Paramore is a female-fronted rock band hailing from Tennessee. The band currently consists of three members: Hayley Williams (vocalist), Jeremy Davis (bassist), and Taylor York (guitarist). After 4 years of producing no material, the band released their latest album “Paramore” in 2013.
The first track “Fast in My Car” is extremely catchy and beat-driven, consisting of York’s thundering bass and Williams’s unfaltering vocals. This is an excellent track to crank up as you’re cruising down the freeway. “Now” is fairly upbeat, starting off with an energetic “Don’t try to take this from me!” It keeps flowing downhill until it reaches a melodic peak, falls down once more, then picks up again. I’ll admit, I groaned through “Grow Up.” Despite the track name, this song is bit immature. Williams talks about how she’s leaving her childish and self-righteous friends; however, for an adult rock band, the subject matter is uninspiring. I feel as though I’m listening to one of those teenage Christian punk rock numbers filled with banal cheers: “God is cool! God rules! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” “Daydreaming” is a bit psychedelic with hazy guitars and soft vocals. This is a very nice pick up from the disastrous last track. It’s one of those songs you’d like to hear on a hot summer day. A brief interlude, “Moving On,” features only ukulele with vocals; the rhythm is so simple, yet I could listen to it over and over. It reminds me so much of Florence and the Machine, sans the harp! “Ain’t it Fun” is a very flippant song, but it’s not juvenile. This song will appeal to Gospel music lovers for there are some strong spiritual elements present: “Don’t Go Cryin’ To Your Mama! This is the real world!” “Part II” starts off as a shoegaze strain, then grows more hi-fi after the entrance of Williams’s vocals and Davis’s bass. “Last Hope” reminds me of some of the old music from Sixpence None the Richer, a group I always did like. The lush graceful dance of the guitars bleeds to the bass, painting a gorgeous sonic picture of hope and melancholy. “Still into You” presents a strong message of a failed relationship; Williams asserts that she continues to have feelings for her ex even though she now recognizes their union was malignant. While the subject matter is a bit clichéd, we can all relate to it. “Anklebiters” incorporates punk elements with a convincing edge. The song is not overly original, but it is so catchy. “Interlude: Holiday” is another simple, yet lovely song, featuring more ukulele strains which fade into the horizon before “Proof” bursts into the scene. This is a really nice, fast track where the vocals, guitar, and bass melt together in a seamless run. “Hate to See Your Heart Break” is just like the title states: heartbreaking. Williams almost seems to sob as her voice glides over the lyrics. The mood switches to a more lighthearted mix: “I’m Not One of Those Crazy Girls.” The ukulele bursts through once again with “Interlude: I’m Not Angry Anymore.” I wish that this track was entirely too brief. I honestly think longer ukulele passages would help to offset the other tracks on the album. “Be Alone” is a messy type of chic. Williams’s voice is a hazy wail, and the heaviness of the guitars and the bass help to create an enigmatic flow. I can’t really describe it as “beautiful,” but there is an aesthetic quality to this track. The lonesome sound of “Future” is an excellent way to end this album. The quiet, folky strains progressively climb to high pitched guitar shrieks and help to place this album where it needs to go in terms of consistency. There is a lot going on in this release, and it tends to leave me confused about where they’re taking their sound. “Future” does a nice job of tying up loose ends.
“Paramore” is definitely worth a listen. A few of the tracks don’t work for me, but overall, the music is a sonic journey into aggression and solitude. I would recommend it to anyone.
Written By Kris Tilbury
Rating: 7/10
Tracklist:
1. Fast In My Car
2. Now
3. Grow Up
4. Daydreaming
5. interlude: Moving On
6. Ain’t It Fun
7. Part II
8. Last Hope
9. Still Into You
10. Anklebiters
11. interlude: Holiday
12. Proof
13. Hate To See Your Heart Break
14. (One Of Those) Crazy Girls
15. interlude: I’m Not Angry Anymore
16. Be Alone
17. Future
Band members:
Hayley Williams
Jeremy Davis
Taylor York
Discography:
All We Know Is Falling [2005]
Riot! [2007]
Live in the UK [2008]
The Final Riot! [2008]
Brand New Eyes [2009]
Paramore [2013]
Record Label: Fueled By Ramen, April 2013
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
USA: Metal Helm
Video below “Now”