Member Since: 12/6/2010
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First review of "Paramore" is in! And it's a great one. 8/10 from Rock Sound Magazine.
Props to beatlemaniacccc from Livejournal for typing this from the magazine.
Quote:
There's a line approximately halfway through 'Fast In My Car' - the first track on 'Paramore' - that sums up everything we've come to learn about its creators as of late. Namely: "No one's the same as they used to be." Rarely has a truer word been spoken, let alone so quickly. Nearly four years after the multi-million selling 'brand new eyes' was first unleashed, Paramore are finally back on the grid and riding high after a period that nearly broke them - several years older and two men down. And as the song in question tells us, the trio have stepped back into the sunlight in a much different form to the unit that temporarily slipped into the shadows.
Having barely set foot in front of an audience fort the past two years, let alone in front of a camera, the band's self-titled fourth album quickly reveals that in re-emerging, Paramore have done so in a very, very different form. Where its predecessor perfectly captured a period of frustration and resentment - the result of which was an angry, bitter collection of songs that clattered and snarled in equal measure - 'Paramore' is a very much the sound of a happier, more comfortable band. Bathed in subtle synths and sprinkled with pinches of electronica, songs such as the aforementioned opener and 'Grow Up' show the trio in a very different light. Catchy and danceable, there's an unmistakably 'cheery' edge to much of the songs present. 'Part II' follows a similar path, featuring electronic-sounding drums alongside a chorus that booms and distorts in equal measure, a distortion that's often equally as prevalent throughout the album's course. The scuzzy, almost garage rocks guitars of lead single 'Now' aside, the likes of 'Anklebiters' and 'Proof' offer gang vocals and abrasive guitars respectively, presenting a polar-opposite to the acoustic refrains of 'Last Hope' and the slow mellow harmonies of 'Hate To See Your Heart Break."
It's broad, interchanging stuff, and there are moments on 'Paramore' that push the envelope further still. 'Ain't It Fun' is an infectious slice of gospel-tinged soul, while there are ukulele-led interludes breaking things up in between. Even come the album's conclusion - the expansive, eight minute long 'Future', which incorporates strings and layered guitars to create something genuinely bordering on post-rock - there are still surprises to be found, and new sounds to tune into. Ultimately, though, 'Paramore' is exactly that; an album of surprises and an unpredictable, varied and wildly diverse journey. It's bold, brave and on occasion almost difficult to digest, not least in a single sitting, such is its sheer scope and willingness to push the boundaries of what people are likely to expect from a mainstream rock act. This however, is no bad thing. Because although this may be a very different Paramore to the one that disappeared from view, the end result is at least an album that sounds, and more important feels, like themselves.
No one's the same as they used to be, but in the case of 'Paramore', this is something to be celebrated.
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