#and then we all brand it as yasss taylor

[genghisthebrain]

do you guys ever listen to songs and be like... are you okay... were you okay when you wrote this... has anyone checked up on you recently

i'm sorry but a sane person does not write "you're losing me" that's the kind of shit i write in my notes app at the lowest points of my life

[szopenhauer]

Have you ever seen a black rose? online only

Is your coffee machine plugged in right now? we don’t own one as we don’t drink coffee Do you write words on your knuckles? I tried few times for fun XD Have you ever been a SCUBA diver for Halloween? wtf Have you ever taken a picture of a sandwich? sure Have you ever seen elephant droppings? I haven’t  Would you like to visit Play Dough Land? :o What’s your opinion on Katy Perry? copycat Who was your favorite character from the cartoon Recess? Spinelli, then Gretchen

Have you ever lost your parents in the grocery store? yeah, I still do and I hate that  Have you drawn a star today? not today but when I was in hospital this week Are you older or younger than fifteen? much older If you can remember, what was the last thing that made you feel nostalgic? Recess being mentioned Are you the type of person who prefers to stay in or go out? stay in Do you plan on sleeping in tomorrow? yep Are you starting to realize anything? sigh... Would you live with someone without marrying them? why not Who was the last person you talked to in person? *mom enters my room*

Who were the last 3 males you talked to? dad and two doctors

If you have a pet, when did you last pet him/her? omg I realized I was so tired that I didn’t even say hello to my dog wtf... What genre is the song that you’re currently listening to? indiepop/electropop Does the person you love/like have a car? What colour is it? nope Have you ever received a compliment on anything you’re wearing? plenty of times Which word(s) do you generally use to describe someone attractive? (e.g. “fit”, “sexy” etc.) wow beautiful, pretty, attractive, cute, adorable, piękna, that she looks amazing/awesome/great, śliczna, urocza, słodka, cudowna...

*it reminds me of one very embarassing high school story: były wigilie klasowe i wyszliśmy rozbawieni z sali, a na korytarzu stała śliczna dziewczyna i na cały głos powiedziałam “ale laska” potem zorientowałam się co właśnie zrobiłam i robiąc facepalma wymaszerowałam ze szkoły, a za mną śmiejące się przyjaciółki, nie dały mi potem o tym długo zapomnieć, a E.W. nawet obczaiła kto to i próbowała się dowiedzieć, czy jest ona lesbą, ale okazało się, że ma chłopaka i demonstracyjnie całowała się z nim na moich oczach parę dni później Have you had any caffeinated beverages today? just water Have you eaten any chocolate today? What kind? I haven’t Name something you like, that starts with the letter ‘L’. lamps I’m not a moth tho :P When was the last time someone wanted you to do something, and you refused? not sure when was the last time and/or what it was about How many people have you hugged today? 2 Do you have a favourite hair colour or eye colour on your preferred sex? been really into very dark brown eyes and arm lenght or a bit shorter brown hair mostly like Rosa Salazar (latino and asian women) that’s why Sarah been so my type

but my biggest tumblr crush was Raquey Strange

and my youtube one - Rachel Maksy

*vintage ladies <3 The last song you listened to – does it remind you of anyone? it doesn’t remind me of anyone, it’s from K-12 album

What was the last compliment you received? mom complimented my hair today

Are you more prone to being the social butterfly, or the wallflower? wallflower

Would you rather go to a Katy Perry or Taylor Swift concert? none but Swift if I had to choose

What pattern do the sheets on your bed have? no pattern this time

What languages can you count to ten or higher in? englihs, polish, russian Where did you get the underwear you’re wearing? Auchan

Are you good in painting yopur nails with your left hand? not even with my right one lol Do you feel uncomfortable sharing drinks with other people? very Do you call any of your friends by their last name? that would be weird How long does it take you to get out of bed in the morning? long? Have either of your grandparents ever told you a sexual joke? I don’t recall Would you rather give up the computer or the TV? gave up TV Which room in your house tends to be the coldest in the winter time? bathroom Are you trying to grow out your hair? need to cut my hair but not bangs

