REVIEW!!!!!!Well, here it is. The album's out and I'm going to review it! I've had access to the album since a couple of days before release day through...alternative means so this isn't entirely a first impressions review - though obviously it's hard to truly say how good or bad an album is until a long time has passed. I'm going to review each song on the album in order and give my final thoughts on the album afterwards. I'm not a huge fan of scoring stuff like this since I feel like it takes away from the "art" a little bit but I don't feel confident enough in my ability to write about music so I'll do it anyway
. I won't give a final score for the album though. I haven't followed any part of the music industry that closely until very recently, so my music vocabulary is lacking. I didn't even know the correct usage of "verse" until like a week ago
. As such, the song reviews won't focus much on the instruments and things like that. I also want this review to be about my experience of being a Paramore fan in general. I've only been a fan for 2 months but it's been quite a journey so I'd like to use the release of After Laughter as an excuse to talk about it
To avoid confusion, here's my review scale (no half points aka .5s). I won't bother listing what scores 1-4 mean because, spoiler alert, nothing on this album scores in that range
5 - Average
6 - Above Average
7 - Good
8 - Very Good
9 - Great
10 - Excellent
So let's get to it!
1. Hard TimesYou hit me with lightning!
Maybe I'll come aliveAfter Laughter's lead single starts the album off with a home run. I've talked about this song a lot here and on the BA Discord chat, and for good reason: the song is good. Really good. I think after the initial surprise of it sounding different than Paramore's previous stuff, most people took to it pretty quickly. It has a fun, 80s indie pop rock (I'll try to throw in more meaningless genres when I think of them) beat contrasted with depressing lyrics. I mentioned this earlier in the thread but I feel like it's a very millenial take on depression - similar to the humorous, passive aggressive tweets you see about being depressed. It's an extremely catchy song that, even after roughly 600 plays, still gets me moving. The music video is also amazing - their best one yet in my opinion.
Around the time the single dropped, I said here that the song deserves a Grammy, and I stand by that
. I put this song in the same tier as Still Into You, The Only Exception, Last Hope and Brick By Boring Brick. I actually had to force myself to stop listening to the song for a while so I could still enjoy it on album release day.
Score: 10/102. Rose-Colored BoyYou say "We gotta look on the bright side"
I say "Well, maybe if you wanna go blind"
You say my eyes are getting too dark now
But boy, you ain't ever seen my mind
This is rumored to be a single, based on an image of the After Laughter CD which In Wonderland posted a page or two back (Edit: confirmed to be true). My initial impression listening to this song was that it's the weakest of the four confirmed and rumored singles. After listening to it several more times, I probably still feel that way but I've warmed up to it more. I like the cheerleader-style intro and the angry-but-upbeat chorus. A lot of people I've talked to have said this is one of their favorite tracks on the album. While I wouldn't go that far personally, it's very enjoyable and a good song to put on repeat.
Score: 7/10
3. Told You SoAt least I try
To keep my cool when I'm thrown into a fire
Whereas most fans embraced Hard Times when it dropped, Told You So was a slower burn. It doesn't immediately pop like Hard Times, but after a few listens I became a pretty big fan (and ultimately ended up listening to it over 500 times). The verses are great (especially the second one), though I think the song probably could have used another one. The second half of the song plays too heavily on the chorus and bridge, which I think turned some people off. I also love the weird mix of instruments they use in this song - it seems like every time I listen to the song I hear a new instrument that I didn't notice before. The song really showcases how creative Taylor and Zac are - this isn't just the Hayley Williams ft. Two Random Dudes band. Speaking of Hayley though, her glasses in the music video >>>>>>>. I'm glad this song was chosen as a single, because I think a lot of people would have skipped over it after listening to it a couple of times otherwise.
Score: 8/104. Forgiveness'Cause your voice is a gun
Every word is a bullet hole
Shot a hole in the sun
If I never look up maybe I'll never noticeThis is the first "slow" track on the album. It touches on one of the recurring themes of the album: forgiveness, as the title of the track indicates
. I like that the song highlights the struggle of letting things go. It's not just a basic "let go of the past and move on" cut-and-dry message that you hear all the time - it acknowledges the painful process you have to go through to reach that point (if it ever happens at all). Beyond the lyrics, I also like the chill vibe of the song, and the chorus is strong. It's one of those songs that I don't have on repeat, but whenever I listen to it I go "aww yeah."
Score: 7/105. Fake Happy Oh please don't ask me how I've been
Don't make me play pretend
Oh no, oh what's the use
Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too
Simply put, this song is amazing. The lyrics are very relatable - especially for people in their 20s I'd say. Everything about this song is on point - the lyrics, chorus, sound. I think this is the song I'd recommend most to people who want the older Paramore type of songs. This is the other rumored single, and I think it's a great choice. I can't wait to see what the music video will be!
Score: 9/10 6. 26And hope that someday that I just float away
And forget every cynical thing you said
When you gonna hear me out
Man, you really bring me downWhen I looked at the announced tracklist, I selfishly had high hopes for this song because I'm 26 and I'd like to think this song was made for me
. I'm happy to say that it's an acoustic song akin to Misguided Ghosts, which I was hoping this album would have. It's yet another very relatable song for me. The lyrics + the Hayley's voice make for a heartbreaking song that, I won't lie, almost made me teary eyed. Can't wait to hear this one live.
Score: 8/107. PoolAs if the first cut wasn't deep enough
I dove in again 'cause I'm not into giving up
Could've gotten the same rush from any lover's touch
Why get used to something new?Paramore love songs are always great. As they said in part 2 of their Beats 1 interview with Zane Lowe, they like writing love songs with a twist because they can't relate to love songs where everything is awesome all the time. Their love songs always highlight the ups and downs of a relationship, and Pool is no exception. It's extremely easy to listen to with a catchy chorus that gets stuck in my head after I stop listening to it. The pool metaphor woven into the lyrics throughout the song is fun, if a little indulgent. When trying to come up with a score, I was hovering between an 8 or 9, but ultimately settled with...
Score: 9/108. GrudgesTime is a bastard I won't break my neck to get around it
But aren't we so brave to give up a fight
And let the years go by without us
'Cause now I feel you by my sideI think this was a song that a lot of old-time Paramore fans were excited for, because the title suggests that the song is about one of the band's ex or returning members. Indeed, as Hayley stated in the interview with Zane, the song is about returning member Zac Farro. I like the 80s style intro and the chorus, but I haven't found myself returning to this song often. Still, I'm happy it exists just for the sake of closure between Hayley/Taylor and Zac.
Score: 6/10
9. Caught In The Middle Can't see the forest for the trees
Behind the lids of my own eyes
Nostalgia's cool, but it won't help me now
A dream is good, if you don't wear it outThis is yet another song that's about being a 20-something trying to transitioning into being an adult. It has a funky sound (hope I'm using that term correctly) and has a strong chorus and bridge. Admittedly I don't have much else to add about this song, but I find it very enjoyable whenever I listen to it.
Score: 7/1010. Idle WorshipWe all got problems, don't we?
We all need heroes, don't we?
But rest assured there's not a single person here who's worthy
I feel like this song was written for me
. The lyrics talk about how people shouldn't put others on a pedestal. I'll get into it later in the final thoughts portion of this review but it's easy to get caught up by how great the personalities of the band members are. I think they try really hard to be down-to-earth and people of high moral character and I appreciate that. With that being said, it's unfair to expect perfection from them because they've made some pretty big mistakes like everyone else, which is what the song is about. I really like Hayley's voice in this song because it's kind of loud and edgy compared to most of the other songs on this album. As with Pool, I was hovering around scoring this an 8 or a 9, and I went with...
Score: 8/1011. No FriendI let go of the coat but the coat won’t let go of me
Okay, this "song" is a bit of a cheat on their part
. It's clearly the outro to Idle Worship, but they renamed it for whatever reason. I'm guessing it's a contract-related thing. I like what's there, but there's not a lot for me to say other than that I like that Taylor does vocals in this song.
