Let‰’s face it, there is a stigma that comes with Gerard Way as the former frontman of My Chemical Romance. Listening to his solo album you‰’d obviously brace yourself for songs an emo kid would listen to while waiting for his mom to pick him up from Hot Topic in 2007, but in fact Way‰’s Hesitant Alien is somewhat of a far cry from his former scene scene. Instead, Way gives big noise to basic rock n‰’ roll tune structure with hints of Britpop influence.

The pulsating and anthemic opener “The Bureau‰” introduces the type of fuzzy, fast songs to come, like the albums best “Zero Zero‰” and “Juarez.‰” The Blur-esque “Get the Gang Together‰” and the slightly strung out “Drugstore Perfume‰” side by side with the pop-punky “Action Cat‰” give the album range, but it never strays from the lane of definite pop-rock.

Like Britpop but with less to cleverly complain about, like shoegaze but less trippy, Hesitant Alien is an album stuck in limbo and trying to find its alt-pop identity. There‰’s nothing too extreme on either end of the spectrum, but it‰’s an enjoyable foray into the more raucous side of pop nonetheless.

RIYL: Supergrass, Dum Dum Girls, The Courteeners
Recommended Tracks: 6, 7, 9, 11