07:08 (twenty-one years ago)

i have no idea if this will help, al, but here's a review i wrote of the album: http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0447/041124_music_cdreviews.php

it made my p&j poll last year, and i still listen to it all the time. it's a very, very fun record.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

It's decent. Makes my top 30 o' last year. Errs on the non-descript.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

This is an ear-worm if I've ever heard one. Can't stop listening to it :-\ . The video is amazing. And yeah, he really does look like Billy Corgan/

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Sunday, 10 April 2005 06:48 (twenty-one years ago)

the bridge is what makes it for me.

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 10 April 2005 06:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Are we talking early 90's era Billy Corgan, pre-"despite all my rage/I am still just a rat in a cage"? Siamese Dream was a great record! This stuff is like the GWAR version. I don't see how it's defensible.. I saw that video the other day and wanted to kick the guy. God, was it bad.

― daria g (daria g), Sunday, 10 April 2005 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

This lot were playing at the Astoria in London yesterday, afternoon and evening shows. I walked passed the venue on the way to Foyles yesterday, between shows, and the pavements were rammed with cute goth girls clutching posters.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Sunday, 10 April 2005 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Cute goth girls? Nooooo!

Alternateen, you are so beautiful to me
With your Nine Inch Nails bumper sticker on your black leather jacket

YEAH OK, BUT I WENT OUT & BOUGHT A BUNCH OF NEUBAUTEN RECORDS! It's on my resumé, goddammit!

― daria g (daria g), Sunday, 10 April 2005 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

YES

i got this today after a long consideration period. I don't regret it, it's super fun. I just wished for once the disc had the videos on it.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Saturday, 16 April 2005 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

WELL IF YOU CARRY ON THIS WAYEEEEEEEEE

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 16 April 2005 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I just wished for once the disc had the videos on it.

Funnily enough, I thought THE EXACT SAME THING when I bought it....used.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 16 April 2005 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Everything about this band says I should hate them but I don't. So the record's good then?

― Roz, Sunday, 17 April 2005 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

it has it's moments

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Sunday, 17 April 2005 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

It has its apostrophes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 17 April 2005 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

that's not an apostrophe, it's a speck of dirt on your monitor!

what do you think i am Ned? A SAVAGE!?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Sunday, 17 April 2005 16:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I went to teh mall the other day to buy an old Talking Heads record and there were My Chemical Romance t-shirts all over the place. Them and Taking Back Sunday. . Je ne get it pas.

― daria g (daria g), Sunday, 17 April 2005 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

Okay, this is totally my frontrunner for single of the year. Holy shit this is a great tune.. is their album worth it?

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I would say so yes.

Theres a couple of duds but it's a lot of fun

great record to have on in the car actually.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

I must confess it......I now think that this is a virtually perfect pop song.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Also, isn't the lead singer a fuckin' dead ringer for Jack Greggors of T.S.O.L.?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

thirteen years pass...

best song ever made prove me wrong

― princess of hell (BradNelson), Wednesday, 24 October 2018 22:50 (seven years ago)

100%! such a massive tune. had a period of rinsing this last month. the chord progression is colossal. A#mb5 !

― meaulnes, Wednesday, 24 October 2018 23:05 (seven years ago)

Cmb5... A# relative to capo!

― meaulnes, Wednesday, 24 October 2018 23:12 (seven years ago)

one year passes...

God damn this track is gas

― boobie, Thursday, 25 June 2020 05:02 (five years ago)

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