Throughout their history, Paramore has been a bit on the fence for me. Most of my favorite bands are ever-changing, and Paramore hasn’t changed much at all since they first began - with the exception of this new album. Though I still cannot consider myself a fan, they’ve put out some interesting songs here and there that have made me happy, and unfortunately, their positives didn’t take precedence on this CD.
But what everyone really wants to know is how they’ve changed. A few new electronic elements can be found off and on within the general flow of the album, though it’s still undeniably alternative rock. It’s not so much that they’re converting to a different genre; the songs were just written and executed in more of a lighthearted way than their older music.
This new vibe can be found on the first track, “Fast in My Car,” which is one of the best songs from the album. It’s a very fun song, very laid back yet so upbeat. Overall, I prefer it over their lead single “Now,” (what kind of title is that anyway?) of which I loved the chorus despite its repetitiveness. The main issue I have with it is Hayley Williams’ technique of talk-singing in the verses. Other highlights include short indie interludes entitled “Moving On” and “I’m Not Angry Anymore,” and they sound as if they could’ve been on the Juno soundtrack.
These tracks were especially refreshing because I have issues with interludes. More often than not, interludes in modern music tend to be uninteresting and simply attempt to set the mood for the next full-length song. Once in a while, an outstanding one will come along (most notably Linkin Park’s “Wisdom, Justice, and Love” and Epica’s “Anima”), but I never expect much from interludes in general. Kudos to Paramore!
Other than those few songs, this new album did very little to entertain me with the exception of “Last Hope,” a slower-paced song that stood out among the other tracks. A secondary song I enjoyed is called “Part II,” which had a great chorus and middle eight.
Fortunately for Paramore, there were only three songs I completely disliked: The ever-corny “Grow Up,” the ever-bubbly “Still into You,” and the vocally-obnoxious “Anklebiters.” As far as the rest… Well, they weren’t necessarily bad songs, but the problem is that they weren’t exactly good either. They were boring and disappointing, especially “Future,” a nearly eight minute monster of a track. I was hoping for a long masterpiece, but I really just didn’t understand the musical purpose of this song; it dragged on repetitively without doing much for the ears other than one change midway, and I wasn’t a fan of either half.
So, will Paramore fans like this self-titled album’s new adjustment? Much like with any other band that’s undergone change, it all depends on what a specific fan liked about the band and the other music they listen to. But, the change still isn’t all that big. Just because it's different than their other albums doesn't mean it's innovative, for the seventeen tracks of this albums sound a bit too similar.
All things considered, this CD has a few songs that shine, but it isn’t impressive overall. There simply aren’t enough standout tracks. Some diehard Paramore fans that really connect with their music may like it, some may not, but I would only recommend a few of its songs to music lovers in general. Listen with caution.
