It is quite remarkable when female fronted pop punk bands can possess as much power and give off the amount of energy that Paramore does. It is even more remarkable when you find out the lead singer is not even legal yet at a young age of 17. And finally it is just downright ridiculous when you find out that their drummer is only 15. The music is a great deal more mature than the age suggests; as Paramore has not only been touring their young hinds off recently (between opening Take Action, touring with Bayside, and will soon play the first month plus of Warped Tour 06) but they are also a member of the ever so popular Fueled By Ramen label. STOP: Yes I did just use the words mature and Fueled By Ramen in the same sentence as they are one of the few exceptions where this can be said.
It would be way too stereotypical for a five piece band to dumb down their guitar parts, playing the lovely I IV V progressions over and having the focus all on the vocals. Surprisingly, Paramore is able to balance things in an excellent fashion, as plenty leads are present throughout the record with the rhythm guitarist doing a great job underneath. Obviously the vocals are a focus of the record, but they do not over power the rest of the band. The vocals themselves are very enjoyable, as they are distinctive, have a great range, and just fit the music magnificently. While some of the guitar work is not predictable, certain pop aspects are including the often softer verse, louder chorus structure. This is by no means a bad thing in this case, as they execute this arrangement in great fashion, often times including a catchy chorus. Throughout the record the drums are fantastic with plenty of variety and some nice fills. For a 15 year old he sure knows how to use a good deal of his kit as he does not stray away from utilizing some toms in his fills. Bass is heard which is always a plus as some smooth lines are laid down. The general mix on the album is very nice and makes some pleasant songs.
Paramore is...
Vocals - Hayley
Bass - Jeremy
Lead Guitar - Josh
Guitar - Hunter
Drums - Zac
Some choice songs...
The album opener
All We Know is a pretty good taste of what the album has in store. The album opens as the whole band plays half a measure until some different palm mute start stop rhythms are used by both guitars as Hayley"s beautiful voice is introduced. During the chorus her outstanding range is shown and following a chorus at around 1:35 Zac introduces the first of his great fills. About 2/3's of the way through the tempo lows as some faint guitars play in the back round as vocals are heard atop of them. After the bridge a very tasteful lead is heard courtesy of Josh right before the chorus repeats and the song comes to a close. The first single on the CD
Pressure has quite a basic yet effective feel to it. A quite verse with more of the various guitar patterns is played. Some bass sticks out during the verse keeping everything tight. Things pick up during the chorus as a little lead is played over the chorus. The mid tempo of the song delivers its intended mood. The second half of the song features a heavier instrumental bridge which leads into a great build up using clean guitar and vocals. End is upon the first single with a repeated chorus, as it is a pretty good choice for a single.
Emergency is not only the longest on the record but also one of the most enjoyable. The balance of distorted rhythm and clean lead riffs in the verse are superb. Leads persist into the chorus making it easily the strongest on the CD, as it is both catchy and powerful. Haley delivers an outstanding vocal performance throughout of the song. Once again it is commendable how well her voice fits the music they are playing. There is an acoustic bridge with some more leads following it. In fact it is debatable about calling a guitar solo at around the 2:50 mark, as the very mellow lead captures an amazing amount of emotion. The end is the chorus but is slightly modified, keeping repetition from setting in.
Here We Go Again is without question the most poppy song on the record. Music wise it is quite simplistic, as some clean chords make up majority of the song. This is actually what I would call a stereotypical weaker pop song, which is not a good thing. Everything as a whole just sounds very watered down and standard. In a way it sticks out, as the band could have intended in going a different direction with this piece. Variety is shown but not in the best of ways as this track has skip me written all over it.
Now
Let This Go has variety shown in a much more positive way. It could be considered one of the softer songs on the record. Nevertheless, this song gets its message across loud and clear. Haley once again gives out a phenomenal performance on vocals, and some backing vocals are heard working quite effectively. Some more great riffs occur really pulling out some emotion for this track. An acoustic bridge happens but is cut short very soon. Just as one might be predicting the acoustic to come out it is gone, making for a great surprise. This time, the new structure and style of song worked out successfully.
Conspiracy opens slowly with drums and clean guitars which get distorted quite soon. Looking at the lyrics, Haley might have poured her heart out on this track as the lyrics sound quite personal with some past problems.
Where can I turn? Cause I need something more
Surrounded by uncertainty I'm so unsure
Tell me why I feel so alone
Cause I need to know to whom do I owe
Explain to me this conspiracy against me
And tell me how I've lost my power
The lyrical delivery is much stronger than the lyrics themselves as shown by here outstanding range in the last chorus. For a bit of a different overall feel, this song is notably effective.
Overall, this record and band surprised me. I saw them at Take Action before buying the record and had no clue by their performance that two of their members were so young. This band is a lot more mature than their age might suggest. As for the genre they play, their nice lead riffs, tight drumming, and beautiful vocals can not get put together much better. While this will not appeal to plenty, if pop and pop-punk are your thing, give it a listen as it can be a nice change of pace. Definitely look for Paramore to only improve in the future as they continue to grow not only age, but as a band.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
This Message Edited On 08.22.06
