Paramore, 'brand new eyes' (Fueled by Ramen)
Pint-size Tennessee titan makes a convincing case for sincerity.
By Mikael Wood 09.28.09 4:07 PM
Paramore
Hayley Williams didn't spend her adolescence stalking the halls of a New England prep school. And her Christian faith probably precludes her from using the word goddamn like an indefinite article. But the flame-haired Paramore frontwoman is, without question, rock's Holden Caulfield: There's no limit to Williams' disgust with phoniness in all its forms.
After building a devoted fan base through tours with the B-list emo likes of Bayside and Cute Is What We Aim For, her young suburban Nashville quintet busted out in a major way with 2007's Riot!, a powerful little smart bomb of righteous-babe rhetoric that earned Paramore a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist alongside Taylor Swift and Amy Winehouse.
In "Misery Business," the album's crossover hit, Williams described a routine instance of alpha-chick warfare with the laser-guided insight of a tattooed Tina Fey. Her reward? Platinum sales and a worldwide army of Manic Panic'd lookalikes.
The singer hunts slightly bigger game on Paramore's follow-up, brand new eyes, which, at a moment of wet-and-wild Warped Tour cynicism (see Cobra Starship and 3OH!3), offers a principled reminder of a more earnest, honest age. In "Turn It Off," Williams protests that "it's getting harder to believe in anything" and rails against "shortcuts and false solutions," while opener "Careful" urges fellow inhabitants of the Disinformation Age to "open up your eyes like I opened mine."
In "Playing God," she takes aim at bully-pulpit blowhards ("Next time you point a finger, I'll point you to the mirror," she sneers). And "Brick by Boring Brick," the album's philosophical centerpiece, lays out the singer's worldview with the same degree of clarity she employed in Riot!'s "For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic": "If it's not real, you can't hold it in your hands / You can't feel it with your heart / And I won't believe it."
Sound like a drag? It's not: A zealous onstage headbanger, Williams howls like she's spent her 20 years on Earth internalizing old Judas Priest records. And if brand new eyes' killer power-ballad closer, "All I Wanted," brings to mind the title of Kelly Clarkson's latest album, well, Williams might be the only vocalist in rock capable of surviving the comparison. Her fresh-faced bandmates don't leave her hanging, either, attacking their spring-loaded pop punk with the unbridled enthusiasm of DIY diehards.
Paramore recorded eyes in Los Angeles with big-rock guru Rob Cavallo (who first worked with the band on their Twilight soundtrack hit "Decode"), but unlike breakthroughs by emo predecessors My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, the album doesn't reveal a huge leap in studio ambition. "Playing God" has some zippy new-wave harmonies, and "The Only Exception" is a surprisingly soulful acoustic number à la Parachutes-era Coldplay. Instead, the upgrade is one of focus and intensity.
Last year, rumors swirled about the possible breakup of the group, and two tracks here -- "Looking Up" and "Where the Lines Overlap" -- play like responses to that hubbub. "God knows the world doesn't need another band / But what a waste it would have been," Williams wails in the former, before adding, "I can't believe we almost hung it up." In the latter, over a typically speedy, robo-garage groove, she admits, "No one is as lucky as us." Given Paramore's purity of purpose, though, luck isn't really part of the equation.
WATCH: Paramore, "Ignorance"
Paramore are awesome. End of. :)
DICKKK
Yeah well, your a dick :)
Your a dick.
you're so mature.
I love the new album. In my opinion, this is the best of any of there albums. The lyrics MEAN something. The whole band has talent, every single one of them. Saying they don't is just idiotic.
U suck!!!!!!
MY FAVORITE ALBUM EVER!!!!
Paramore has always been one of my top five favorite bands since their first album but Brand New Eyes put them at number one on my list. Look for two things from Brand New Eyes; more depth at guitar/bass and even stronger vocals from Hayley! She has always had a commanding voice but somehow she has reached a new level of power and maturity. Her sweet calmness is seen too in 'The Only Exception' and you will be blown away by 'Ignorance' and 'All I Wanted'.
This is the ONLY album I have ever had where I can listen to it straight through and thoroughly enjoy EVERY song. ROCK ON PARAMORE!