Score: N/A12. Tell Me How You keep me up with your silence
Take me down with your quiet
Of all the weapons you fight with
Your silence is the most violent
This is a heartbreaking end to the album. Knowing a little bit of the details behind the problems Paramore has had over the years, it's hard to be objective about this song. While it's a very relatable song and talks about experiences I've had in the past dealing with losing people, it's so much more emotional if you know what Hayley has been through - losing her childhood best friends and being publicly called out (and even sued in one case) by them. I love the lyrics - they're about how we can suffocate people around us in an attempt to keep holding on to something that isn't there anymore. It also addresses how it seems like you have to erase the good memories you had with people you're no longer associated with because you feel like you're not allowed to have them anymore. It's hard to say what I would rate it if I blindly listened to this without knowing Hayley's story, so I'm not going to pretend like I don't know.
Score: 9/10
Final ThoughtsWhew, those were a lot of words
. Overall I'm very happy with the album. There aren't any stinkers and there are a lot of 8+ quality songs which is great. I find the album really relatable - as I said in some of the song reviews, it mainly has to do with the struggles of early adulthood and finding yourself as opposed to living up to who you're expected to be. I love how experimental the band is with instruments this go around, and the 80s vibe that permeates through most of the album sounds great. I also think the production quality is great. Like I said, time will tell what songs stick, but right now I love Hard Times, Told You So, Fake Happy, Tell Me How, Pool, 26 and Idle Worship. How does it stack against the other albums? Impossible to say right now, so I won't bother ranking it yet.
Getting away from the album itself a little, I want to say how awesome it's been to be a Paramore fan. Like I said in the beginning (which you may have forgotten about since this post is hilariously long), I've only been a fan for 2 months. Trying to find music vaguely related to what Avril makes, I remembered my sister liking Paramore in the RIOT! era, so I listened to a bunch of their songs on Spotify and became a pretty big fan almost immediately. Almost all the music they make ranges from good to excellent and I find their lyrics very relatable. I also love their energetic performances at concerts that make me wish I was there when watching them on YouTube. It's great knowing that in the last 12+ years that no matter how bad it's gotten for the band, they've delivered. Every. Single. Damn. Time. No excuses from the band or the fans necessary.
Then of course we have to talk about the band members themselves. I couldn't find a more relatable group of mainstream/semi-mainstream artists than these guys. The Beats 1 interview is very candid, and shows how self-reflective and down-to-earth the Paramore members are. They are open about their weaknesses and the struggles they go through to move forward. These are the kinds of people you want to root for, despite allegedly having made some pretty bad mistakes years ago. Their social media is also on point. I love that Hayley tweets about social issues and important events going on in the world. A lot of bad things are happening in the world - vulnerable groups are being scapegoated, harassed, deported and killed around the world and this is mostly being met with support from the political right and apathy from the left. I respect Hayley that much more for speaking out about issues surrounding race, gender, sexuality, healthcare, war - all issues that are very important to me. She's not afraid of speaking about these issues in fear of "potentially" losing money or negatively affecting her and her band's ~*brands*~. I also like how she periodically responds to and likes tweets from fans. It makes me feel less distant as a fan. Finally, I like how they basically kicked off their album launch by performing at a small rock club in their hometown of Nashville, a venue that's theoretically "beneath them." Do all of these things affect the way I feel about their music? ...Not really? But they make me want to support them in every way possible, buy their albums/merch (already in the process of getting all of their albums on vinyl despite not having a way of playing them) and talk about them as much as possible (evidence: this post).
Getting back to the album (sort of), the run-up to the release has been great. I don't think the hype-cycle could have been handled any better. Just one day after the album art was teased, I woke up to an announcement of the album title, art, release date, European tour dates, a killer single and the best music video they've made so far. I'll be honest, I've been going through some pretty awful mental health-related issues for the past 6+ months, and that day made me feel happier than I'd felt in a long time. It was great listening to Hard Times on repeat while talking to other fans and pouring over interviews. Now that the album is finally out, I'm really proud of the band for releasing an album they at some point thought would never exist. As a listener, I'm happy that the album turned out being really good and lived up to my expectations. The only thing left I really have to say is I can't wait until the US tour dates are announced because you can bet that I'll be there to see them live.