How many times does the letter ’t’ occur in your full name? once

What brand is the shirt you’re wearing? I cut the tag but I believe I bought it in Sinsay First person you spoke to today? my mother Name of first boyfriend/girlfriend? dunno who to count First place you lived? same as currently Who was your 1st teacher? not counting pre school and Mrs. Alinka - my aunt  Last person to call you? labor office Last song you heard? Melanie Martinez - Bombs on Monday Morning Last thing you bought? silver glittery ugg slippers :3 Where was your facebook display photo taken? hospital How many people have you kissed in the last 2 weeks? nobody What were you doing at 10 this morning? waking up Have you ever dated an Emily? umm... How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 0 What is the weather like right now? perfect - hot, zephyr, clouds :D why am I not outside?... Where was the last place you went that was more than 30 minutes away? mall Something you wear all the time that you’d feel naked without? panties, unless I’m sleeping

Do you live within an hour of the ocean? not even sea Do you ever do things even though you know you’ll regret it later? sometimes I might :( What are you currently sitting/laying on? my desk chair Have you ever dated a friend of one of your siblings? no but I had a crush on one of them for a moment What do you plan to be doing 2 hours from now? eating? Have you ever been a clown for Halloween? not Halloween What time did you go to bed last night? early and immediately fallen asleep which never happens to me but I was so exhausted that I was falling on my face while I was blow drying my hair When was the last time it rained? yesterday or day before Have you ever made yourself throw up?  no way in hell When was the last time you went camping? middle school? Are you currently wearing anything orange? am not Do you know anyone who is a nurse? neighbor Would you prefer to own a lapdog or a bigger dog? lapdog Are you currently wearing any jewelry? nope Was any of it given to you? - What was the worst thing to happen to you today? health issues, annoying people, nothing new? Do you know anyone who plays guitar? I tried myself Did anyone tell you that you looked nice today? mentioned that in this survey so look above How many missed calls have you had today? two Did you graduate high school within the last 3 years? it’s been over 5 years  If not, will you graduate within the next 3 years? not applicable as you can see Which is coming next: Christmas or your birthday? Christmas Do you have any money on yourself at the moment? mhm Do you sleep in the nude? nope Do you ever walk around the house naked if no one is home? neither What is your favorite way to spend a cool autumn night? sleeping duh! Where was the last place you slept other than your house? hospital Do you have any big plans for the weekend? work in progress, we’ll see, deciding  How many relationships have you been in so far this year? like 1 Have you ever dated someone who had a child? pfft, I dislike kids so... Are you taller than 5'6"? I’m smol 

When was the last time you saw someone you went to high school with?: this year

How long have your parents been together (or how long were they together, if they no longer are): 30+ years

How long would it take you to walk to the nearest store?: ~10 minutes

How old were you when you got your first smartphone?: 25 or something

Have you ever had a parrot sit on your shoulder?: monkey for a second

Has anyone in your life ever treated you abusively?: majority of society

Do you like The Rolling Stones?: prefer Depeche Mode

What’s something you’ve been struggling with lately?: life

How old were you in 1996? 4

How old will you be in 2026? won’t live that long but 34 What song is playing? Mosimann & MARUV - Mon Amour

Are you better at math or art? art Science or History? science, I’m bad at remembering dates and names

Where did you go to pre-school, if you went at all? my town

Have you ever dated someone & then dated their sibling? I wouldn’t be able to do such a thing What do you think of the 1980’s? cool :) Is their anything living (plant, animal, etc) in your room right now? me and plants How old is the cellphone you have right now? couple years old What are your initials, using the last letter of each of your names? AA as I’m a woman - dodaj jedno A i będziemy anonimowymi alkoholikami

