Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, Reprise**

It would be neither adequate nor accurate to describe My Chemical Romance 2010 as an emo band. Their early material may have been fraught with angsty lamentations, but these days the New Jersey boys are all about glitz and ambition. Their fourth album is a continuation of the territory charted on 2006's massive Black Parade: big, booming rock songs tied by a loose concept. There are several likeable numbers here that will catch many off-guard: Party Poison's combination of The Hives' jerky pop vim and QOTSA's snarl; Vampire Money's ragged punk-meets-rock'n'roll; Planetary (GO!)'s unexpected funky disco pop. Yet as polished as these songs are, they're often too stylised to be emotionally engaging. A progression, perhaps, but at what cost? See mychemicalromance.com

Download tracks: Party Poison, Planetary (GO!)