Review Summary: Writing the future by rewriting the past
The more Paramore stick around, the more they seem to mutate into an increasingly odd reinvention of their original vision and style. I was a trifle young (about 11 years old) when their first record hit the masses, but back in their pop punk days, they were basically the face of the Warped Tour/Hot Topic scene culture that bands like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance loved to exploit. That said, they always seemed to have something special that made them stand out in an already-overcrowded sea of melodramatic alternative groups. It might have something to do with the fact that frontwoman Hayley Williams has the vocal prowess to stand head-and-shoulders above most of her competition, but I think it’s something else as well. Even through the loss of two incredibly important members (Zac and Josh Farro), Paramore continued to thrive because of their willingness to face the unknown with a wink and a smile. 2013 was perhaps the first genuinely polarizing and controversial year for the band, sure, but the album they made was a brave declaration that they were not going to quit for themselves or the fans. And yet… well, it was a change, all right.
Paramore can be seen as a transitional album in many ways. After three solid albums delivered squarely in the pop punk realm, a more diverse approach was settled upon with this effort. We got the synth-funk of “Ain’t It Fun,” the post-rock of “Future,” and the intimate soft-rock harmonies of “Hate to See Your Heart Break” (complete with a Joy Williams guest spot!), among other odd diversions from the usual Paramore sound. Well, for any of you diehard pop punk Paramore fans, you’ll unfortunately be shit out of luck when you hear the lead-off single for
After Laughter, “Hard Times.” If anything, the marimbas and funky bass lines are further proof that the oddities of “Ain’t It Fun” weren’t just a fluke. This synthpop direction is really where Paramore was eventually going to go. But the biggest difference between
After Laughter and
Paramore is that the band sound genuinely comfortable in their new skin here. Hayley Williams’ overall vocal performance is a bit more constrained than usual, but she blends well with the reggae-influenced guitars and bubbly synthesizers that she works with. More importantly, we get the return of one crucial Paramore staple: Zac Farro is back on drums! Granted, he isn’t quite as showy or flashy here as he once was, but just as with Williams’ singing, the musicianship is more about presenting a carefully-crafted blend of different dynamics and flavors.
And that’s not just dynamics volume-wise, but also how the lyrical and musical dynamics clash. The whole album is riddled with themes of loss, melancholy, loneliness, and (as the first track states) hard times, but they’re often set to upbeat and sugary pop songwriting that’s simply a blast to listen to. There are a few times in which the lyrics genuinely match the mood, such as on the phenomenal acoustic ballad “26,” which is a stunning folk-influenced piece with a lush string arrangement swirling around the central guitar motifs. The drama and moody reflection extends to both the instruments and the lyrics, and this is also true of the beautifully sentimental piano work that adorns the closer “Tell Me How.” Even in the more fizzy pop tracks, we get this from time to time. The vocal harmonies in “Pool” create something of a catharsis, as the uplifting nature of the chorus clashes against the watery consistency of the dream pop synthesizers. But the overall synthpop core is definitely
After Laughter’s main asset and strength. The band simply sound happy and content with the music they’re making on this record; just listen to all the fun quirks scattered about. Listen to how the band throws in some upbeat reggae chords to a solidly thumping bass line in “Caught in the Middle” or how those Daft Punk-esque vocoder sound effects are thrown in at the end of “Hard Times.” It’s clear that the band aren’t caught between their pop punk past and their pop future like they were back in the self-titled effort. There was no attempt here at trying to please every fan at the expense of quality or consistency.
The production is also solid, this time handled by Justin Meldal-Johnsen and the band’s longtime guitarist Taylor York. Much like the instruments on the album, the production and mixing practically leap out of the speakers with their fusion of gloss and attention to detail. True to the eccentric album art, the finished product sounds very “colorful” in nature, each instrument presenting a different shade or hue to the mix. There’s another reason for this too, and I’d might as well address the elephant in the room. Yes, this album is - like many other current pop releases - highly inspired by 80s nostalgia. That’s also why it gets compared to Carly Rae Jepsen’s
EMOTION so much, as both records find their artists moving into uncharted territory with synthpop throwbacks (though to be fair, Carly was already making synthpop material with
Kiss). But it’s incredibly surprising that Paramore did so well with this sound, as it was completely foreign to them at this point, with the exception of some songs off
Paramore. It ensures us that the band can succeed with music that’s not pop punk-oriented, and many groups who tried to experiment outside the genre couldn’t even get past that. Want proof? Listen to Aaron Weiss’ (Mewithoutyou) spoken-word monologue that goes on for the duration of the bizarre experimental indie-pop number “No Friend” and see just how far Paramore are willing to go to leave their comfort zone with style and finesse.
After Laughter is an utter triumph. It’s the sound of a band who are ready to leave their transitional period behind to explore bold new territory. And while that territory might have strong 80s influences, it still sounds distinctly Paramore, rather than just being a boring nostalgic pastiche of familiar sounds from a familiar era. And with the reflective subject matter accompanying
After Laughter’s fizzy outer shell, there’s something to be said for a band who can still turn the oft-shallow waters of glossy synthpop into an entire ocean of depth and meaning.
