juvenile hearing

It’s finally happened. Paramore has grown up. After coming out of group therapy, the Tennessee-originated  trio released a self titled album; that was not only the first of theirs  to debut at Number 1 on the Billboard 200, but it was also their first album after the departure of co-founders Josh and Zac Farro.

The album created a new identity for Paramore. All the teen angst seems to evaporate, leaving behind three passionate young adults, ready to take on the world and whatever comes after. They’ve left behind the blueprints of past singles and EPs, starting completely anew; forget two timing boyfriends and the girl that makes him stray, neglect the punchy poems about letting you heart decide what’s best (and then regretting it after). The band has turned their attention to writing about long distance relationships,  serious relationships, reading the newspaper,  saving money, and loving yourself ‘because someday you’ll be the only one you’ve got’. In short, GROWING UP.

There are also tracks that seem to be written about the group’s time in therapy, like ‘Now’ and ‘Future’, which both talk about disregarding the past and looking to tomorrow. This becomes obvious in the lyrics from ‘Now’:

Starting over/ Head back in/ There’s a time and a place to die but this ain’t it/ If there’s a future, we want it (now).

Or in the lyrics of ‘Future’

So just think of the future/ Think of a new life./ Don’t get lost in the memories,/Keep your eyes on a new prize.

I’d have to say my favorite songs so far from the album are ‘Last Hope’ , ‘Ankle biters’ and ‘Interlude: i’m not angry anymore’. Each one is dynamic in it’s melody, and really hits you in the heart with what they have to say. These guys can write about anything, even a two minute chant about Hayley Williams (lead singer) brushing her teeth in the morning could hit home, and get a listless listener to sing along at the top of their lungs, in their room at 2 am. Each of these songs tell different stories: chemistry that keeps you fighting through the darkness, edgy (and shouty) rhythms dedicated to people that need to pay attention to themselves, rather than the compliments of others, and dealing with your anger like a big girl!

I’ve seen a new side of Paramore, an unexpected, multicoloured explosion of punk that makes you grin with glee as you feel the emotion bubbling up inside of you. It does exactly that. The music makes you feel.

RosEbY.