My Chemical Romance is dead, and former fans looking for a continuation of the band’s sound would be disappointed with the release of former guitarist Ray Toro’s debut album, Remember the Laughter. Scratch that. Listeners in general would be disappointed with this release. The album, strikingly different from Toro’s previous work, is dull as Toro attempts to create a record that combines several themes lyrically — but his attempts ultimately result in a piece that lacks any sense of cohesiveness.
The album can best be summarized by “Hope for the World,” an incredibly uninspired “feel-good” anthem that doesn’t feel good at all. Toro has good intentions with the song, but it is clear he is out of touch with the current trends in pop music.
The release, with noticeably poor production quality, sounds like the efforts of a Jimmy Eat World cover band. The 15-track album deals with paternal themes that promote positivity, but it drags out, as Toro’s unimpressive and nasally vocals cannot distract from his weak songwriting.
“Take the World” is another remarkable failure, as it consists mostly of a weak chorus that is stunningly repetitive instead of catchy. The track culminates with a standard guitar solo, that does little to get its listeners moving.
In terms of melody, the songs on the album do very little to stand out. Most tracks combine mediocre guitar riffs with staccato piano playing, and Toro’s layered vocals make the rhythm in his songs sound confusing.
The album’s title song serves as the closer for the release, but it doesn’t save the album from the overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction it brings. Listening to Toro sing “La la la” as many times as he did on this track is almost painful, while his singing in the rest of the song proves too whiny.
Unfortunately, Toro cannot rise above the passionate, energetic sound from his former band. Remember the Laughter could have been the release that proved Toro is a valuable musician outside of his guitar playing — but instead, it convinces me he should stay out of the spotlight and work on improving his own sound before anything else.
0.5/4 Shells
