Riot! Review.

So, today was the OFFICIAL release date of Paramore's long awaited (at least on my behalf) sophomore album. Though I've had access to the album for at least the past week (thanks to FBR+) I did make my way to best buy today to get one copy and purchased another on ITunes. I have yet to get the copy from hot topic, but I'll get on that asap. Anyway, it's basically one of the most mind blowing albums I've heard in a long time. Hayley's voice has matured a lot more (despite what some people have said about her not really belting out notes like she did on their first album, All We Know Is Falling); it's stronger, fuller, more consistent, and more captivating. While she may not be "showing her full potential" on all tracks, it makes songs such as Hallelujah (which by the way is tweaked a little bit from the first version, and now A LOT more powerful with the louder drums in the beginning), Let The Flames Begin, Miracle, and We Are Broken that much more amazing. The saying says that it's not optimal to have too much of a good thing, and Hayley's versatile vocals on this album just adhere perfectly to that statement. As for Josh, his guitar-ing has definitely progressed a lot and we are hearing a lot more than just the same power chords that characterized the tracks on AWKIF. The riffs and chords on Riot are both more complicated and catchy and add a new dimension to Paramore's music. As for Jeremy, I read in an interview that he's using a pick now for his bass, and while I'm no expert on bass but he's definitely ripping it SICK(er) on Riot. And Zac's drumming... well songs like Let The Flames Begin, Fences, and Misery Business say it all; his drumming has improved ten fold, and the album wouldn't be as awesome as it is without the ridiculously amazing beats providing a backbone to each song. To tie all four members together, the gang vocals which are featured on many tracks (my favorite being on That's What You Get), really just add that nice final touch to each song--that extra spark.Most importantly, Riot's lyrics have seriously shown how much Hayley and Josh have grown as musicians. AWKIF was honest, but Riot's brutally honest; the tracks touch deeper, more mature subjects, and each song is more than just a series of catchy choruses strung together. My favorite tracks thus far (I have yet to really listen to any of the bonuses in depth) are Miracle, crushcrushcrush, That's What You Get, and When It Rains (which gets better every time I listen to it). There's something about When It Rains that puts knots in my chest, makes my heart beat a little faster, and makes me feel like my tear ducts are going to well up. Suffice to say, this album just really hits home with me, and I feel like just how AWKIF provided a soundtrack to my senior year, this album will and does provide a soundtrack applicable to my life...things from the past, in the present, and undoubtedly for the future. Life's just one giant story and I love having Paramore along for the ride. Anyway, I'm just so proud of these guys and Riot is definitely going to give them that extra lift to turn more heads and get the attention they've deserved since AWKIF.If you haven't heard of Paramore before, buy the album. If you still need a little more reason to buy it (though I'm not sure why you would), try listening to songs "Born For This" or "crushcrushcrush" for just a taste of who they are.If you have heard of Paramore, and still don't have Riot, I don't even know why you're still reading this post--You should either be on Itunes or at your local record store getting a copy (or two, or three, or four).