10 Greatest Albums Of 2016
5. Frank Iero And The Patience - Parachutes
Frank Iero and his band have been through a lot this year. Just prior to the release of their latest record Parachutes, the band were struck by a bus while touring Australia, hospitalising two band members and forcing the cancellation of the remainder of the year's tour dates.
Yet this tragic accident preceded far and away Iero's most urgent and successful album since the disbandment of My Chemical Romance in 2013. Iero's output has always been prolific, having released multiple solo records and EPs, even while he was still with the band. But Parachutes is the moment when all of that influence and experience coalesces into a single, coherent whole.
Tracks like Veins! Veins!! Veins!!! and I'm A Mess showcase Iero's usual raw energy through desperate guitar playing and wailing vocals, while Remedy and Oceans let up on that energy in exchange for brilliantly catchy rock tunes. There's even room for an acoustic number in the form of Miss Me, but even then you can feel Iero's aggressive passion bubbling beneath the surface, desperate at times to leap out.