Customer Reviews

Brand New Eyes [Vinyl]

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I started out as a casual fan of Paramore, but gradually, both albums grew on me, and now they're one of my top 5 favorite bands. I tend to think of myself as being a little outside the demographic of Paramore fans, being in my late 20's, but I don't care! I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this album, and to be honest, it's one of the first time in years that I've paid attention to the 'official release date' from any album.

Paramore has catchy, rock driven tunes with smart, well written lyrics. Hayley Williams' vocals are amazing...for such a tiny person she sure has a set of powerhouse pipes. I actually had expected this album to be a lot darker then the 1st two albums, after hearing the first single, "Ignorance" and also knowing they were going thru some personal band turmoil while recording "brand new eyes". But besides "Ignorance", there is no huge addition of somberness compared with the other albums.

Paramore has progressed and grown, while still retaining their distinct Paramore sound. I also think the drummer, Zac Farro, was given a little more liberty in letting the drums really lead and set the tone on a few songs. There are two quieter, pretty songs "Misguided Ghosts" and "The Only Exception". Thinking back, I can't recall any slower jams on the other albums that are acoustic and lacking drums like "Misguided Ghosts", and that stood out for me. But don't take that the wrong way, they're both awesome songs, and show a different side of what Paramore can accomplish. After listening to the album for at least a week straight, I really have been looking forward to those two tracks, as well as "Careful" and "All I Wanted".

While writing this review I struggled to find something I didn't like about this album(trying to be well rounded and not just chock full of praise!), and I'm sorry, but I couldn't come up with anything, I'm a fan, not a critic.

On the whole, the album is awesome and I think will stand out as one of the year's best Rock/Alternative albums, just like "Riot!" did in 2007. A must have in my opinion.

Also if you have a chance to see them live, go! I don't like live shows as much as I used to, but I never miss Paramore, they put on a stellar show.

I'm in the middle of listening to the album for the third time as I write this review. The initial listens were great. The band has really fine tuned its sound following up their excellent Riot!

The strongest members of this band are the lead singer, Hayley Williams, and drummer,Zac Farro. I feel that the reason why these members stick out (other than Hayley's unbelievable amount of cuteness) is that they have been the forerunners on previous albums. This still rings true for Brand New Eyes but we also get to see guitarists, Josh Farro and Taylor York, doing some cool riffs as well as solos. Also the bassist, Jeremy Davis, gets to lay down a meaty bass line in Brick By Boring Brick (not as epic as Fences but still pretty good) as well as doing a solid job on all the other songs. Overall it feels like the band keeps getting tighter as they refine their sound.

-The album starts out at a blazing pace with Careful. This song screams classic Paramore (a good thing).
-Ignorance keeps the momentum moving with another song that sounds like classic Paramore. Watch out for the 15 second long shredding solo near the end!
-Playing God is where the momentum shifts to a slower more emotional pace. Just need to point out that the Paramore boys get to do some backing vocals on this album starting with this song. Not the strongest track on the album but not bad by any means.
-Brick By Boring Brick as I mentioned earlier has an awesome bass line! Very strong song.
-Turn It Off is a slower song that picks up its pace during the chorus. Hayley takes the center stage on this song showing off her vocal awesomeness. The instrumental ending is a very nice touch.
-The Only Exception busts out the acoustic guitars. I can easily see this song showing up in a movie during a very melancholy montage. Just a tidbit this is the longest Paramore song to date...
-Feeling Sorry is a pretty solid song. Noting really exceptional but still good.
-Looking Up is much like Feeling Sorry. Nothing special but still a good song.
-Where The Lines Overlap follows the same formula as the last two songs, however this song is a bit better. Once again I really dig the instrumental ending!
-Misguided Ghosts brings the acoustic guitars out again. Brilliant song. Hayley shows just how beautiful her voice is. My only complaint is that this song ends to early.
-All I Wanted starts out slow but picks up as the song progresses. Very solid song that is a fitting end to the album.

Overall a great album that pushes the band forward. If you are looking for Riot 2.0 you may be a bit disappointed as the band tries some new things. My only complaint about the album is that there isn't a song that enters your head and never leaves. Heck I've had dreams with That's What You Get in it.