If you're going to say that something is good or bad you need to either underline that this is your opinion based on your musical preferences or site some facts to back it up. To say a band has zero talent is just ridiculous. You only get signed if you're going to sell records and to sell records you've got to be good, no matter what some peoples' opinions may be of the music. Good and bad are relative. Good compared to what? What is bad music? Can you define it? Probably not. "They can barely play above generic first guitar lesson stuff..." What does that mean? Do you play guitar? You'd be surprised how many famous bands guitarists can barely play the guitar, technically speaking.
Saying 'they can play live' is hardly a good point for idolising them unless you're only comparing them to a few autotuned hip-hop stars, the vast majority of real artists began playing live. This band is just one very ordinary band, among millions, the only difference is that they have been chosen, due to having a female singer no doubt, as having male sales potential and molded into a sellable act, it has nothing to do with music at all
You're deluded, (laughably so! judging from some of those bizarre comments) this band has zero talent, they barely play anything above generic first guitar lesson stuff and every song is basically the same, the singer is barely average. I suggest going out and seeing some proper bands to compare them to cause if you actually think this band are good live you need to move out of the predictable commercial pop rock comfort zone, there are a lot of bands out there playing great music that's not predictable and radio safe.
This album sucks. =]
hiyeeee omg the song is well good
People who say that Paramore has no talent, or that they suck...obviously has never seen them live. Go watch their shows, see the passion that every band member holds on stage..it's not just about Hayley Williams, the entire band has incredible talent and they all hold their own on stage. I've never gone to a show where I see such amazing musicians interact with the crowd like they do. I've seen them since small venues since 2005, the fame has not gotten to them, very humble individuals that I can tell appreciate every second of their success.Go to one of their shows, they'll change your mind.
i couldn't agree with you more.i just don't understand how people can listen 2 their music n hate on them.each member of the band has incredible talent and i predict they'll be around 4 a long time.
why r they special??tats a VERY easy question 2 answer.1st they can actually preform live and sound even better than they do on their album unlike most artists nowadays*cough lady gaga cough*n their lyrics actually mean sumtin n not useless,irrelevent bull**** that is popular in the charts.they didn't try and change their sound 2 suit what's popular right now(dance/pop)or pay other people 2 write their songs 4 them they just wrote it 4m their hearts n hope that it pleases their fans,not butt-headed critics like you n they don't care about the money either.they don't pull any publicity stunts,hell they don't even care about the publicity!all they care bout is their music and loyal fans,and that's what makes them special.that's what makes them a brilliant band.
the new album SUCKS!
This album is brilliant. Wasn't really a big paramore fan and after listening I couldn'tbelieve the changes they have made. It shows a crazy amount of growth and maturity to make an album like this. BTW Muse's latest album was terrible, they are up there with my fav band adn Matt belemy is probably the best guitarist around but they let everyone down hard.
Why is this band special? For starters, unlike many of their counterparts, they're actually TALENTED. People admire Hayley Williams not because she's a woman, but because she sings pretty damn well and is a great performer. How many bands can you name where the lead singer takes charge of the stage and has a great symbiosis with the crowd? They're very few and far in between. And what makes her more amazing is that she's only 20 years old, yet she performs like a showbiz veteran. And the rest of the band is amazing, too. The other members are great stage performers as well, making for always exciting shows. Josh Farro (guitarist) actually plays guitar pretty well, Taylor York (rhythm) is pretty good too, Zac Farro (drums) is a BEAST on drums and have you seen Jeremy Davis (bass) do his famous flip onstage? Their music may not be the greatest or most original ever made, but compared to the complete drivel that is out there, they're well ahead of the game. This is a band with serious talent and potential, and it just shows on each album, they're progressing beautifully. Go check out this band live, and you'll see why people have an interest in them. Even people who do not care for their music admit that Paramore has that something special. Grown men don't go to their concerts because they think Hayley is hot, they actually like their music, they know all the words! Even metalheads appreciate Paramore. How many bands of their genre can attract metalheads, the most elitist and snobbish groups of music lovers? I myself am a casual fan of Paramore and don't really care all that much for bands that make music like they do, but Paramore isn't just some talentless band that relies on gimmicks to sell themselves. They don't just appeal to teenage emo girls, they appeal to a wide variety of people. After all, there must be a reason as to why they're playing a sold-out gig a Wembley Stadium in December.
