Mind Equals Blown

Paramore Brand New Eyes

Pop-Rock | Fueled By Ramen

MEB Rating:

7.0

User Rating:

9.7

7 Ratings

Paramore is back, and that’s all you need to know.  Brand New Eyes has everything you’ve ever loved about the band, and then some.

Things kick off with “Careful,” the fantastic album opener.  The song is outstanding.  Hayley effortlessly floats through the track, accentuating lyrics at the right places and hitting high notes everywhere you’d want them.  The music feels much more like an updated All We Know is Falling sound in terms of completeness and complexity, which I appreciate.  After just one play, the song became my favorite track in Paramore’s three-album library.

Following a great opener with the lead single is always a good idea.  “Ignorance” brings out the bitter Hayley we’ve been enjoying since the song released a few months back.  The verses remind me a tad of “Misery Business” in their style and presence.  The short pointed verses set up Hayley to wail away come the chorus to complete a strong lead single.  Definitely check out the video at the bottom of the post.

Hayley Williams’ delivery throughout the entire album is masterful.  As good as the red-haired wonder has been through All We Know Is Falling and Riot!, she has greatly advanced her band-leader abilities with Brand New Eyes. Every verse the girl sings is convincing and powerful while expertly balancing bitterness and fun between tracks.  Songs like “Playing God” and “Brick By Boring Brick” will surely appeal to the 14-year-old ex-Avril Lavigne fans with their lyrics (“next time you point the finger / I might have to bend it back or break it, break it off“) or catchiness (“Ba Dop bop, ba dop da da DA!”), while the softies can all enjoy the acoustics of the ballad “The Only Exception” or the folksy “Misguided Ghosts.”

Josh Farro and Taylor York continue to be one of the more creative pop/rock guitar sections today.  You’d be hard-pressed to call either of them lead guitarists, but they make genuinely interesting rhythms with absolutely perfect tone.  The boys should not be overlooked; Williams may be the star of the band, but it’s Farro and York who seperate Paramore from other pop/rock acts.

Nothing like saving the best note for last.  Hayley hits an outrageous a capella note in “All I Wanted,” the album’s closer.  Good Lord.

To sum things up, it’s pretty solid.  You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy this album.  Even if it isn’t the most adventurous release, Paramore will continue to dominate the radio and world as they please.

Author: Jack Appleby View Staff Page for Jack Appleby

That 6’5″ guy you curse about under your breath for standing in front of you at shows. Southern California resident (a fact my fellow MEBers tend to hate me for). Student at Hope International University, where I served two years as Editor-In-Chief of the Hope International Tribune. College basketball player (I’m losing cred by the word). Social networking connoisseur. Musically, I’m all across the board, but tend to hover around ____core and good catchy-rock. Always ready for seven hour Facebook debates on the music industry, your favorite band and anything else.

(7 votes, average: 9.72 out of 10)

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