Cliff notes: It's great, just buy it already!

The rock band Paramore hasn't been without its share of problems in its history, and some of that anger gets vented out on their latest release. Although the album cover depicts the darker, more serious tone of Paramore's third full-length record, secondarily it could represent the bands' spreading its wings stylistically...growing away from the formulaic, commercialized sound that dominated their previous effort, the Platinum "Riot!".

While "Brand New Eyes" starts off with two catchy, up-tempo numbers tailor-made to get fans off their feet singing along at concerts, the rest of the compilation includes enough variety in tempo, instrumentation and style that critics will find it much more difficult to claim all the songs sound the same this time around.

Musicianship is excellent. Hayley Williams sings her heart out. The production is superb (Rob Cavallo, who's worked with artists David Cook, Goo Goo Dolls and Green Day to name a few, gives us punchy drums, grungy, powerful guitars and clean vocals).

But for some reason, it isn't happening for me. I've been listening over and over wanting to like it. I like parts of several songs...the finger-picked clean guitar part at the beginning and other points in "Playing God", the pre-chorus and a small part in the chorus of "Brick By Boring Brick", the chorus of "Turn It Off", the verse of "Feeling Sorry". "Looking Up" and "All I Wanted" are better, but still nothing to write home about. "Misguided Ghosts" seems like it should be a beautiful song, but it's not moving me. And I don't like "The Only Exception" at all...it doesn't sound even remotely like a Paramore song. Nothing here makes me want to dig deeper into the supposedly better lyrics.

The only thing I can think of? I miss those formulaic, commercial Paramore songs...the "Misery Business" and "That's What You Get"-type songs. I miss the soaring melodies that have been sending chills down my spine...I'm not hearing them here.

I think most fans will like "Brand New Eyes". But I'm just not hearing any blow-your-socks-off songs here. I may be wrong (and I hope I am), but I don't see this album having a very long life after initial sales. I recommend giving these songs a good listen before you buy, because you may find you're not feeling it either.

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of some of these songs. I really enjoyed some of the songs on Riot but when comparing them to the songs on Brand New Eyes, the songs didn't have that same catchiness, overall. HOWEVER, that might be the best part of this album. It has DEPTH.

And to say there are NO catchy songs on this CD is not true at all. Why you might ask? Because I've had this CD for a week, and I'm already singing along to some of the non-singles. It's my best purchase I've made this month so far. Not that you should compare the two, but I also bought Lady Gaga's The Fame which is good in its own right, but not as good as Paramore's third entry.

The CD itself kinda has a theme. And that's losing a bandmate and even almost breaking up over it. But they chose to persevere. Us fans are really glad too! I'd rather not live in a world without Paramore. Hayley is a decent vocalist and an awesome personality to have around, celebrity-wise. So yeah. Kudos to her! And big ups to the rest of the band too for making this CD sound great.

Songs on the CD are as follows:
1. CAREFUL
2. IGNORANCE
3. PLAYING GOD
4. BRICK BY BORING BRICK
5. TURN IT OFF
6. THE ONLY EXCEPTION
7. FEELING SORRY
8. LOOKING UP
9. WHERE THE LINES OVERLAP
10. MISGUIDED GHOSTS
11. ALL I WANTED

My favorites in order are probably 'Misguided Ghosts' (heartbreaking and honest), 'Turn It Off' (fun in a twisted, almost dark kinda way), 'All I Wanted' (really easy to listen to) & 'Feeling Sorry' (grew on me. really upbeat and cool).

The two tracks that skate on the filler side are 'Looking Up' and 'Where The Lines Overlap'. They are still decent tracks, but they aren't great. And they put them right after one another. :-/

Anyway, great CD. I don't care what anyone else says. Yes, it's not as immediately catchy and flamboyant as Riot is but it is probably the better CD. It is very, very consistent and I don't regret buying it for a second. I see myself listening to it for a while on and off.

4 stars or an 8/10.

