Patrick Bateman: Do you like My Chemical Romance?
Paul Allen: They're OK.
Patrick Bateman: Their early work ewas a little too post-hardcor for my tastes, but when Three Cheers came out in '04, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. They've been compared to Queensryche, but I think they have a far much more bitter, cynical sense of humor.
Paul Allen: Is that a rain coat?
Patrick Bateman: Yes it is! In '06, My Chem released this, The Black Parade, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is "Welcome To The Black Parade", a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself.