One album that came close to making my 2007 list but didn’t quite have the oomph is Riot! – the sophomore record from pop-punkers Paramore.
The ultimate reason why it ended up on the outside looking in was my terminal inability to decide whether it was a guilty pleasure or simply a very enjoyable record. All the signs are here: catchy guitar riffs, angry (but not too angry) lyrics being belted out by a precocious singer (any review must introduce her as “eighteen year old Hayley Williams”). Think Avril with a bit more talent and less stupid bravado. Or think the Ted Leo cover of “Since U Been Gone” but still sung by Kelly Clarkson.
These are simple songs about simple things – more alluring for what it promises than for the satisfaction it can deliver in the here and now. If they can follow through – fill out their sound and expand their thematic reach – you get the sense that they could put out a record to really make you take notice.
However, Riot! is not that record. That said, there’s nothing particularly wrong with a well-executed slice of pop-punk fare. It may not fill you up, but it’s okay to indulge your sweet tooth now and then.
That’s What You Get – Paramore
This song gives you a sense of what they are capable of. It’s got the same sheen as the rest, but the production is a little less overpowering, letting the strength of Williams’ voice come through. And, even more importantly, it doesn’t sound quite so compressed. The verses give you a chance to breathe and even the sugary chorus leaves enough space for some of the more delicate guitar-work to make an appearance. This is power-pop to be sure, but that doesn’t mean you have to sand down all the rough edges.
I’m sure it would be commercial suicide so it’ll probably never happen, but I’d love to hear their next record with a little less varnish and a few more smudges. Keep all the pop impulses, but let us see a bit more of the humanity underneath.