Artist: Paramore
Genre: Rock/Pop Punk
Location: Franklin, TN, USA
Label Type: Semi-independent
Record Label: Fueled By Ramen
Website: http://www.paramore.net/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PARAMORE
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paramore
Context varies from being important to completely irrelevant. The latest studio release from Paramore is immersed in it.
Last December brothers Josh and Zac Farro both left the band (prepare for an understatement) on slightly unfriendly terms. There was quite a bit of fallout, especially with a vindictive statement posted by the Farros, responded by the remaining band members in the MTV interview Paramore: The Last Word. The sordid split casts a shadow over Monster, shown by the meaning of its lyrics. Hayley Williams responds to the Farros with “I’m not the villain, despite what you’re always preaching” and declares that now, for Paramore, “the world is ours”.
The song is ushered in by a pleasing sketchy riff, echoed in the next section. It is a nice thread, which could have been impressive if their rhythm guitar wasn’t drowned out throughout most of the record. This studio or production imbalance doesn’t ruin the song, but restrains it from becoming a bigger beast.
The section that this intro swiftly leads into is the first verse. Musically the verses feature the mix of teasing guitar riffs and driving drum beat that Paramore are used to. It’s an aesthetic they seem to be trying to perfect, signified by many of their previous creations.
Of course the catchy chorus is something that almost every artist wants to perfect and sharpen; Paramore are no different. It is strong, sing-along, and sticks to your cranium like any popular summer song. However, the track is not amazing, as some obsessive Paramore fans would have you believe. Make no mistake; this doesn’t detract the song from being enjoyable.
It’s not surprising Paramore are not treading totally new ground; they have no new members. Backing vocals are naturally provided by Haley Williams. Taylor York has taken up the roles of lead guitar and drums left by the Farro brothers, studio-wise, and this song shows he fills those shoes adequately. However, the drums do not have the flare that Zac Farro brought to them. Also, the guitar solo doesn’t fly or fall; it just hovers, promising more than it delivers. On the flip side, generally the lead guitars create a delicious display, especially during the coda and when creating suspense before the chorus. York’s drumming also shows promise with the energetic bass drum beat that punctuates the final chorus.
The expectation for Paramore is pretty exceptional for Monster, as it is the highly anticipated first proper release (In The Mourning is only really a demo) since their line-up change in December. While this song isn’t brilliant, it’s good and an adequate comeback. But we all know Paramore can do better. The song doesn’t have the swagger of Fences, the emotional dynamo of Decode, or an anthematic torrent like For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic. Regardless of these minor shortfalls, there is comfort in the message of this song. Paramore is still a band.
Monster will be released as a single on iTunes on the 7th June 2011. It will be featured on the Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon – The Album, which is released on 14th June 2011, while the film Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon will be released on 29th June.
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