Are both your parents still living? they are  Can you do a handstand? used to Is it after 11am? it’s almost 5 pm What’s the longest time you’ve ever spent on the phone? talking or doing other stuff? How many pairs of brown shoes do you own? do I even own any?... Are you on any prescribed medications? plan to be sadly Would you ever or do you have a nose piercing? doubt it, thought about septum as a teenager but no longer want it

How many days until Christmas? months Is your mom over 50? she is  How old were you 7 years ago? 21 Do you know what ‘C'est la vie’ means? even tho I don’t know this language  Are you wearing anything red? leggings Do you live in an apartment? house Do you wish on dandelions? I blow them but don’t wish on them Are you drinking anything right now? I’m going to  About how tall is your father? taller than me Do you know anyone who has lived to be 100+? not personally Have you had your birthday yet this year? in February Do you read your horoscope on a regular basis? nah Do you like the color yellow? it’s one of my fav colors Are you an aunt or uncle? yes What is your hair like at the moment? fine What would you name be if your last name was the color of your shirt? Black If you could find out how you would die, would you want to know? yasss but what about date? Has anyone ever told you you should be a model? with my height? r u serious? Who is the artist/band you’re listening to at the moment? Boy Epic Is there a calendar in the room you’re in? pocket and poster type If you’re single, do you wish you were in a relationship? am in a relationship Were you born in the 1980’s? 90s What was your first favorite movie? animated Robin Hood with a fox and Jumanji also Goonies What was your first trip to the emergency room for? not counting being born too early - I was choking due to the fact I got wrong meds for my lungs, later I ended up in ER as an adult for stomachache (took me in an ambulance) Where was the first place you went today? store What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up? dream that I had Do you remember the first time you spent the night away from home? grandma’s apartment but not exact night as I was just a child What was the last movie you rented? I srsly can not remember Why did you last get angry? neighbor is mowing grass... every single day for whole day long How long ago was your last birthday? half year ago Do you enjoy helping people move or do you not like it? I’ve never helped anyone move 

Have you been taking more or less surveys as of recently? less as I was absent

[oh-star-how-the-mighty-fall]

After Laughter review

Warning: Obvious spoilers ahead, so be wary if you have yet to listen to Paramore’s new album!

At long last, Paramore has released record number five, titled “After Laughter”. Hayley explains, “After Laughter is about the look on people’s faces when they’re done laughing. If you watch somebody long enough, there’s always this look that comes across their face when they’re done smiling, and I always find it really fascinating to wonder what it is that brought them back to reality. So, that’s what After Laughter is.” I think that’s pretty cool.

Any Paramore fan knows all about the hard times that the band has been through over the years (yes, pun intended). So, it’s not any wonder why 90% of the lyrics on this new album are quite heavy on the dejected side. Personally, I love how honest Hayley was about her feelings and emotions while writing the lyrics, and isn’t afraid to show it on this record. She has always written honest, raw, emotional lyrics about the tough moments in her life and in their band. All We Know Is Falling was mainly about Jeremy quitting for a while, while Brand New Eyes was largely about the tension between the Farros and the rest of the band. Writing After Laughter about Jeremy’s second departure from Paramore, and the subsequent lawsuit, only makes sense.

I thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition of Hayley’s emotional lyrics and Taylor’s (and, on some songs, Zac’s), often upbeat compositions. It keeps the album from being far too depressing. The beats and riffs are catchy and easy to tap your feet to, which I love. I can picture myself dancing to the live versions of these songs (especially now that we know that a US tour is indeed happening soon!)

And now, a track-by-track breakdown. Please note that I am not a musician, so if you want detailed opinions about Taylor’s intricacies, talk to someone who knows more about that. I’m just your average music lover. I don’t even know if my personal ratings (out of ten) are accurate to how I feel about the song. You’ll notice that nothing here is a perfect ten. I’ve always had difficulty assigning a perfect score when people ask me to fill out ratings on surveys, so the same applies here. Maybe there is always room for improvement. Or maybe I just don’t know how to rate things properly. Shrug.

