Paramore - After Laughter (May 12th, 2017) Album • Page 8

Subtle, yes, standard, no. Sure it doesn't run all over the place like a song like "Ain't It Fun", but that would be out of place in this song. It's groovy as hell, yet provides solid harmonic foundation in a song where guitars and synths tend to swirl around.

 

I had a similar conversation about Hayley's vocal performance on the song. Sure, she's not belting or giving as urgent of a performance as she did on a lot of their earlier records, but imo it's a sign of maturity and growth that she's learned restraint. Not every song requires that kind of performance, especially not with the direction they've been going in, and it takes a smart, seasoned vocalist to know when to bust it out. Same can be said for any member of a band/musician: flashiness can do as much disservice to a song as it can help elevate it.

 

Exactly.

 

Yeah, maybe 'standard' wasn't the best way to put it. And it's not a bad bassline by any means, it provides a good rhythmic base for every other instrument on the song. My point is just that I'd like to see what Jeremy would have pulled off, I really wish he still was a part of the band along with Zac. I don't know if you have a term for it in English, but in Portuguese we say that the bass and drums combined are the 'kitchen' of the band. These two together were one hell of a kitchen for Paramore until Brand New Eyes era.

 

I'm stoked to see the influence Zac has on the band. I like his stuff with half noise

 

Random question for people following the band more closely than me: has there really been "we almost broke up" stories about the last three albums, saw someone mention it on twitter and I didn't remember the BNE era enough. Maybe It's just a staple to get a new Paramore album now.

 

There's actually a song about it on brand new eyes. I believe it's the song looking up about how they almost broke up but realized how lucky they were to be able to be in a successful band and tour the world

 

I'm glad someone said it. I don't hear it either.

 

yeah the bridge in Looking Up is literally:

"God knows the world doesn't need another band

But what a waste it would've been

I can't believe we almost hung it up

We're just getting started"

(I took out the "woah-ohs")

 

I also remember reading this alt press story during the leadup to BNE that detailed how the band nearly broke up towards the end of the Riot! touring cycle, and even cancelled a string of European dates, which they never really do.

 

Yeah, Hayley and Josh's breakup in 2008 (I think?) led to a cancelled tour and tensions really just bubbled over which led to writing BNE to try and save the band. Then obviously that didn't work when the Farros left at the end of the album cycle.

 

There was also this whole fuse interview they did in between BNE/the Farros leaving and the lead-up to s/t that kind of amplified the music press' obsession with this Fleetwood Mac-esque intra-band turmoil that has continued to persist as one of the prevailing narratives on every record cycle

 

While I ultimately wouldn't want to change anything in the song, I can understand wanting a rhythm section reunion. Given their track record, you'll probably get that eventually ha.

 

Paramore does pretty much break up between every record. I hope they doesn't get along too well this time and come back with a shitty record.

 

Semi-unrelatedly, in my search for that altpress cover, I found a very cool Hayley interview where she talks about writing a bunch of the lyrics to BNE on her sidekick(!)

Not sure if it could get more late 2000s than that.

 

I'm sure it doesn't help that Hayley was like 17 when she started doing this.. this has been her entire life. Glad she took a lot of time off in between records

 

Even as young as 15/16 on the AWKIF stuff!!!

Zac was like 15 when they were touring off that first album. Unreal.

 

Idk why fans are complaining they have 3 lps of paramore sounding like a guitar driven rock band they exhausted that sound and pushed it as far as they could with brand new eyes. They started something new with self titled and this new record will probably build on it. Great bands can expand and change and paramore isn't any exception

 

Ha wow that's insane

 

Also the fans that want more guitar driven paramore should listen to for Everest.. :)

 

I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly, but you want them to have a lot of tension in the band? If tension happens and they end up not getting along, Paramore will probably end this time

 

Plus she didn't exactly choose to be the face of the band and be under all that pressure

 

yeah honestly for me Brand New Eyes was just the peak of that sound, and I'm so glad they've evolved with each release.

Sure BNE is one of my favorite albums of all time and will probably always be my sentimental favorite, but as I get older, I want my favorite acts to grow with me and evolve creatively as they choose. If they were just playing to the tried and true sounds of nearly 8 years ago, it would feel a little weird.

Plus the whole, "real music = guitars and power chords" mindset is such a stupid binary that just reminds me of old school hip hop fans deriding Young Thug for not having "bars," but with layers of inherent sexism thrown in as well.

 

I love this new song and I can't wait for the next iteration of their sound.

Listened to AWKIF and RIOT! last night. Hell yeah those albums hold up. "When It Rains" is such an incredible song.

 

Banger. Loved hearing Hayley play the keyboard parts during the s/t tour