Paramore Conspiracy Theories

Paramore: 10/10

I don't even know how to start this review and I know I'm gonna be so mad later because there's gonna be things I forgot to say, but that's because there's so much to say!

Paramore by Paramore: the single greatest paramore album of all time.

I'm my opinion at least lol

I'm actaully listening to it now because that it how much I love it, this is probably the millionth time I've listened to the whole thing. 

To give context I'm gonna talk a little about my thoughts on BNE and AL.

The first thing I love about this album is its Paramore, but it's not the same old Paramore. What I mean by that is Paramore had that same formula for an album: pick a genre, write 10 songs in just that genre. And that's cool, obviously it led them to success and acclaim and I did like those albums, but that's what made Paramore so refreshing. Paramore saw the band fearlessly treading ground they had never walked on before, and what made it so great is that you can hear they were just as nervous as us about it. This album seamlessly combined soaring pop hits (a la Still Into You and Proof) with funky, soul inspired gospel (Ain't It Fun) with some of the more defiant songs that alluded to Paramore's past but fought for change and a better future (Now, Part II). This album didn't follow the old formula of capturing the same feeling in 10 songs, it covered multiple feelings and issues, and if it did cover repeat feelings it did so with unique musical tenacity on each (heartbreak in (One Of Those) Crazy Girls vs. heartbreak in Hate To See Your Heart Break). If you're sad, there's a song on this album for that. Feel stuck in the same old rut in the same old town, there's multiple songs for that! Is you're heart breaking, there's a song for that. Are you deeply in love, there's even a song for that. Paramore is an album you can put on no matter what mood you're in and feel compatible with it, and that's a special this that doesn't happen often with albums.

Now I said I'd talk about Brand New Eyes (2009) and After Laughter (2017) in relation to Paramore (2013). One of my favorite things about Paramore is it didn't take its self too seriously at all! Hayley pokes fun at herself just as much as anyone with songs like Ain't It Fun and Grow Up. One of my criticisms of Brand New Eyes was the whole album was meant to criticise the self-righteous, holier than thou people, but in that Hayley almost becomes that same type of preachy person and it throws off the whole vibe. In this album Hayley didn't make herself a victim, in fact she gave her own self a kick in the ass and that's what makes this album so relatable. In After Laughter, however, we see Hayely again leaning into the victim narrative, but the dark side of it this time where she likes being the victim. Paramore breaks out of this victim narrative with a tone that says "I did it and you can do it too, we can't hold ourselves back!"

Here's the part everyone loves: Hayley's vocals. Hayley Williams has a very impressive soprano voice and can actaully hit 4 octaves and that's incredble. This album (Paramore) saw Hayley stepping out of the previous "one genre, one tone" approach of Paramore albums past (and After Laughter). The versatility in genre in this album assured that Hayley wouldn't be able to use the same vocal tone for each song, as she has done on previous albums. Each song on Paramore has such unique gravitas it demands an equally unique and effervescent vocal approach. From bluesy, moody tones in songs like Hate To See Your Heart Break and Last Hope to soaring, infectious, fun tones on songs like Ain't It Fun and Still Into You, Hayley's voice is as mature as it's ever been, while becoming all the more versatile.

Musically this album is a killer from start to finish. Taylor York's immense talet for composing and producing is front and center, as it should be. The musical production on this album is so incredibly smooth and you can feel it. There's never one moment where you think "that was off?" or "Why was that there?" The immense, IMMENSE talent of the musicians that worked on this album shows itself well. Jeremy Davis has never been more confident or more experimental with his bass lines, and it pays off big time. The incredible drumming done by Ilan Rubin (previously of Nine Inch Nails) makes songs like Future and Part II so much more powerful that they would've been with standard drumming or drum machines. Of course the York brothers, Taylor and Justin, along with Jon Howard offer incredibly infectious and catchy guitar rhythms that you can't help but dance too, or that you can't help but feel in the case of songs like Last Hope and Hate To See Your Heart Break. With the expert advice of seasoned muisical veteran Justin Meldal-Johnsen, there's no fear in taking risks in Paramore's production, which they previously wouldn't have, and once again it pays off. Perfect musical execution and slick, flawless production make Paramore a standout among its siblings and other pop albums of the past decade. 

The person who requested this review asked me to talk about my favorite and least favorite tracks on this album, and that's another great thing about this album: there are no least favorite tracks! For me anyways. Paramore is one of those rare, incredible albums where I can listen to the whole thing over and over without skipping a single song. 

Favorites/standouts: (besides all of them lol) (One Of Those) Crazy Girls, Last Hope, Ankle Biters, Hate To See Your Heart Break, Part II, Future, Interlude: Holiday, Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore, Interlude: Moving On, Now, and Be Alone. 

I LOVE all the songs, these, however, I felt more than the rest established their own vibe and narrative, and stood out from the pack. 

My absolute favorite song on this album, and now my favorite Paramore song in general, is Last Hope. It is now what I use as a measuring stick for all Paramore songs, because I consider it to be their greatest. It is the only song that can bring me down on my knees crying every time I hear it. The lyrics are so hopeful, so inspiring, they just feel like they were ripped from your own thoughts. All the self-doubt you had or have, can be pushed aside for a few minutes while you listen to this song, and you listen you feel like maybe you can beat that doubt, and those demons. Last Hope is the greatest Paramore song. 

So that's my review of Paramore by Paramore. 10/10, 100/100, 4 out of 4 stars, 5 out of 5 stars, 100%, all that stuff. My favorite Paramore album, what I consider that greatest Paramore album. I just want to leave you all with this:

"I'm writing the future   

I'm writing it out, loud.

We don't talk about the past

We don't talk about the past, now

So I'm writing the future

I'm leaving a key here

Something won't always be missing

It won't always feel empty, here

Just think of the future

And think of your dreams

You'll get away from here

You'll get away eventually

So just think of your future

Think of a new life

Don't get lost in the memories

Keep your eyes on a new prize" 

- Hayley Williams, Taylor York

P.S.: sorry if these are the wrong lyrics, I couldn't get the right ones from paramore.net this time...