On February 26, 2009, Hayley Williams, Paramore's female lead singer, was crowned "Sexiest Female" on the Shockwave NME Awards over other nominees Kate Jackson, Alison Mosshart, Lykke Li and Stephanie Dosen. Who can blame her, with her flaming red hair, nicely curved body and her edgy attitude?Paramore is about to release a new album entitled "Brand New Eyes" on September 29, 2009. The first single off, Ignorance, the disk is already available for download since June 7. Paramore has come a long way from a Pop Punk Tennessee band to AP's Best Band of 2007. Through the years, their music has transformed from "bouncier punk-pop sound for a more sprawling, Evanescence-like romanticism." So, before they finally release their third studio album, the time is ripe for a comprehensive review.
Paramore's debut album was released on July 26, 2005 and reached 30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers chart. The album starts off with their angsty third single "All We Know" and becomes more mellow and melodic as the track approaches the last song. The album ends with a melodic power ballad "My Heart" which features screaming from their lead guitarist Josh Farro. "All We Know Is Falling" is an extremely strong debut, and the raw and whole voice of the lead singer complements the alternative/punk instrumentals excellently. The album as a whole "is easy to listen to but also provides for some great in-depth listening experiences." In my opinion, this is their best album but the succeeding album gave the band success and extensive media coverage that soon catapulted the band to the limelight.
Riot! was released on June 12, 2007 and is certified platinum by the RIAA. By this time, Paramore has developed a distinct sound and the album is quite monotonous, compared to their debut. Hayley Williams voice stands out through most of the album, giving the songs control and authority over a genre marked with violence and angst. Their music became less sophisticated, but ultimately giving the album mass appeal. The album includes Paramore's most well known hits - Misery Business, Crushcrushcrush and That's What You Get.
Paramore later released Decode, a single off the CD of the Twilight OST. Decode sees the first major change in the band's music, the song bing more reminiscent of the Evanescence songs than their previous albums. It seems, however, that the shift was temporary - Ignorance, their new single, finds Paramore returning to their original sound, though to some degree a little different.
Paramore continues to enchant us with their raw, whole, controlled vocals and creative, though unsophisticated music. However, the band has become increasingly dull and monotonous. Here's to hoping their new album will give the same variety and taste as their debut.
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