But I digress. So, without further ado…

Track #1: Hard Times Walking around/With my little rain cloud/Hanging over my head/And it ain't coming down Rating: 7/10

Ahh, our first foray into the After Laughter era. I knew to keep an open mind when I first heard that Paramore would be going in a different direction with their new music. No more hard hitting, heavy guitar riffs (at least we will always have their older pop-punk material to satisfy that craving). And sure enough, this track’s opening line is played on steel drums. I remember turning to my fellow P-more fan friend at this part, joking, “are we in Jamaica?!”. I’ve heard people say, before the album came out, that this was quite a departure from their usual sound. And at first, I agreed. But after a few more listens, I realized that it actually isn’t that much different - sound-wise - from, say, Ain’t It Fun. It sounds different enough where it’s certainly no Ignorance (or even Riot!’s heavier b-side, Decoy), but it’s still got that familiar hard drum line (oh how I’ve missed Zac’s drumming) and a recognizable Paramore riff. Sure, it’s a bit more 80s than anything they’ve ever done before, a quality that’s reiterated in their music video, but who says that’s a bad thing? Got to love the reference to “Don’t you ever wonder how we survived” in Monster (intentional or not, just something I noticed), made in Hard Times’ lyric, “And I still don’t know how I even survive”. I LOVE when bands reference their older songs in lyrics. Might be a big reason why I loved Part II so much. PS, can we also talk about that last final shot of Taylor awkwardly walking off-screen in the Hard Times music video? I rate that an eleven out of ten.

Track #2: Rose-Colored Boy I want you to stop/Insisting that I'm not/A lost cause/‘Cause I've been through a lot/Really all I've got/Is just to stay pissed off/If it's all right by you Rating: 8/10

This song opens with a cheerleader-esque chant, “low key, no pressure, just stay with me and my weather”. I have to admit that I’m not the hugest fan of that little part. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Maybe it’s a bit too cheerleader-y. However, the rest of the song is quite solid. Hayley put a bit of attitude in her vocals on this one, especially on the mini runs (“And oh, I’m so annoyed”). That, along with her lyrics, perfectly conveys the frustration upon meeting someone who is just. So. Damn. Sunny. Like, come on, not everything in life is sunshine and rainbows (add in an eye-roll). We’ve all been there: we are in a funk. We want nothing more than to go home, pull down the shades to complete darkness, and wallow in our rotten mood. But oh, no, of course we have to see the one person who makes it his personal mission to pep everyone up. Take off those damn glasses, man. But the melody is happy and upbeat…again with the confusing juxtaposition, which I find such a clever disguise. Also, I saw a graphic floating around Tumblr that compared the lyrics in the bridge, “You say my eyes are getting too dark now”, to Hate To See Your Heart Break’s, “I hate to see your eyes get darker as they close”. Again, it might not have been intentional (or maybe it was, because there are several more references sprinkled throughout this record), but either way, yasss.

Track #3: Told You So I know you like/When I admit that I was wrong and you were right/At least I try/To keep my cool when I'm thrown into a fire Rating: 8/10

When this song came out before the album’s release, I loved it (and still do). At first, I loved it just as much as Hard Times (which, was a lot). But then, I started to find myself playing it more than Hard Times. Not to say I disliked Hard Times, but out of the two early-released songs, I prefer this one. I love the music video as well (great job writing and directing, Zac!). In this article, it explains, “He based it on the band’s car rides after recording sessions in L.A. ‘Zac noticed that my anxiety and overall state was just a lot more peaceful on those drives,’ lead singer Hayley Williams told The FADER, ‘and mentioned to me that it made him happy to see me rest for a moment. It means a lot that they conceptualized a video around a passing moment we had as friends.’” Oh, my heart.

