Paramore - Riot
Rating
RIYL
Fall Out BoyCartel
Taking Back Sunday
The Academy Is…
Tracklist
01. For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic02. That’s What You Get
03. Hallelujah
04. Misery Business
05. When It Rains
06. Let The Flames Begin
07. Miracle
08. crushcrushcrush
09. We Are Broken
10. Fences
11. Born For This
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Anticipation is a terrible thing. In the many months, often years, between a band's releases, one's expectations can mount to such a degree that they are simply unmeetable, and the eventual arrival of the album inevitably leads to disappointment. No matter how much you try to reign in your expectations, everybody has those bands; where even the briefest bit of news regarding new material gets them giddy with excitement. It's these dizzy heights of anticipation that, when actually lived up to, make for a truly special album.
With a sound full of youthful energy, captivating pop hooks, and huge vocals from the tiniest of singers, Paramore made quite the dent in the pop-punk world in 2005 with their debut All We Know Is Falling. Boasting impressive but not staggering sales, their relentless touring birthed a hugely passionate fanbase, meaning that even though they weren't pushing ridiculous numbers, they were selling out venues every night all over the globe. It's this rabid fanbase that has prompted the huge levels of hype surrounding the band's sophomore release, RIOT!. With All We Know... boasting so many crowd favorites; "My Heart", "Emergency" et al so road tested and ingrained in the minds of fans, how would new tracks fit into the Paramore canon, and would they live up to the potentially destructive expectations?
What opening track "For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic" suggests, and the following tracks cement, is the abundantly youthful, and at times naive, sound that once defined Paramore has been replaced with integrity and a resonating confidence. The amount the band have matured over the last few years, both as people and musicians, is remarkably clear in every verse, every chorus, every nuance of Hayley Williams breathtaking vocal delivery. Whilst All We Know... was, for all intents and purposes, quite formulaic pop-punk, albeit delivered particularly well, RIOT! sees the band exploring a diverse range of styles. Whilst never straying far from the genre realms dictated by their signature sound, there is significant exploration, to the point where even staunch opposers of the band would have to struggle to reign in an impressed smirk or surprised expression.
Producer David Bendeth has ensured that the dominant power-pop sound is suitably instilled with the energy and passion Paramore deliver all their songs with live, resulting in the huge, euphoric sound All We Know... begs for. Deviations from power-pop enjoy the same energy, whilst displaying Paramore's range. "CrushCrushCrush" has elements of Bon Jovi; the band's triumphant take on arena pop rock with a fist-pumping middle-8 and is delivered with such swagger and verve, the teens who sang "We've got everybody singing whoa, whoa" seem like a different band all together. "Fences" echoes Panic! At The Disco's "There's A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered..." with its swing beat and irresistible chorus, and is a guaranteed dance floor filler.
Another notable progression is Williams herself. No longer 'the little girl with the big voice', she is a full on frontwoman, her lyrics snappy, sarcastic, and wholly honest, her delivery unparalleled by any other female in the genre. From the gentle fragility of "We Are Broken", a particularly beautiful ballad, to the impassioned desperation of "Let The Flames Begin"s chorus, Williams shows she certainly has the chops to lead her band to stardom. But as her t-shirt on a recent UK tour read, "Paramore Is A Band". And suitably, Josh and Zac Farro and Jeremy Davis have too stepped up; the music on RIOT! more than matching Williams' talents on the mic. The songs are huge and much more full-sounding, the arrangements vastly more pleasing to the ear, and after just one listen you're left struggling to pick which song to hum to yourself.
A whole lot of bands release records under the 'pop' banner. Some play it safe, some experiment, most blend into a derivative, homogeneous lump where the more discerning listener is involved. And whilst it may not appeal to certain palettes, Paramore have built on the promise of their debut, and delivered what I truly believe that, come December, will be remembered and celebrated as the best release of its genre this year. Suitably representing Paramore as a band, RIOT! has the four's hearts and souls across all of its 39 minutes. So, forget 'credibility', the average age of their fanbase, and all the other trivialities, because quite frankly, there is more guts and passion on RIOT! than on the majority of releases the 'under the radar' darlings can churn out. And GOD it just feels so good.
--Alex Davies
Comments
Minneapolis, MN
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Minnesota
Yeah, seriously. You were riding this band's nuts even before the CD came out. You had a 5/5 review written in your head before you heard a single note.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Colorado Springs, CO
Manchester, England
That was mainly to wind people up. If it'dve sucked, I'dve had to say it.
But it really, really doesn't.
One of the better pop records to come out this year.
And taking flack for this review was almost unavoidable.
"These are our lives, but did they ever even matter - are we worth remembering?"
- "Tip The Scales"
Rise Against
Manchester, England
"These are our lives, but did they ever even matter - are we worth remembering?"
- "Tip The Scales"
Rise Against
Cincinnasty, OH
Not 5 Stars nice (probably more around 4) for me but I keep listening to it for some unexplainable reason.
El Paso, TX
Spokane, Washington
Current Listenings:
7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes of Absolution"
Horse Feathers - "Cynic's New Year"
Andrew Bird - "Break It Yourself"
Sigur Ros - "Valtari"
Rocky Votolato - "Television of Saints"
Janus - "Nox Aeris"
Blues Traveler - "25"
East Lansing, MI
SCV, CA
BTW, anyone notice the Refused reference in the last song on the album or is it just me?
Pittsburgh
This isn't even as good as AWKIF
www.myspace.com/mickmalonewrites
Garden State, USA
I really liked the review even though I can't exactly agree.
Manchester, England
??
im not sure how you can say it isnt as good as AWKIF.
it's a huge improvement.
and i adore AWKIF.
Colorado
Manchester, England
thats a frankly ridiculous and inane comment.
Tucson, AZ
DeKalb, Illinois
Florida, USA
Manchester, England
yawn.
I'd rather listen to just Syd Barrett actually. I find everything after 'Piper...' a bit too pretentious.
And what, nobody is allowed to enjoy music outside the horridly narrow expanses of the stuff you deem 'good'? Don't you ever get tired of being contrary?
and yes scott. It'dve. its a perfectly legitimate double contraction.
Tucson, AZ