Hey, baby IвЂ™m not your superhuman And if thatвЂ™s what you want I hate to let you down I got your hopes up Now I got you hoping But IвЂ™m gonna be the one that let you down It is also noteworthy, as a longtime fan, to see that the band has continued to acknowledge and incorporate their Christian background into their work. Williams speaks for herself, York, and Farro by telling listeners none of them are вЂњyour superhumanвЂќ and they (more sarcastically) вЂњhate to let you downвЂќ for not being that way. вЂњIdle WorshipвЂќ works excellently as a safeguard against false ideas and notions that fans or critics might ascribe onto the band.

At this point in the game, she doesnвЂ™t have anyone to answer to, and she wants you to know that. SheвЂ™s tired of being put on a pedestal, only to be ripped down by the same hands that placed her there. It captures the same brashness of WilliamsвЂ™ voice as heard throughout much of RIOT! (вЂњFor A PessimistвЂ¦вЂќ, вЂњLet The Flames BeginвЂќ), and Brand New Eyes (вЂњCarefulвЂќ, вЂњBrick By Boring BrickвЂќ, вЂњAll I WantedвЂќ). ItвЂ™s captivating, not least in part because of the delivery of the chorusвЂ™ last line (вЂњIвЂ™m gonna be the one to let you downвЂќ) and the вЂњla la la laвЂќs before the chorus hits, sung with overemphasis and terse dryness. Some of these nuances are highlighted in the song вЂњ Idle Worship.вЂќ It is easily one of the most interesting tracks on the album, joining вЂњ26вЂќ and вЂњNo FriendвЂќ in that category. From the early 2010вЂ™s, this decade has seen the rise of synths and electronics married to the overall pop mainstream: you might think Katy PerryвЂ™s Teenage Dream, Justin BieberвЂ™s Believe (and Purpose), Kanye WestвЂ™s Graduation and Yeezus (even Daft Punk at this point), as well as collaborations between mainstream pop stars and electronic-leaning producers like Diplo, Skrillex, Max Martin, Calvin Harris and, for better or worse, The Chainsmokers. With the mechanics of pop ever-changing, itвЂ™s hard to pinpoint exactly what pop вЂњisвЂќ. They havenвЂ™t so much as crossed over into the pop sphere as theyвЂ™ve adopted nuances of the genre to fit their own vibe. Through the lead single вЂњHard TimesвЂќ, weвЂ™re able to glean that Paramore has resolutely adopted this new sound. 2017вЂ™s After Laughter is oxymoronic in sound: the upbeat grooviness is palpable, but the lyrics, as with many Paramore songs, are sometimes downtrodden, this time touching on subjects such as depression, anxiety, grudges, and ultimatums. Now, returning four years after the success of their self-titled album, as well as WilliamsвЂ™ and guitarist Taylor YorkвЂ™s Grammy win for вЂњAinвЂ™t It Fun,вЂќ Paramore find themselves continuing to explore the scope and reaches of pop elements in their music, specifically synth-pop that first became popular in the 1980вЂ™s. Neither pessimism nor optimism at this point have much bearing in ParamoreвЂ™s bracket.

They might have abandoned the abrasive guitar-shredding and intrusive interrogatives of RIOT! for the bouncier, more vibrant sound of pop synths but, underneath, Paramore remain just as angsty as they were when lead singer Hayley Williams screamed how she would sing out when вЂњthey burn our houses downвЂќ. TheyвЂ™ve come a long way from the scene hair and pop-punk sensibility of All We Know Is Falling.

Paramore self titled album booklet