The music is so catchy, especially with the use of a xylophone (watch the video the band posted on social media of Taylor recording that part, if you haven’t already). And the intricate guitar riffs during the pre-chorus of “I hate to/say I told you so/but they love to/say they told me so”…and during the chorus (“say they/say they/told me”)? Wow. Major heart eyes, Taylor.

Track #4: Forgiveness And I don't pick up when you call/‘Cause your voice is a gun/Every word is a bullet hole/Shot a hole in the sun Rating: 8/10

This track is one of my favorites. Hayley’s voice is SO on point here. I love the vocal melodies she wrote in the verses, and how the beat isn’t constant. The beat between “another heart attack” and “if I lay on the floor” are shorter than the others. Does that make sense? (See? I told you I’m not a musician!) But if you’re following me, then maybe you’ll agree that it makes this song more interesting. I like how the vocal melody is simple but still catchy. The harmonies are great too.

Track #5: Fake Happy You think I'll look alright with these mascara tears?/See I'm gonna draw my lipstick wider than my mouth/And if the lights are low they'll never see me frown Rating: 9/10

This one might be my absolute favorite on the record. The opening verse starts off slowly drawn out with a simple guitar, and an effect on her voice that makes it sound like it’s coming through speakers. And then the beat picks up, and wow. The bass lines on this track might be one of my favorites (shout out to JMJ!). The lyrics are so sad, because they seem the most real to me: during the self-titled era, the band put quite a bit of emphasis on the fact that they were doing much, much better after the drama with Josh several years prior. However, now that we’ve heard this song….we have to ask ourselves: was that all a ruse? It seems so. The line in the bridge, “I know I said that I was doing good and that I’m happy now” seems like a direct reference to their Self-Titled Deluxe released demo, Tell Me It’s Okay (“tell me it’s okay to be happy now/because I’m happy now”). So now that they once again assure us that they’re better now (in part two of the Zane Lowe interview), are they really? We might never know. By the way, the teacher side of me can’t help but cringe at the incorrect grammar in the bridge. But okay, for you, Paramore, I will let that slide. Something something, “artistic license”. (I will bite my tongue to keep from pointing out that the word “well” would have totally fit fine).

My favorite part of this track may be the chorus. It seems to be the most upbeat song on the album, perhaps the most danceable. It may be a strange thing to dance along to such a catchy song while simultaneously singing, “Oh please don't ask me how I've been/Don’t make me play pretend/Oh no, oh what's the use?/Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too”. Again with the confusing rollercoaster of emotions this band is putting us on….

Track #6: 26 Reality will break your heart/Survival will not be the hardest part/It’s keeping all your hopes alive/When all the rest of you has died/So let it break your heart Rating: 8/10

The first time I heard this song, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a finger-picked guitar-centric ballad. True ballads like these are somewhat rare for Paramore; I can count on one hand the number of slow songs that they have (Misguided Ghosts, In The Mourning, Hate To See Your Heart Break, am I missing any? The Only Exception picks up at the end, so I’m not including it in this list). My point is, this song is gorgeous. Apparently, Hayley was just waiting for Taylor to send her a finger-picked ballad like this. That makes two of us, Hayles. As for the lyrics, when I listened to them the first few times, I was sad, but it took about four or five listens before I unexpectedly started tearing up (same thing happened with Tell Me How, but more on that later). I believe that was thanks to the combination of the lyrics and the dejected but beautiful manner in which Hayley sings the song (but really…her voice though. Damn.). Yet another reference to an older song, Brick By Boring Brick, is made in 26 with the lyric “after all wasn’t I the one who said/keep your feet on the ground”. I love that. Also, I would be remiss in not mentioning one of my favorite parts about this song: the strings. Oh, God, the strings. I am a sucker for the brilliant use of strings in a slow song (I blame Copeland for that). On this song, the swelling violins (and probably other instruments? Viola? Cello? Someone more knowledgable, please help a girl out) do a wonderful job of ripping out your heartstrings (ha, ha) and mushing them haphazardly back into your body. The feeeeeels.

