(by Paramore):I previously talked about Paramore's first album Riot! some time ago. If you are interested in that post it's here: Paramore: Riot!. [1] Somewhere between now and then I got one of Paramore's other albums [2] but wasn't nearly so struck with it as their first. And lo time did pass.
This year for my birthday, I happened to get their latest album, which is self-titled.
Riot! was an album that grabbed you with it's punk/emo hands and shook you about [3] and didn't let up until it was good and ready. It made no promise to be anything other than that and it came through on that promise beautifully.
Well, this Paramore is not that Paramore.
But wait! That is a good thing.
The new album has already made it completely through twice during my daily driving and when I leave home in about an hour, it will begin its third. [4]
The music on the CD is as varied as . . . something that's really varied. [5] There are still plenty of good punk/emo songs that you hear and can instantly see the connection back to Riot! [6] But there are a lot of other great songs that come from places so very very different.
To give you two examples:
"Ain't It Fun" is the sixth song on the album and it sounds like it came directly off an early Michael Jackson CD.
The thirteenth song is "Hate To See Your Heart Break" and it sounds so much like a Fleetwood Mac song, that when I got home today I actually checked the CD's liner notes to see if the names Nicks, Buckingham, McVie or Fleetwood appeared anywhere. [7]
Just in case I haven't been clear enough, all of this is a very good thing. The album has quirky interludes and a general theme that bring it all together and tie it all up in a very neat bow and in the end it is all still so very punk and so very Paramore.
Paramore: A-
[1] - Though I have to say having just reread the post, it doesn't really thrill me (the post, not the CD).
[2] - For the record it was Brand New Eyes
[3] - In a good way
[4] - Which is a good sign and usually doesn't happen.
[5] - Yes, I realize that is exceedingly weak sauce.
[6] - I know that they have a CD from before Riot!, but I don't have it, so I can't really comment on it.
[7] - They don't.
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