• Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Apr 9, 2013
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Negative: 2 out of 20
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  1. 100
    A sprawling, 17-song, 64-minute monster that is without a doubt the finest music these three artists--vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and bassist Jeremy Davis--have ever made.
  2. 91
    At 17 tracks, Paramore's self-titled release seems like it should also be a textbook victim of its creators' self-indulgence--but in fact it comes off like the great Blondie-indebted 21st-century new-wave album that No Doubt were trying to make with 2012's Push and Shove.
  3. Apr 8, 2013
    90
    Paramore feels far more human and honest than anything the band have committed to tape to date, and even at its most intense, the record feels intimate (or at least like a gig happening in the back corner of your mind).
  4. Apr 8, 2013
    90
    Paramore is a veritable pop opera about a band reborn, phoenix-like from the ashes of a broken lineup, better and stronger than any previous incarnation.
  5. Apr 9, 2013
    83
    If Paramore has a flaw, it’s that there’s so much going on and so many stylistic flourishes, the record never quite coalesces.
  6. May 3, 2013
    80
    Paramore is both the band’s most polished and messiest album, which somehow pays off.
  7. Kerrang!
    Apr 30, 2013
    80
    It's daring and rarely less than dazzling. [6 Apr 2013, p.52]
  8. Apr 10, 2013
    80
    This is their longest album and has the highest stakes, and succeeds.
  9. 80
    [Guitarist Taylor] York is Ms. Williams’s collaborator throughout most of Paramore, and they have pushed the band beyond pop-punk without abandoning momentum or the big, catchy chorus.
  10. Apr 4, 2013
    80
    At 17 tracks, it's a little overlong, but Paramore's lively new incarnation suits them well.
  11. As a full record, Paramore certainly isn't for everyone--but there's certainly something for everyone. If you're not having fun at some point of the album, you're probably not trying.
  12. Apr 15, 2013
    70
    Paramore 2.0 maintain their signature post-emo pop-metal gusto (see the blazing "Be Alone") and added a Stefani-Clarkson elasticity that at times make this feel like a solo debut.
  13. But Paramore have always been more pop than their fans may like to admit, and this mainstream rebirth feels like a transitional step to something gigantic.
  14. Apr 8, 2013
    70
    The influence of new blood mixed with Paramore’s own distinct sound has created a vibrant, melodic record with sing-along choruses, and although it flirts with the softer side of the rock spectrum it’s still one ballsy album.
  15. Apr 5, 2013
    70
    This may not be what we were expecting, and it may not be the Paramore that we’ve come to know and love. But, at the same time, here are a band still discovering who they are, and this album may stand as an important step on that path.
  16. Apr 11, 2013
    60
    Beneath the lyrics live a less-than-cohesive batch of songs. But when the band allows each track a little more breathing room, they show some growth and have a good time doing it.
  17. Q Magazine
    Apr 9, 2013
    60
    It hasn't got all the best tunes, but this bullishly self-titled album hits the target like a hair-dyed, tattooed William Tell. [May 2013, p.111]
  18. 60
    The commercial emo that has earned Tennessee's Paramore platinum sales is still present on their fourth album, as are the unremarkable ballads, but there's also a new willingness to try other genres. The results are mixed.
  19. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jun 21, 2013
    30
    A parade of beige pop numbers that even Taylor Swift would turn down for being too generic. [May 2013, p.86]
  20. Apr 4, 2013
    30
    Hayley Williams gives the first of several poor singing performances on the record [on lead single, "Low"]; the verses are toneless and she tries to cram too many words into them without really saying anything.
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 498 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 28 out of 498
  1. Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Some of the criticism fans have been laying against this album is just ridiculous. If anything, Paramore has blossomed musically with thisSome of the criticism fans have been laying against this album is just ridiculous. If anything, Paramore has blossomed musically with this album, which is easily their best. The sound is so diverse, there's more than just guitars and electronica: there's ukeleles, string sections, harmonicas and even a gospel choir. If that's not ambition I don't know what is. Maybe it's their lyrics, there's many songs that reflect on their troubles with Farros but they're also declaring that they're moving on and willing to try new things. Highlights include Part II, Still into You, Ain't It Fun and Future. After all the drama Paramore's faced over the last three years, they've come out the other side as a multi-dimensional band who's willing to push their own limits, marking their greatest artistic statement. Full Review »
  2. Apr 9, 2013
    5
    This got an 84 and Riot got a 67? Wow... critics are dumb as hell.
    Riot is so much better than this electronic-crap.
    Vocals are edited so
    This got an 84 and Riot got a 67? Wow... critics are dumb as hell.
    Riot is so much better than this electronic-crap.
    Vocals are edited so much on a lot of the songs that it's pure annoying with her voice.
    Drums have improved since the last CD though.
    Full Review »
  3. Apr 10, 2013
    2
    There are two types of Paramore fans. There's the ones who took a liking to the band's unique sound I have dubbed "playful aggression." ThenThere are two types of Paramore fans. There's the ones who took a liking to the band's unique sound I have dubbed "playful aggression." Then there's the fans who are generally oblivious to the music they're listening to, and will religiously listen to anything mainstream media classifies as hip or edgy. In this album it is blatantly apparent that Hayley Williams was NOT the driving force behind Paramore. It was clearly the Farro brothers all along, Josh's song writing and Zac's unbelievably creative drumming.

    That being said, if you liked Paramore for their old sound, this album is going to disappoint you like nothing you've ever heard before. They can call this a "step in a new direction" or an "evolution" all you want, but the lyrics take plenty of stabs at the Farro brothers if you listen carefully. You call that a new direction? I call that childish, dwelling on the past and completely unnecessary.

    I'm really not sure what album the critics are listening to. I'm willing to bet all of them had their review written based on "Now" and didn't take the time to listen to the entire album. This might go down as one of the most disappointing album releases in this era of music, considering how high they set the bar with Riot. Brand New Eyes was a good follow-up, but this? The only time I will ever listen to this album again is to let others hear how hard a good band can fold when you lose a guitarist and a drummer that were clearly the driving force behind the band.
    Full Review »