Keep Calm Roundtable: Record Store Day 2014 Discussion

Here at Keep Calm and Carry On, we've all taken a more elevated interest in collecting, listening to, and learning more about the apparent resurgence of vinyl records, both within the scene we cover and on a broader scale throughout today’s music landscape. The intimacy of setting up your speakers, player, and actually listening through an entire album can be something we grow too busy or too lazy to do, but when you make the type of investment collectors new and old are making, it can become a very fulfilling and ever-evolving hobby. This resurgence of vinyl has been anchored in the culture of the scene by an event that takes place once a year at independent record stores around the country.

We are, of course, talking about Record Store Day. Held on the third Saturday of April (which is coming soon!), Record Store Day began in 2007 as a way to support independent music stores, which have taken significant blow after significant blow after the advent of illegal downloads sent the music sales business back to  square one. This event is highlighted by artists and record labels putting out exclusive releases (for vinyl and CD collectors alike), and only selling them through a network of independent stores. This celebration has only gained momentum in the recent years, and that upward trajectory seems poised to continue long into the future, thanks to the continued resurgence of vinyl as a way to consume and listen to music. (If you’d like to learn more about record store day, follow this link.)

With artists like Bayside, Chiodos, Circa Survive, and many others releasing rare collectible vinyl for this year’s event, and due to the group’s heightened interest and awareness of the festivities, Keep Calm is celebrating this year’s Record Store Day by holding our second-ever roundtable to highlight what we’re looking for, and other releases that you should definitely check out!

Album Review: Paramore- Self-Titled

It has been almost four years now since brand new eyes came out, Paramore has lost two founding members. Along with the Farro brothers went a great deal of their marketability and good portion of the band’s songwriting talent. But bands go through hardships all the time; the key is how they respond to them. In some ways, Paramore had to be self-titled, a culmination of all the things that the band had to traverse just to release it. When the band was asked why they decided to self-title it by 92.3 NOW, they responded, “I feel like it's not only reintroducing the band to the world, but even to ourselves ... By the end of it, it felt like we're a new band." That reintroduction is evidenced by the band’s most wide-ranging pop-rock album ever, the different styles of which lead to varying degrees of success.

The album leads off with two heavily electronic-influenced songs. Producer Justin Meldal-Johnson, who has made a name for himself as the bassist for Nine Inch Nails as well as producing albums for bands such as M83 and Neon Trees, is familiar with the electronic-industrial elements in production. The result is most evidenced by the album’s early tracks.

The opener, “Fast In My Car” seems to be channeling a more aggressive version Metric, with vocalist Hayley Williams singing the song’s melodies in a way that is textbook Emily Haines (I will have more on that later). “Now,” on the other hand, adds a heavily effected vocal melody to a dizzyingly average instrumental backing to create one of the worst songs in the band’s history.  It’s an incredibly intriguing and, in my opinion, erroneous decision for Paramore to start the album in this fashion. The back to back positioning of the two songs deceptively sets the table for an album heavy on electronic effects. This is inefficient for what the album offers as a whole, which is a heavily diverse collection of pop songs featuring varied instrumentation.

“Ain’t It Fun” whose lyrical content seems to be addressing Williams’ former bandmates (“Ain’t it fun, living in the real world/ Ain’t it good, being all alone.”) combines an incredibly catchy beat/synth combo and syncopated marimba to create the most funky song Paramore has ever crafted. The song reaches its pop-perfection zenith however, when a full choir (complete with male and female soloist) kicks in after the song’s second chorus. The song is loads of fun, and is easily the most memorable of Paramore’s tracks

 Longtime fans of the band will find the closest equivalent to the band’s energetic pop-punk style of previous albums on “Anklebiters” and “Daydreaming”. “Anklebiters,” a barely two-minute long explosion of vitality bristles forward with dynamic gang chants and a pulsating punk-rock drum beat. Meanwhile, “Daydreaming” is a gorgeous track which brings forth a repeated lyrical theme of looking toward the future. “I’m gonna go, / where the rest of the dreamers go / daydreaming / all the time,” sings Williams, and the optimism is infectious.

