 | Tracklist:
1. For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic
2. That's What You Get
3. Hallelujah
4. Misery Business
5. When it Rains
6. Let the Flames Begin
7. Miracle!
8. Crushcrushcrush
9. We Are Broken
10. Fences
11. Born For This
| Ranking: #173 for 2007 | |
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On 57 Lists
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| Summary: Paramore deliver the same type of sugary, mega-catchy Pop Punk found on their debut with their Sophomore release. |
Riot! is kinda sorta everything you expect coming into it. Whatever hopes one might have had for Paramore to make a real evolution from All We Know is Falling are crushed with one listen to the new disc’s first single, Misery Business . The tune is sugary, distorted guitar-heavy Power Pop, everything that Paramore’s debut was. Sure, Riot! isn’t quite All We Know is Falling pt. 2 but, with Paramore’s ever growing fan base and mega-popular label, you knew the group weren’t going to be taking any major risks. Then again, it isn’t all that bad that Paramore haven’t changed their sound much: their last album was the guilty pleasure you didn’t feel too guilty listening to.
The most noticeable change in Paramore’s sound is a more danceable feel. On That’s What You Get , the band alternate from funky, wah-wahed guitar aided, verses to equally danceable, but much more Pop-Punk, choruses with ease. Fences has a more cabaret-feel, taking a definite influence from the second half of label mates Panic! at the Disco’s album (another synth laden, danceable track Crushcrushcrush also sounds like something Panic! could have written). Fences, despite being a departure from the rest of Riot! still seems natural, and is one of the album’s highlights. Hallelujah (not the Leonard Cohen song) finds Paramore throwing in some electronic “experimentation”, adding soaring synthesizer melodies and brief bouts of electronic drumming to their usual perfectly groomed power chords.
It is definitely a good thing that Riot!, like All We Know, is propelled by lead singer Hayley Williams vocals. Her voice is strong and well suited for the type of music she sings. The ridiculously catchy melodies she belts out, dumb lyrics or not, make every track on Riot! sing-a-long worthy. And, sad to say or not, her presence is probably the only thing that keeps Paramore from sounding exactly like the legions of Pop-Punkers out there today. The three guys in Paramore, Jeremy Davis, Josh Farro and Zach Farro (Bass, Guitar and Drums, respectively) don’t really do much to differ them selves from the rest of crowd. That said, Farro has hooks coming out of his *** and his rhythm section is about as tight as you could want.
There isn’t really much doubt that Riot! is a strong album. The only real bad moment comes in the form of the second ballad We Are Broken . Everything about the track, from the cheesy piano tone to the equally cheesy strings to some of Hayley’s lyrics ( “your arms like towers/tower over me” , seems bland, uniteresting and (I feel like I’m repeating myself here) cheesy, almost like a (slightly) heavier version of something that would get sung on American Idol. The first ballad When it Rains is miles better, though it also seems kind of generic.
As someone who was really hoping for Paramore to evolve on Riot! , I feel kind of weird proclaiming the album’s most “All We Know” moment to be its best but, there isn’t much denying it: album ender, Born for This trumps the rest of Riot! . The track’s gang vocals and staccato guitar parts make it one of the most upbeat tracks on the album and, while the lyrics may be bland ( “Everybody sing, like it’s the last song you will ever sing/tell me, tell me can you feel the pressure now” ), the chorus’s melody is easily single-worthy. Possibly even more so than Misery Business, though that track makes a fine single itself.
So now I come to the question whose answer I have been mentally debating for the last few days. Is Riot! better than All We Know is Falling ? The answer is probably a no. for me at least. All We Know is Falling just seems much more innocent, emotional and probably better written. Like maybe popularity and money have taken away something Paramore used to have. Maybe not though, whatever the case Riot! should suit any Paramore fans needs, including my own.
-Dan
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
ew bolding is so gay
anyway good review except this is definitely a 4 and better than their first. and "we are broken" rules :mad:This Message Edited On 06.08.07
Digging: Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise | | |
Yeah good review blah blah I hate you etc.
I agree with the rating, but every song on here is good. I might still post my review now that I see we have different views. :/
This is so much better than All We Know Is Falling.
also, WTF i say this too:
Fences has a more cabaret-feel, taking a definite influence from the second half of label mates Panic! at the Disco’s album This Message Edited On 06.08.07
Digging: Menomena - Mines
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Good review and whatnot. This album was such a pleasant surprise.This Message Edited On 06.08.07
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I think you use the words "more" and "danceable" too often in the second paragraph and they become a bit redundant, and you need to specify which Farro in the "hooks coming out of his ass" line. Otherwise solid review and pretty much the verdict I expected. I'll probably pick this up at some stage but I'm not particularly excited.
Digging: The Mighty Stef - 100 Midnights
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how long did you spend writing this review?
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Meh, if this is better than the first, it isn't by much. And yeah, definitley submit your review planewreq, I want to read it.
Plath, I'll edit that second paragraph up sometime today.
[quote=slaapkamers]how long did you spend writing this review?[/quote]i don't know
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i'm not suprised at all at the lack of progression, I like Paramore but i'm not expecting anything better then All We Know
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yeah no progress at all sounds exactly the same as their last album it sucks
| | | Album Rating: 3
I give a hearty "nah" to this album.
Digging: Eminem - Recovery | | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
i give a hearty nah to your life
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
Complete trash.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
i personally like this album very much 
Digging: The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound | | | Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off
Never heard of these guys, but recently saw the video for 'Misery Business.' It was alright - the singer is a cutie but she has an obscene amount of make-up on in said video... I'll have to listen to more than just the one song to come up with something more concrete than commenting on the vocalist's looks.
Digging: Locksley - Be In Love | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Does anybody else notice the fact that in "Born For This" right before they sing "We want the airwaves back.." in the exact same manner Refused does in "Liberation Frequency"?
Digging: The Swell Season - Strict Joy | | |
It's probably not a coincidence.
| | | Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off
"Misery Business" and Hayley's chops are the only things that make this a 1.5 for me. I know it's pop-punk, but this was extremely disappointing after hearing the aforementioned track. The instrumentation was lethargic and uninspiring at best... it's too bad, too, because I was genuinely looking forward to a good listening experience.
| | | Album Rating: 5
These guys are pretty good on their instruments, Misery Business is pretty hard to play as a band.This Message Edited On 08.17.07
Digging: Tiger Please - Seasons | | | Album Rating: 3.5
I give 'em respect, but I don't think that they are too great instrumentally.
Digging: The National - Boxer | | | Album Rating: 5
Sure they're not Dream Theater, but they are decent. I think the fact that they don't just stick to power chords and normal overused progressions all the time gives them a unique sound.
| | | Album Rating: 4
A 5 for Paramore? Huh, it's good but not great.This Message Edited On 02.23.08
Digging: Okkultokrati - Knarkskog | | | |
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