Maturing as a band can be hard. Growth can be good, but it can also be a hindrance to what made you in the first place.
Riot was a secret pleasure record of mine. I love it. It is sugary pop music at it’s finest and I wasn’t sure if Brand New Eyes would be able to capture me in the same way. And it doesn’t. But it doesn’t turn me off of what Paramore is doing.
Fans who’ve heard Decode (the single from the Twilight soundtrack) won’t be completely surprised by a subtle shift in sound. And say subtle because Paramore has not completely managed to captured the pop energy that made songs like Misery Business and Crushcrushcrush such good songs and instead have created a record that sounds like a band that has come out of near collapse and survived and are better for it.
The albums lead single Ignorance is a song the most resembles Riot. It’s not like Paramore has abandoned their sound altogether. It’s still pop rock but it’s a more mature sound. A lot of growth comes from Hayley Williams’ lyrics. Gone are songs about high school loves, replaced with songs about growing up. The album grows and goes deeper the farther into it you listen. It’s not a record front loaded with singles and catchy pop songs to pull you in and back loaded with throw away b-sides. Brand New Eyes is a complete record and I think it gets better as it goes. The album’s closer, All I Wanted, is a beautiful song and leaves you wanting to hear more.
Brand New Eyes seems like a fresh start for Paramore. Not trying to distance themselves from their past but I have grown up and created something showcasing their maturation.
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