DOWNLOAD:
'Misguided Ghosts'
'Turn It Off'
'All I Wanted' &
'Careful'

'1/20/11 edit: It's truly sad that Zac and his brother have officially left the band. Zac is probably the best damn drummer Paramore ever could have had! He absolutely killed the drum work on this disc. I've listened to a bunch of songs on 2007's Riot and the drum work isn't as refined. However, will all the changes Paramore is going through, I will stick by them and hope that their 4th disc will be even better than this one (if that's possible without Zac)!

Good luck Paramore. You're gonna need it!

Being almost 40 years old, I'm not easy to impress. But this band has pulled it off now three albums in a row. This is a band where each member contributes in a major way and together they achieve an amazing synergy.

This CD has surpassed my expectations. Paramore never fails to give it's fans great music. Before I ordered the CD, I heard some songs on their website, and had to order it for myself. I was so excited when I ordered it and now I listen to them all the time. Paramore has songs that are so positive and encouraging. Great music to listen to with all ages. They will never get old.

I don't think I've ever found an album where I love EVERY SINGLE SONG, but this new Paramore album is amazing. I can't fast forward or skip any of the songs. I just can't bring myself to miss any of them. My favorite songs are The Only Exception and Feeling Sorry. They have an awesome sound and Hayley Williams is pretty much the most kick ass female rock singer nowadays.

I'll admit, I had never purchased a Paramore album, prior to 2009's Brand New Eyes. After all the buzz in magazines and on the internet, and hearing "Decode" featured on Twilight Soundtrack, I thought 'Brand New Eyes' might be a tantalizing listen. Indeed, it converted me to being a Paramore fan, particularly the insanely catchy, well-written first single "Ignorance", one of my favorite songs of 2009. The whole album proves enjoyable and affirms Paramore's status as one of today's cooler, and more unique bands.

The album opens with "Careful", and guitar-driven, mid-/up-tempo track that serves as a strong album opener. "Careful" leaves a positive first impression on the listener, particularly the first time listener(myself). The songwriting is strong, the guitar-driven production top-notch, and lead singer Hayley Williams sings with great conviction and nuance.
"Ignorance", despite the greatness of "Careful" takes coveted honors of being valedictory and grand. The guitar riffs are killer, the overall scope perfect, and Williams's vocals are spot-on. "Ignorance" is a five-star single if I've ever heard one. Easily one of 2009's best tracks, period.

"Playing God" continues an upswing for 'Eyes'. Sure, it doesn't enthrall as much as "Ignorance", but it continues a streak of strong songwriting, vocal performance, and great sounding music. "Brick By Boring Brick" contrasts the slightly tamer sound of "Playing God" by resurrecting a more driving sound. "Brick" instantly proves to be exciting and captivating in sound, with another infectious, inescapable hook.

"Turn It Off" is satisfying, keeping an 'air' of consistency about 'Brand New Eyes'. The break-down section is well executed leading into a searing powerhouse chorus with a huge 'wall' of guitar sound. "The Only Exception" opens with lovely acoustic guitars, contrasting the heavier guitar sounds that generally dominate 'Brand New Eyes'. Hayley Williams sounds incredible singing more sensitively here, showing off her versatility. Honestly, "The Only Exception" turns out to be one of my favorites, second only to "Ignorance".

Contrasting the softer intro of "The Only Exception" (this album seems to be one of contradictions and contrasts!), "Feeling Sorry" barrels right into the driving, angst-filled guitars that characterize Paramore. The band does change the scope of the sound here with alteration of the syncopation, which is a welcome innovation. Again, there is little to quibble about "Feeling Sorry". The refrain is definitely strong and proves to be one of the strongest of the entire album. "Looking Up" continues Paramore's rhythmic endeavors, and finds the band convincingly singing catchy pop-punk/pop-rock. Something about the enthusiastic sounds makes the listener equally enthusiastic!

"Where The Lines Overlap" has somewhat of a retro, 1960s rock feel, at least a first. It reminds me of the 'garage' sound dominating that era. Not revolutionary, "Where The Lines Overlap" settles for being a solid listen. "Misguided Ghosts" again finds the band using acoustic guitars as opposed to the driving electric guitars that have dominated. Again, the use of contrasts is an intelligent move. The album closes with "All I Wanted", a grand cut that finds Williams stretching her vocal range.

