Released: 2013

Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Pop Punk, New Wave

The Musiquarium’s Paramore Review Score: 8 out of 10

Following the departure of both guitarist Josh Farro and his brother, drummer Zac Farro, Paramore was left as a trio with Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Jeremy Davis as the remaining members. Compared to the pop punk and emo of their first three albums, Paramore is a reinvention, one that experiments and only teases at what the band sounded like in the late 2000s.

Fast in My Car is an opener that sees this new iteration of Paramore confident as ever. Now, Ain’t It Fun and Still Into You are are stunning singles that were all over the airwaves. Part II sounds like a mix of Paramore with the new wave sound of early U2 or The Cure. Future closes the album with a contemplative build-up, before giving way to the heaviest that Paramore has ever sounded. There are also three brief ukulele interludes that give the album somewhat of a conceptual feel.

Paramore features a lot of diverse mixes of sounds and a delicate balance of pop and experimentation. It’s the most colourful album the band has made yet and a wonderful start to this new era of the band.

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Paramore on Discogs.

Back to the 2013 Album Guide or the Paramore Reviews page.

Written by Brett Nippard