Review

Watching a band form its’ first imprint on the music industry is always an anticipated moment; but that instant is heightened when the band is in such a young stage (both literally and figuratively) and have so much promise ahead of them. As such, it’s easy to take a band like Paramore to heart; you want them to succeed as much as you want that backstage pass for Warped Tour.

And how could you not? All We Know Is Falling is the most refined rock infused pop/punk album you’re ever likely to find...with a lead vocalist (Hayley Williams) aged only sixteen years. But don’t let this discrepancy fool you. Williams has formed her entire life around fine tuning her voice for a moment just such as this. “Brighter” and “Conspiracy” let Williams soar with poise allowing her to convey every note with precision on both the low and high ends of the scale.

Don’t begin doubting the backing band either. The remaining members of Paramore (John Hembree; bass, Josh Farro; lead guitar, Jason Bynum; guitar, Zac Farro; drums) pack enough punch on “Emergency” alone to thrust them into the spotlight of pop/rock ranks that certainly won’t be overlooked. One listen to their first single and you’ll think twice about classifying them as another band trying to deceive listeners into a purchase.

Sure, they pack All We Know Is Falling with a hell of a lot of poppy choruses, but I’ll be the first to admit, I’m just a sucker for a catchy hook. And when that’s backed by sophisticated riffs and fantastic rhythm that most bands could only dream to create on a debut album, you’ve got one album that will be hard to remove from the CD player.

While Paramore are noticeably struggling to find a balance between normalcy amongst continual touring and recognition as evidenced on"Franklin," All We Know Is Falling makes a strong cover story suggesting otherwise. If you didn't know any better, you'd think Paramore are veterans to the scene, not just entering it for the first time.

Review by Jason Schleweis

4 out of 5