Also, I heard two brilliant covers of this song from some mega-talented Paramore fans, and it didn’t help my heart any. Major ouch.

Track #7: Pool And I wonder is it better to get it over with?/The illusion can shatter before we begin Rating: 8/10

After the emotional experience of 26, we’re back to upbeat songs. What a relief! Pool is After Laughter’s resident love song. The lyrics are interesting because they correctly describe the reality that any relationship - not just romantic, but also platonic and familial - is usually something that at times brings you both immense joy AND heartbreak. Taylor said in the Zane Lowe interview, “It’s always the coolest thing about hearing what Hayley writes. She’s being honest. There are so many love songs that say, hey man, everything is perfect and beautiful, and everything about you is awesome and this is all great. But Hayley always writes for the people who can’t relate to that, and they’re saying, man, I love this person, but I am dark, and this feels dark. And I always love that because that’s real. With songwriting, we’ve all figured out that it’s not always the things that you want to communicate, or you want to come out. It’s the things that need to.” Right on the nose with that one, T. It’s quite interesting to compare the sentiments of Pool to Paramore’s other love songs, such as Still Into You and The Only Exception. This seems to be the more grown-up version of those songs. The honeymoon period is over, and Pool seems to be the result of what comes next.

Right off the bat, I love the sound of the bells. It’s something that I don’t really ever think I’ve heard in a song, and it gives it a nice touch. Paramore is certainly experimenting with new sounds this time around, and I’m totally here for it.

Track #8: Grudges I know you're shaking my hand like it is the first time/Are we alright?/Are you recounting all my faults?/And are you racking your brain just to find them all?/Could it be that I’ve changed or did you? Rating: 6/10

Grudges is one of my least favorite songs on the album. That’s not to say that I outright dislike it; I like every song on the album. But something about this track just doesn’t quite do it for me like the others do. Zac had a hand in writing this song, but I know that that’s not the reason why it’s one of my least favorites. I mean, have you heard his other band HalfNoise? If not, check out French Class or Know the Feeling. Zac is a great songwriter. I think one of the reasons why I don’t love this song is that it seems like the lyrics are crammed into the verses, and they don’t seem to fit as seamlessly. I do enjoy the actual content of the lyrics, however, and I’m glad that they wrote a song about welcoming Zac back into the band. Plus, hearing Zac himself sing in the bridge was a treat; his voice is quite good (again, listen to HalfNoise). I’m happy that he’s back in the band, and in an article, he says that the Farros’ departure in 2010 had more to do with Josh than Zac, which I figured. Anyway, back to the song: the chorus is catchy, and I admit that I found it stuck in my head on more than one occasion, but overall, I prefer other songs on the album to this one.

Track #9: Caught In the Middle Nostalgia's cool, but it won't help me now/A dream is good, if you don't wear it out Rating: 6/10

Caught In the Middle is another one of my least favorites, but again, I don’t dislike it. In fact, I don’t think Paramore is capable of writing a song that I outright disfavor. The song seems a bit elementary to me, if that makes any sense. I do enjoy some parts of the song, such as the lyrics in the bridge, “I don’t need no help/I can sabotage me by myself” (which, by the way, always reminds me of Twenty One Pilots for some reason. I don’t know their music well, but it just seems like a vocal melody that they would write). The bass line in the chorus makes it feel like we’re in Jamaica again.