I wish someone would point out to me what this band is doing that is anything special. Just one thing! Something new, something they are doing that another hundred bands aren't, something good amidst their generic tediousness other than the 'look it's a woman! and she's singing!' freakshowesque pointing. I cannot find anything remotely of interest. It's time we had proper critical reviews and not the paid advertising this one is.
Paramore has dwindled. Every chorus is extremely indescribably horribly ridiculously worthlessly disgustingly [insert other adverbs] repetitive, particularly "You Are The Only Exception", and that song is boring also, just as "Misguided Ghosts". The only songs that are any good (as in good, I mean technically good, not "PARAMOREEE ROXXX" good) would be "Careful" and "Where the Lines Overlap" (this one brings back 'All We Know Is Falling' essence). Every other song... I wanted to blow my brains out with a crazy straw.
look paramore does their own thing which is GREAT! and being compared to kelly clarkson is amazing, considering the fact she is more of a rock singer....it shows what an amazing versatile singer she really is! kudos to paramore's thrid album, its great
My god this album is terrible. Its drivel. They are so not improving the already crappy state music is in. How about some originality, people? Take a risk, please! Aside from the flame-haired lead singer what else does this band have going for it? I see the inevitable solo career for her very soon when she leaves her bandmates in the dust due to the record company's wishes.
b list bands like BAYSIDE??
thats some bull****
what can i say? it doesnt matter what paramore puts out, whether its upbeat or mellow, its damn near impossible for this band 2 make a bad song! they have gift for making songs that people dont just like, but love. thier music is addicting and their sound is unque and fresh. they deserve this long review and brand new eyes will def be one of the best alt albums of 09
Well, after their first two albums it became pretty clear that paramore as a whole strayed away from the softer side of music and that their expected style for this new album was anything but soft, that doesn't mean that they do not do it beautifully. yes, while Haley's voice is better suited for harder songs with her incredible range and vocal ability, its not fair to only say that she pulls off only 1 or 2 of these songs. if anything this album is proving what an accomplished and mature this band is, what good is it to have another foursome of musicians that constantly spit out the same genre, the same sound, the same rhythm etc with just different lyrics? versatility is what makes a good group of musicians a great band.
To two posts up: Paramore definitely does NOT dominate the 'softer' part of music. Haley's voice pulls off 1, maybe 2 songs, but they should stay away from those in general, imo.
Fresh pop punk I read somewhere.
The band has neat hooks, a fresh sound, & a hottie out front.
I would say she reminds me of a lil of Gwen (No Doubt) style wise.
Every band has there time to click & these guys paid their dues so shall they reap. Most musicians can be replaced, will they bond? hard to say. The fact that Haley’s voice has a very distinct individual sound is what fuels the band, the attitude primary, & writing is secondary.
They are here! Turn it up! ****es for Paramore
okay, while this new album is significantly slower and softer than their predecessors it absolutely does not lack in talent or brilliance. I am a huge fan of Paramore's earlier albums and while this album was a lot softer than i was expecting (after hearing the single Ignorance), i think that its a nice surprise and shows the band's versitility to dominate in both fast paced high energy songs and a more slower "ballad" if you will. And while this album is different, "Careful" shows the reminiscence of Riot! when comparing musical styles.
I love this new album.
Mm. so , according to this magazine, Paramore's New Album is better than Muse's, and in fact deserves more paragraphs!!! hahahah!!! How much did the record company pay you??? Ok, I mean, it's ok if the record is good, but i doubt sincerely, that could be better, at least in 'the rating system' than Muse's new one..however..It's better to read good and positive things than mediocre and pointless reviews. Still, Spin's criteria is kinda out of proportion, but, of course, managers and record companies rule the world!!! Good riddance my sell out friends!!Again, I'm not saying that Paramore's is bad, just not that better, unique and original. Anyway....It's your problem though, but it bothers sometimes!!!
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