Where the album’s tracks really stand out however is when they eschew the fast-paced tracks for more mid-tempo ballad-type songs. Previous albums had displayed that this was not Paramore’s strong suit. Despite “The Only Exception’s” success on radio, Paramore had previously proven to be more in their element in uptempo, driving pop-rock songs. However, this self-titled album displays a growing ability by Williams to take a more vulnerable tone in order to carry a mid-tempo ballad. The lilting chorus of “Hate to See Your Heart Break” puts this new layer of Hayley’s vocal ability on full display. The song is a tender introspection on heartbreak and longing, and it is guided by a beautifully-arranged string orchestra, which crescendos at the perfect moment of the song. The other ballad on the album, “Last Hope,” takes it cues from the former in its use of swells and crescendos. The track use of the chill-inducing chants of “Gotta let it happen,” repeated several times after the songs bridge, are a superb use of vocal layering which perfectly suits it.

The underrated instrumental performance of the year goes to drummer Ilan Rubin, who is not an official member of Paramore but recorded all the drum tracks on the album. Though Rubin may never get the credit he deserves for his stellar work on Paramore, the album wouldn’t be nearly the pop-rock powerhouse it is without him. His hard-driving beat and mammoth fills allow “Part II” to live up to its predecessor (“Let The Flames Begin” from Riot!) incredible pedigree, while carving its own niche. During the bridge of “Part II,” Rubin simulates the drum fill former drummer Zac Farro used to play in live performances of the original song, which would feature an extended outro. The little flare, certainly thrown in for longtime devoted fans of the band, is one that is much appreciated on an album that is so focused on the future.

Going into the album, my most anticipated track was the near-eight minute album closer “Future.” The song, at least in its essence does not disappoint. It builds from a simple acoustic guitar and vocal performance to a punishing climax, full of Silversun Pickups-esque bass fuzz and a three minute instrumental explosion. Unfortunately, a remarkably awkward fade-out, fade-back in combination approximately ¾ of the way through the song eliminates the effect of what could’ve otherwise been a powerfully emotional song. A more influential producer than Meldal Johnson would’ve been able to handle the weight of the song better. Meldal-Johnson also should have convinced the band to scrap the ukulele interludes, which do nothing to add to the overall thematic content of the album, and instead detract from the track-by-track flow. “Anklebiters” would transition tremendously well into the full track that follows it, “Proof,” which is vaguely reminiscent of Motion City Soundtrack’s “Can’t Finish What You Started.” Instead the electric charge that “Anklebiters” gives to the album is stifled by Williams, a ukulele, and the stunningly bad lyrics, “I’ve been saving money, / eating only top ramen” on “Holiday.”

Though Williams loves to say “Paramore is still a band,” the “band” is unequivocally reliant on her vocal delivery and lyrical firepower to have sustained success. Unfortunately, the problem with being a female-fronted pop-rock band is that female-fronted bands have more imitators than any other type of music. Williams should know this first hand with all the Paramore-clone types that have tried to sign with Fueled by Ramen since the band’s inception. While Hayley sometimes does attempt to imitate some of the most famous females who have taken vocalist duties- the aforementioned allusions to Emily Haines aside, comparisons could also be made to Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt on Paramore- her greatest successes come when she allows her voice to be a completely unique entity. The greatest example of this is on the bridge of second single “Still Into You,” as her vocals soar over all in one of the album’s most transcendent moments.

Bottom Line: With this self-titled release, Paramore has proven that they can be successful in writing a tremendous collection of pop-rock. Unfortunately the diversity of the track hampers the album’s consistency. Perhaps a tighter, less filler-full product (sans the first three tracks and the interludes) would’ve garnered the band a greater shot at putting together and album of the year contender. But as it stands, Paramore still features some of the band’s best songs, as well as Hayley Williams’ apex in terms of vocal performance, and for that the album deserves an abundance of praise. Paramore is an album about looking to the future for opportunities instead of dwelling on past mistakes, and in that way it is perfectly suited to being the self-titled album of Paramore’s career.

