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Type: Album Release date: 25/06/2007
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When the opening track of an album such as Paramore’s Riot!_ is entitled ‘For A Pessimist I’m Pretty Optimistic’, you just have to bite your lip and attempt to avoid the snide retort.

But, I fail. Y’see, I’m quite the pessimist, but even I was surprised by the levels of anodyne, track-by-track, prontaprint-generic, middle-of-the-road dullness here.

There was a lingering hope that, despite the Fuelled By Ramen home and airbrushed brightness of their photoshoots and over-earnest press representation, some sort of truth might be had in their portrayal as a spunky, balls-out, whirlwhind of girl-power emo ferocity.

Of course, it’s all rot. Riot sounds like a crunching, flashlight-white amalgamation of Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson, save for token ballad ‘We Are Broken’ that echoes the enchanting eighties sounds of Belinda Carlisle.

Topic-wise the sole fixation of the record are those mean, horrible, cheating boys. Either singer Hayley Williams has read a lot of trashy teen fiction, or the poor girl has had more bad relationships in her tender years than the average person would deem themselves unfortunate to have in a lifetime. Riot should have the title prologue of (...Or How All Boyz Sux). Musically, it’s equally as one-tracked, as Josh Farro and the now-departed Hunter Lamb (nice name) struggle manfully to get just the right amount of generic chugging and insipid riffery from their hookless guitar lines. Tracks like ‘That’s What You Get’ and ‘When It Rains’ blend seamlessly together until it seems that the album is one long, sugar-infused bleat.

At 38 minutes long, it’s mercifully brief, but still manages to feel like a double album for those who endure it. That’s those who don’t manage to forget that it’s on the stereo at all.

People, get your pop-punk thrills somewhere else. At least somewhere where there are actual thrills to be had.

but..

she'd get it though.

See

One of the only songs I don't like on the album is 'We Are Broken', which sounds even more soppy than this kind of music normally calls for.

I'd still rate this pop-punk better than most stuff Blink released; it makes me a bit sad to see people mourning the loss of them as though it were a great tragedy...everyone who grew up with their adolescent stupidness eventually grew out of them.

Nah

blink were good

hmmm...

I fancy the lead singer a bit too much.

silly hair

shes alright yeah, but not THAT fit

She's even less fit in real life

This album's alright though

better than Blink 182

but that doesn't say much...

this album is way too top-heavy, the first 4 or 5 songs are "good" catchy pop-punk but the rest is just poor and samey.

a let down.

i gave it 5

xx

and she's a dick

you were loving Paramore at Download...

you were all like "this is the best band in the world!"

and I was like "really? You think?"

and you were like "YEAH"

that's a picture of her

or your gf

wtf?

Dude, you should really go drown yourself...in something OTHER than sound. I don't know how tone deaf you are but Riot! is one of the best albums in years. One, get your facts right. Hunter Lamb is no longer in the band OR featured ANYWHERE on this ablum. Two, spell Fueled by Ramen correctly next time you want us to take you seriously.

Riot! is an amazing album. I 'endure' it over and over again. Reveiws like this are just pointless.

lol

"Two, spell Fueled by Ramen correctly next time you want us to take you seriously."

US?

and what? negative reviews are "pointless"? you have a very dim view of the world then

I'm sure you aren't a whore though, don't be hard on yourself

this is

totally middle of the road pop-punk, in my opinion. She has an great voice, but writes average melodies. Blink wielded their hooks with speed and precision = Paramore seem clunky and tuneless in comparison.

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