In a year where rock stand-outs were far and few between (save for a few acts/albums), Paramore's 'Brand New Eyes' easily stood out in an elite group. 4 stars.

Haters beware--they're back, and with a deeper, moody-rock smash.

Paramore's new album Brand New Eyes dropped September 29th. The alternative-rock CD features
eleven extraordinary tracks, along with an exclusive music video for their single, "Ignorance".

"Ignorance" has been branded as an anger song, with passionate, screaming-singing, and a catchy beat. Also featured on the album, "All I Wanted" displays a classic heartbroken love song, with slow verses and an electric chorus. In "Misguided Ghosts" and "The Only Exception", the group isn't afraid to break out the acoustics and belt an emotional tune. "Looking Up" reveals a positive, upbeat outlook, while "Turn It Off" is contrastingly pessimistic and depressing. "Feeling Sorry" demonstrates a rock version of a post-breakup song, similarly heard in "Playing God". Their other popular hits (after "Ignorance") may just be "Brick by Boring Brick"--telling a story about a girl stuck in a fairytale world, and "Careful", and intense track with an attention-grabbing guitar riff and clever lyrics.

All of these songs contain those captivating tunes and quirky lyrics that keep listeners' heads banging. They also show off the band's extreme instrumental talent, although some would argue that instrumental talent is the only form of talent visible. Hayley Williams doesn't have the vocal talent of Alicia Keyes, but her screaming/melodious voice fits perfectly with the group's blaring electric guitar and pounding drum beats, which do tend to overpower the songs at times.

On the other hand, Brand New Eyes stays true to Paramore's original sound, rather than getting changed by today's techno-pop upsurge. Brand New Eyes may have failed to top the charts, but that's just how the music wave rolls.

This alternative-rock band is and always will be a personal favorite. Maybe a few songs--"Where the Lines Overlap", for example--are pretty generic and not as unique as one would have liked. Their rock tunes stood out from the start, especially now, during the era of pop. Much to Miley Cyrus lovers' dismay, the alt-rock days will be revived, so Paramore can rightfully shine in the "Brand New Eyes" of people who used to adore nonsensical pop ballads.

To those glaring from behind Lady Gaga CDs, keep on criticizing, because I won't hear you. I'll have my iPod blaring rock music at maximum volume.


--S.D.

Fame has certainly taken its toll on Paramore. After the release of 2007's Riot!, Paramore's second studio album and first with major label Atlantic, Paramore was hit with a frenzy of media attention. Focus on lead singer Hayley Williams as the album climbed to number fifteen on the Billboard 200 chart sparked an internal conflict that nearly drove the Franklin, Tennessee group to bitter breakup. Things improved in 2008 when Riot! was certified platinum on July 11 and two new Paramore singles found their way to the Twilight soundtrack that November; an album that was certified double platinum this past April.

Now, two years after the release of Riot!, Paramore has put their conflict aside to release their best album to date. With the recurring themes of the album taking a look back at the bands tortured past, the title of Brand New Eyes may very well provide some insight into Paramore's new outlook on fame, fortune, and the renewed friendship amongst the members of the band.

Where Riot! played more as a collection of songs with a few standout singles, Brand New Eyes is a complete work with each song complimenting the next. While Paramore has clearly matured musically, part of their improved sound can no doubt be attributed to producer Rob Cavallo of Green Day's Dookie fame whose list of album credits now reads more like a who's who of 21st century punk rock. Brand New Eyes opens with the two most assailing tracks on the CD: "Careful" and the first single "Ignorance." Paramore's energy doesn't let up at all until halfway through the album where "The Only Exception" shows us a mellowed and more sophisticated side of Paramore.

Brand New Eyes will no doubt earn Paramore a host of new fans as they begin to stray away from the "emo" label that often turns many listeners off. For a band whose hit single has over sixty-eight million listens on their myspace page, that can only mean even bigger things for an already huge group.

Similar Artists: Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy

Track Suggestion: Brick By Boring Brick