Not just a pretty face…
I’m sure you’ve all heard
of Paramore by now. Hell, their MySpace page has had more than 8 million
hits! Of those 8 million hits, I think it’s fair to say that a percentage
(how small or large is not something I’m willing to speculate on)
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of them is because of front woman Hayley Williams. “Riot!” is the
record which should see Paramore earn as many fans for the quality
of their songs rather than their youthful good looks.
The well written yet slightly
cheesy songs that made up the band’s debut (All We Know Is Falling)
were indicative of what the guys – and girl – in Paramore were capable
of. There were hooks a plenty and the music was impressive considering
the average age of the band members was 16!
While “Riot!” isn’t a huge
stylistic departure from their previous work, the quality of each and
every song on the album has made for one of the most consistent pop
rock albums of 2007.
Off the bat, opening track “I’m
Pretty Optimistic, For A Pessimist” shows a band who have come along
in leaps and bounds as far as playing ability goes. Staggered beats
and more dynamic sounding riffs make for a thoroughly enjoyable song.
I’ve listed my favourite tracks in the album wrap up but there isn’t
a bad song on “Riot!”. You could randomly choose any song and I
have no doubt that it’d do well as a single… except maybe the swing/ska
infused “Fences” which isn’t a bad song, it just didn’t grab
me as much as the rest of the record.
Hayley Williams has always been
a capable vocalist but there were times on “All We Know Is Falling”
where she sounded strained when hitting certain notes. This is no longer
an issue as the natural maturation of her voice has ensured she belts
out every line with the confidence of someone a hell of a lot older
than 19 (have a listen to the third track “Hallelujah” and you’ll
know what I mean).
is exactly what you’d expect from a pop record in 2007. A clean, punchy
guitar sound with the rhythm section filling out the bottom end nicely
and the vocals are prominent without overpowering the rest of the band.
“Riot!” is one of the most
enjoyable records I’ve received this year. If you’re not a fan of
sugary pop punk then Paramore aren't going to make a convert of you,
but if you want to listen to something that’s fun and doesn’t require
too much effort to get into, then you’ll definitely get something
out of this record.
I’m Pretty Optimistic
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