Key Tracks: “Ain’t It Fun”, “Still Into You”, “Hate To See Your Heart Break”

8.0/10

Recommendation for the Week, 10/17-10/23

Let me preface this week by saying that I hate Taylor Swift. I hate how quickly she's risen to the top of the pop music world, I hate that stupid song she wrote about Kanye that she performed at the 2010 VMAs, and I hate that she's somehow still considered a country artist. Her "I'm the underdog/girl next door" image is so outplayed that it makes me sick. We get it, Taylor: you speak for kids who are normal, just like you want them to think you are. Whatever.

As much as I hate T-Swift, there is something I respect her for: the introduction of the concept of "our song." This was brought to my attention by her song "Our Song" (such an original title, right? she's so unique), which came up with the concept of a couple using a song to personify their relationship. Whether or not the couple lasts, its likely they'll think of each other whenever that song is played. Personally, I think it's just another romantic movie cliche to fill teenage girls' heads with expectations men will never (and I mean never) be able to fill, so I tried to avoid the "our song." But regardless of how bitter and jaded I am, there are still plenty of couples out there who like to do adorable things and make single people sick to their stomachs, and I have a playlist ready for those couples searching for their song, and here they are:

10. Train- "Hey, Soul Sister": There are so many reasons for people to hate this song, and there are just as many couples that love it uncontrollably. How Train were able to beat everyone to the punch and write this simple, ukulele-driven song, and took over the airwaves in early 2010 is still beyond me. Its relevance lasted long into the summer, as many couples undoubtedly sucked face for countless hours listening to "Hey, Soul Sister" on repeat. If you were single in 2010, you were likely miserable, and Train's career-solidifying smash surely didn't make matters any better.
Mushyest Line: "Your sweet moonbeam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream."

9. Paramore- "The Only Exception": While I will never be coy about my love for Hayley Williams, I will say that I thought I caught on to her songwriting technique: she loves to play the jaded girl. Whether she's singing about her hatred for boys ("Here We Go Again"), other girls ("Misery Business"), and even her own bad decisions ("That's What You Get"), Hayley's always played the angry girl who's ready to take the world by storm with her band. But on Paramore's 2009 release brand new eyes, Hayley threw us all a curveball in the form of "The Only Exception." And while there's still a hint of bitterness laced in the verses, Williams provides her most uplifting chorus of the band's young career, and united a few couples in the process.
Mushyest Line: "You are the only exception, and I'm on my way to believing it."

8. We the Kings- "Check Yes Juliet": We the Kings is one of those bands who I never saw the appeal for. To me, they've always been BoysLikeGirls's little brothers, writing songs about half as catchy and, quite frankly, half as good as those found on any BLG album. But for one shining moment, WtK rose above the shadow of BoysLikeGirls to make "Check Yes Juliet," one of the more underrated pop-rock songs to be released in the last five years. Its chorus is one of the catchiest you'll find, and it's as cute as the first batch of Beanie Babies.
Mushyest Line: "Check yes, Juliet, I'll be waiting, wishing, wanting, yours for the taking."

7. The Years Gone By- "Stay Close": You likely have no idea who The Years Gone By are, and that needs to change. The band caught a bad rep by signing to scenecore label Rise Records and didn't get the right amount of publicity for their awesome debut release Forever Comes too Soon. "Stay Close" was a standout track from that album, as it was one of many that plucked at couples' heartstrings. While other songs like "Tear Down the Stars" and "You Might as Well Be in Space" are prime cuts for "our song" material, it's "Stay Close" that has the most undeniable catchiness, and can also be used as the definitive The Years Gone By track.
Mushyest Line: "I don't ever want to wake up without you by my side. I don't ever want to have to fill those shoes. And I'll just hope you stay close."

6. Yellowcard- "Light Up the Sky": While "Ocean Avenue" has its cuteness cemented in the hearts of many, let's not forget that its a song about a lost summer romance. That's why "Light Up the Sky" is my selection for Yellowcard's best couples' song. The chorus is nearly as soaring as "Ocean Avenue," and the bridge keeps the heart in the song like no other. Yellowcard recently reformed after a few-year hiatus, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a set of theirs without "Light Up the Sky," and you'll be sure to see it on facebook statuses of boyfriends and girlfriends for a long time to come.
Mushyest Line: "How will we know if we just don't try? We won't ever know. Let me light up the sky, light it up for you."

