After much anticipation,  Paramore released their new single ‘Now.’ There’s been much debate about this new song across the websophere.. .

When I first heard it, I won’t lie, I did feel a little bit disappointing. Like a teeny tiny ball of tumbleweed would magically appear out of nowhere, and proceed to leisurely roll its way across my desk. Backwards, because It would be going at such as slow pace it’s essentially reversing. It pains me to say it, but that probably would  have been more exciting than what I was actually listening to.

Don’t get me wrong, I was a huge fan of the band back in the days of ‘All We Know.’ All those years ago where pressure was on their heels and they referred to themselves as a ‘T-shirt and Jeans’ band. I had the posters, the T-shirts. You name it, I had it. I followed every interview, watched every live show online. I was your average – slightly physchotic – stalker. A few years later, along came Riot; probably my favourite of their albums! Those days where you couldn’t dye your hair red without people accusing you of copying their favourite female vocalist. Back then, everything was still happy grazing. So simple.

Then, like that friend who you regret inviting, came Brand New Eyes. I’d say that’s where things became a little sketchy. At that stage I really didn’t know whether to blame Twilight or accept this new direction. I mean there were a couple of songs that I really did like, but it was a bit of a downgrade  from liking near enough every song on their other albums, to just a handful.I’m not one of those people who disagrees with bands experimenting with their sound and maturing..You know, you need to experiment to find your sound. But, like most humans, I guess you could say I do have a slight resistance to change. A point where I think, this may have just stretched me too far.

When it comes down to it in plain english, I’d say this single just feels very …generic. Very emmph in a sense. The beginning shouts out “Gwen Stefani,” who is a great artist, but what about that Paramore sound? I’m searching and searching for that excitement, that uniqueness, that edge that the band are known for. That I know they’re capable of. But with very little luck. Maybe when the  Farro brothers left, they took more with them than we thought? Who knows? All I know is that it doesn’t really set my guns on fire.

But at the end of the day, it is just one song. Maybe the rest of the album will be a different story? April 9th will be the day to find out! Even if it isn’t, I guess good on them for playing what they want to play! They’ll carry forward with them the people who appreciate that sound.

Anywho, for my last present of the day, here’s the track listing for their new album! I’ve never quite known what people do with this information, but here you go!

1 Fast In My Car
2 Now
3 Grow Up
4 Daydreaming
5 interlude: Moving On
6 Ain’t It Fun
7 Part II
8 Last Hope
9 Still Into You
10 Anklebiters
11 interlude: Holiday
12 Proof
13 Hate To See Your Heart Break
14 (One Of Those) Crazy Girls
15 interlude: I’m Not Angry Anymore
16 Be Alone
17 Future

Happy Listening! And Thanks for reading!