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Apr 4, 2013A 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.
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Apr 10, 2013At 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.
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Apr 8, 2013Paramore 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).
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Apr 8, 2013Paramore 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.
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Apr 9, 2013If Paramore has a flaw, it’s that there’s so much going on and so many stylistic flourishes, the record never quite coalesces.
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May 3, 2013Paramore is both the band’s most polished and messiest album, which somehow pays off.
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Kerrang!Apr 30, 2013It's daring and rarely less than dazzling. [6 Apr 2013, p.52]
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Apr 10, 2013This is their longest album and has the highest stakes, and succeeds.
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Apr 8, 2013[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.
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Apr 4, 2013At 17 tracks, it's a little overlong, but Paramore's lively new incarnation suits them well.
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Apr 4, 2013As 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.
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Apr 15, 2013Paramore 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.
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Apr 8, 2013But 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.
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Apr 8, 2013The 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.
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Apr 5, 2013This 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.
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Apr 11, 2013Beneath 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.
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Q MagazineApr 9, 2013It 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]
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Apr 8, 2013The 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.
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Classic Rock MagazineJun 21, 2013A parade of beige pop numbers that even Taylor Swift would turn down for being too generic. [May 2013, p.86]
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Apr 4, 2013Hayley 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.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 435 out of 498
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Mixed: 35 out of 498
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Negative: 28 out of 498
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Apr 10, 2013
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Apr 9, 2013
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Apr 10, 2013