5. This Providence- "My Beautiful Rescue": If you look over the Fueled by Ramen Records roster, you'll see the likes of Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Gym Class Heroes, and Panic! at the Disco. However, you'll also find the often-overlooked This Providence, who write some of the simplest, cutest songs this side of Colbie Callait. Only problem is, they're probably the band that has generated the least amount of revenue for the label, and therefore haven't been given the shot at the mainstream they rightfully deserve. One of the best examples of This Providence's radio-ready bubble-gum pop anthems is "My Beautiful Rescue." Driven by an acoustic guitar, the ultimate instrument of love, the song simply personifies the beginnings of a beautiful relationship, and is still a song I go back to when I'm in a good mood to this day.
Mushyest Line: "I'm falling more in love with every single word you say. I'm falling head over heels for you."

4. The Dangerous Summer- "Where I Want to Be": When you play Reach for the Sun, the debut album from The Dangerous Summer, from front to back, your ears are first blessed with "Where I Want to Be," the band's stellar proof that though The Starting Line are gone, there are plenty of bands left to carry the torch of pop-punk, and The Dangerous Summer seem to have a firm grip on the torch. "Where I Want to Be" is a bonifide single that combines heartfelt lyrics with precise musicianship and an honesty that isn't found in the pop-punk scene too often.
Mushyest Line: "You are my song, and you are where I want to be."

3. The Starting Line- "Island": There is simply no way I can mention bands who carry the torch after The Starting Line without mentioning the original torchbearers themselves. While TSL are most well-known for their smash single "Best of Me," its "Island" that gets credit for being it's best couples' song. The chorus is quick to get stuck in your head, while Kenny Vasoli's nasally voice sings the lyrics bands like Mayday Parade and Every Avenue, and maybe even Fall Out Boy wished they could have written first.
Mushyest Line: "If we survive, get out alive, I'd like to say how beautiful I think you are. Just keep a hold of me, don't let go."

2. Dashboard Confessional- "Hands Down (Acoustic)": Alright, I'm sure when the theme of the week was introduced, most people's minds automatically went to Chris Carraba's bleeding heart. Dashboard Confessional is the arena into which that bleeding heart flows, and it took a turn for the romantic on his breakthrough single "Hands Down." And while many people know about the full-band version, its the acoustic version that Carraba's emotion shines through and creates a more relatable atmosphere to the song. "Hands Down" has become the perfect first date song, and has the potential to define relationships long after Carraba stops letting us in on his deepest emotions.
Mushyest Line: "My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury, whichever you prefer."

1. Amber Pacific- "Poetically Pathetic": While they parted ways with vocalist Matt Young (and all of their relevancy with him) years ago, Amber Pacific are simply the band to play to impress/flatter your partner, bringing them to tears in the best way possible. This is not an appreciation of "Poetically Pathetic," however; rather, it is a celebration of the band's many classics, like "Always You," "Summer (In B)" and "Save Me From Me." Any of those gems belonged in this list, but its "Poetically Pathetic" that shines through as the band's standout track, and couples eat it up like chocolates on Valentine's Day. It's cheesy, it's catchy, and the only way you can relate to it is if you find that special someone to share it with. You've likely seen the lyrics in a facebook status or two by now, and there are so many adorable lines that you've probably been able to piece the entire song together, but it wouldn't be fair to AmPa to not pay my respects to the cutest song I've ever heard.
Mushyest Line: "If it were you and me tonight, I would tame the stars, and save the brightest one for you."

As I make all of these recommendations each week, I start by listing all of the songs that come to my mind when I think of the certain theme. The list I made for this week's was by far the longest I've made. There were so many great songs that were left off, so many debates I had with friends as to which songs were included for which band. It's certainly a topic that's open to suggestion, and I would love it if you left your mushy, cute, and lovey-dovey songs in the comments. Let's get this love boat a-floatin'!