Paramore - Singles
Record Label: Fueled By Ramen
Release Date: December 5, 2011
Paramore need no introduction, they are the pop-rock juggernaut from Tennessee that have taken over the world since the release of their debut album All We Know Is Falling in 2005. As 2010 reached it's end, two original members Josh & Zac (guitar and drums respectively) left for various reasons. Singles is the first release since they left, being brought out as three singles and then a complete box set of the four singles they've released (including "Monster") over the past few months. The four singles will be reviewed as if they are an EP.
It kicks off with "Monster" , a dark, yet energetic song which displays Paramore at their best. Williams' vocals are on top as usual, she easily outperforms the rest of the band in terms of performance and just sheer chops. I had hoped that in 2011, the rest of the band would be able to match up to Williams' in their music, but the loss of two members excuses this, at least in part. Following on from that is "Renegade", which sounds as if it could easily have been taken off of Riot! which was released in the summer of 2007.
"Hello Cold World"is the third track, the verses are incredible. They're so catchy that it makes the rest of the EP sound tame in comparison, the bass line in this song also deserves a special mention. Finally, "In The Mourning" brings it down a notch so that we can just enjoy Williams' voice ringing out over a simple backing track. This is easily the best song out of the four that were released, it has a country twang to it that was not seen in Williams' earlier demo that she posted in January.
Overall, Singles is a great way for Paramore to show that they are definitely not going anywhere, they can still write some good songs, and know what they're doing even though they've lost two important members. Although the songs lack in originality, and the instrumentals leave a lot to be desired, there is still an undeniable spark there. Something I hope they'll be able to tap into when they release their fourth LP later this year.
I didn't really think the musicianship was mad at all, just slightly underwhelming considering what Paramore seems capable of doing. The tracks are great, though, and that's all that matters.
Great tracks. Hello Cold World must be my favorite. Still, the lack of outstanding drum lines left the songs feeling a bit powerless/energyless, but i have high hopes for the upcoming album.