Paramore
Paramore

THE REVIEW

Since 2009, the year of their last album's release—the fan-acclaimed and award-winning in terms of sales, "Brand New Eyes"—they hadn’t put out much new. Just a few sporadic live performances, a few acoustic versions of old songs, and unreleased singles here and there to soothe the restless masses of distraught teenagers. Separated and then reformed, having survived the whirlwind of success, grown up but not too much, and with a stable lineup again, they're back to make us rock once more.

Their intent to show listeners that they’ve grown and have overcome the group’s split is clear from the first track, "Fast In My Car," where they desperately try to distance themselves from what they've produced so far. If that's really the case and not just my imagination: epic fail, I must say. The song as a whole is very pleasant and has a driving rhythm but doesn't make as much of a difference as the band would like, although the references in the lyrics to past albums like "Riot," are appreciated as they attempt to highlight their progress.

The now well-known single "Now" follows, with somewhat more mature themes and slightly more angry guitars, but with a recycled rhythm and flat production.

"Grow Up" is at position number three, acting as a bridge: nothing spectacular—linear as only a pop-punk song can be (!)—but very enjoyable, especially because from this point onward, the improvement in Haley Williams’ voice, which gets better every year, starts to stand out.

At number four, we find a very "Paramore-like" song; a "Daydreaming" set in Los Angeles where the band has recently relocated and from which they've started anew. Very symbolic, I must say... or not.

The surprises begin with "Interlude: Moving On"... a ukulele?! Have I gone deaf, or is this truly a totally new instrument for this band?! Joking aside, this little interlude, which then continues with ideological parts II and III ("Holiday" and "I'm Not Angry Anymore"), doesn't have a particular logical sense. Their presence is justified by the fact that they bring the LP to a total of 17 unreleased tracks, breaking up the overall rhythm of the work, which slowly staggers towards the end with its ups and downs. At the moment, I find them pleasant and not annoying or useless—their function is purely entertainment, and they don’t claim to be considered highlights; they tell the story of an ordinary person—any one of us—going through the various stages of life, described in a few minutes of voice and ukulele.

With "Ain't It Fun," they start to pick up steam. Raw and still immature track, but it's already a huge step forward compared to what Paramore used to be until yesterday; a funky bass line highlighted in front of the guitar and a gospel choir finale to scream about. The only flaw is the synth parts, which are a bit too flat and two-dimensional.

"Part II" appears as a reprise of the old, reworked into the new: a sort of self-celebration and celebration for the fans who might recognize the original song only if they’re regular listeners (for the record, it’s a reworking of the song "Let The Flame Begin," from the band’s second full-length album, "Riot." It wasn’t even a single, and there isn’t a "lyrics video" version of it).

Very nice on the other hand, "Last Hope" which I also find very different from the ballads the band has offered in the past. The tempo is very linear and melodic, with a definitely catchy chorus, and a choral closure that couldn’t be more fitting. Excellent.

Released shortly before the LP, we have the single "Still Into You"; here too, the lyrics contain references to the band’s past works—tell me I’m not the only one who sees them—and in itself, the song isn’t anything original but Williams' voice is crystal clear and powerful, and it elevates any song, whether a global flop or not.

"Anklebiters", is a little more punk—both in rhythm and duration—and wound up to explode in your headphones, and it was just what was needed after relaxing with the previous two tracks. Proof starts well and then loses itself in anonymity, probably because it follows a bullet the caliber of "Anklebiters."

"Hate To See Your Heart Break" is one of those sweet-talking, schmaltzy pieces that would make even the most die-hard David Guetta fan cry. I believe it’s one of those purely cinematic tracks, perfect for being chosen as part of the OST of some romantic-comedy film. But maybe I'm getting carried away with my imagination.

Following comes a gem, much better than the previous track, "(One Of Those) Crazy Girls"; impeccable intro, with a delicate rhythmic session perfectly on theme, and intelligent use of strings and choirs that create a perfect backdrop for the love story being portrayed. Hilarious.

"Be Alone" is another truly "Paramore-like" piece, which is meant not as a definition but merely a fact... which means those sounds were already embryonically present in previous works and have been brought out more decisively and reworked into the band’s new musical taste. The sound is that of the very first album "All We Know Is Falling," but made more mature and adapted to an audience that ranges from newcomer teenagers to more mature listeners who have been following the band since the beginning.

The album closes with the big track "Future": at first listen, it was love at first sight. I swear if the title is meant to herald the path Paramore intends to musically take in the future, I’m more than happy and will follow them until I’m a hundred years old. Raw, unadulterated, and intense. Eight minutes of appreciable and gritty rock, and I’m satisfied because, even though we struggled a bit, we have come to the right conclusion of an experimental album—due to a sound still to be defined and lacking ideological consistency, making it fragmented and still a bit incoherent—and a transitional one. The lyrics overall are still unripe; Paramore has not yet reached the compositional maturity that would allow them to take the step forward they so long for.

They’re still halfway between college and the working world, just to draw a comparison, but the future looks promising:

"So, just think of the future,
Think of a new life.
And don't get lost in the memories,
Keep your eyes on a new prize."

"Future", Paramore.

Hope Valentine.