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| I'm tangled in the web of love! *sobbing* |
frnkiero andthe cellebration is the polar opposite. It obviously draws from many of Frank Iero's inspirations from indie, to hardcore punk, to folk music. At times, this album gets downright experimental. In fact, these are the songs that usually just leave you scratching your head thinking, "What was that?" Songs like "Blood Infections," "Neverenders," or "Smoke Rings" have interesting elements in them, but ultimately, fall victim to disorganization and/or clear purpose.
One of the first things you'll notice about this album is the vocal style. The best way to describe Frank's vocals would probably involve the phrases 'whining' or 'a dog dying.' If this sounds terrible to you, you're half-right. Frank's vocals are certainly an acquired taste. In a way, I would actually recommend listening to Frank Iero's vocals in Pencey Prep's album Heartbreak in Stereo before listening to this album as it's a bit more straightforward. Trying to take in Frank's vocals for the first time along with the avant garde style of indie rock that is prominent in Stomachaches can be a bit much.
Heartbreak in Stereo is actually one of my favorite albums of all time despite its low production quality.
The mix of angsty punk, emotional vocals, and cleverly written counter melodies are main reasons.
Despite its issues, Stomachaches has some gems to be discovered as well. The first music video, "Weighted" has the modern indie pop feel but with the guitars leading the way in the melody. If the music on my local alternative station was a little more like this, I might be more inclined to listen. Some fans on the internet speculate that this song is supposed to be about former MCR frontman Gerard Way but it's hard to say for sure one way or the other.
This video gets really weird at the end.
"Joyriding" also comes together relatively well but, like other songs on the album, is certainly an acquired taste. It's interesting to note that in this song, Frank recorded all of the instruments himself. The other songs, Frank did all of the instruments except for the drums. I'm not sure why he decided to do the drums on this particular song as they seem just as simple as the rest of the songs but apparently he has his reasons.
"Stage 4: The Fear of Trying" is also another notable as the clean and reverby guitar really captures the somber feeling of the song. This song also proves that Frank is as emotional of an artist as he was back in the early 2000s which rarely ever happens once artists are inflicted with super-stardom. For instance, if you listen to Muse's debut album Showbiz, you will realize that Muse had never quite reached the emotional intensity of that album again (and anything after Black Holes and Revelations doesn't even come close). It's good to see artists, like Frank Iero, who continue to actually have the drive to keep making music and to draw that drive from sources other than to make money or out of obligation to fans.
My favorite song on the album "She's the Prettiest Girl at the Party, And She Can Prove It with a Solid Right Hook" very effectively builds and tears itself down between choruses. This is also the best utilization I've heard of Frank's tortured voice in any song he has sung because of the emotional level and style of the song. This song also retains the most quality when performed live. The other frnkiero andthe cellebration songs sound very scrappy, at best, when performed live. Listening to this album and seeing the band live are two completely different things. I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to see frnkiero andthe cellebration live, but if they're at a festival and you like this album, they're probably worth your time to check out. I just wish Frank's backing band wasn't so boring to watch. They literally just stand there...
Anyways, yeah, I love this song. Lyrically it's relatable. The instruments are well-performed. It's an emotional rollercoaster fronted with Frank's tear-jerking vocals. And...
HOLY SHIT! I DIDN'T KNOW THIS SONG HAD A MUSIC VIDEO!!!
Not really sure what that had to do with the song exactly but it has a hilariously bizarre twist towards the end
Anyways, Stomachaches is overall, a solid effort by Frank. It has its fair share of problems but when it hits, it, well, doesn't really hit a homerun but it does pretty well. This album will probably be a cult classic with Frank Iero fans but won't really make it much farther than that. This album is definitely worth giving a shot after listening to and enjoying Pencey Prep's Heartbreak in Stereo. This is kind of one of those albums though that grows on you every time you listen to it. My initial reaction was pretty moderate at best but after half-a-dozen listens, I ended up really enjoying a few of the gems on here and moderately enjoying the rest.
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