Track #10: Idle Worship Oh, it's such a long and awful lonely fall/Down from this pedestal/That you keep putting me on Rating: 8/10

Idle Worship, aka: the closest thing to a rap song that Paramore’s ever done. I haven’t seen Hamilton, but Idle Worship makes me think of Lin Manuel Miranda. I’ve heard a few of the musical’s songs, and Idle Worship’s verses remind me of it. Will any Ham fans agree with me? Upon first listen, I wasn’t sure what to make of this song. The verses seemed a little frantic. However, as I sat with it, I came to really enjoy it. The chorus is strong, and the lyrics are creative. My favorite lyrics are probably, “Remember how we used to like ourselves?/What little light that's left/We need to keep it sacred/ know that you're afraid to/Let all the dark escape ya/But we could let the light illuminate these hopeless places”. Brilliant. Also, speaking of brilliant, Taylor explains in the Zane Lowe interview that the sound that opens the song is actually a modified sample of a real-life sound that results from the wind vibrating through a metal grate atop a skyscraper in Manchester, England, called the Beetham Tower. Who thinks of these things? Oh, that’s right. Taylor York. Raise your hand if you’d like to live in his brain for a day just to see the kinds of genius things that pass through it. *Raises both hands enthusiastically*.

Track #11: No Friend I’m no savior of yours, and you’re no friend of mine Rating: 8/10

No Friend is the first and only time that Paramore has invited a guest vocalist to sing on their record (not counting the Self-Titled Deluxe cd…sorry, Joy Williams, but the deluxe wasn’t an official studio release). Since Hayley is completely absent from this track, you wouldn’t even know it’s a Paramore song if you hadn’t heard it on the album. I will be the first to admit that I am not a big mewithoutYou fan. I can appreciate their talent as musicians, but their often post-hardcore music isn’t in line with my tastes. However, Aaron Weiss’ spoken word on No Friend combined with Taylor’s composition just…works. It’s definitely the most interesting song on the album, what with Aaron’s vocals being very low in the mix, to the point where it’s difficult to hear what he’s saying (but thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can look it up). Aaron and Hayley apparently co-wrote the lyrics, and though I don’t know who wrote what, I will say that these lyrics are the most clever and deep on the entire album. “So throw your pedestal of stone in the forgetful sea/As protection from the paper-thin perfection/You project on me.” And again with the references to their older songs. I won’t put them all here; consider it a scavenger hunt of sorts. I also quite enjoy the way the instruments slowly fade out at the end until all that’s left is Aaron telling a story about accidentally grabbing a bear in a river.

Track #12: Tell Me How Of all the weapons you fight with/Your silence is the most violent Rating: 8/10

I’ve decided that as much as I LOVE Paramore’s heavy pop-punk guitar riffs, I’m always here for a P-more ballad that isn’t afraid to stir some real emotion inside you. Like 26, this track randomly hit me several listens into it, when I suddenly found myself with goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. Whew, my heart hurts just thinking about it. Are we to assume that this song is about Jeremy? “I know you think that I erased you/You may hate me but I can't hate you/And I won't replace you” suggests that notion to me. They were friends for a very long time, and after all they’ve been through over the years, despite what’s happening right now between them, I can’t imagine they’d just cut him out of their lives, just like that. Paramore is resilient, and no stranger to drama, and it makes them stronger artists for it. I think they needed to write this album, and get some things off their chest, and I don’t doubt that in a couple of years, maybe after this whole thing blows over, they’ll reconcile with Jerm just like they did with Josh. Only time will tell. But Tell Me How manages to twist your heart with its honesty and desperation, and accompanied with the simple piano in the beginning, just really fits.

So there we have it. Track by track, more or less my thoughts. I could have gone into more detail about each individual song, but I think honestly, most of them speak for themselves. This album is really solid…and I’m not just saying that as an obvious Paramore fan; the lyrics and mood of the album are very truthful, and I consider it akin to a diary of their life as they’re living it now. Like I mentioned earlier, we as fans of the band are all too aware of the current unfortunate situation they’re faced with, and we each have our own individual opinions about it, but I feel like few bands would let us take this deep of a look at just how much they are (or were) hurting. They’re not wearing a mask anymore. Their self-titled album was all about how much better their lives were, and now after hearing After Laughter, we realize that it was mostly just a facade. Many people hide their emotions; it’s human nature. But to let those walls down and expose the extent of your pain is a very vulnerable thing to do, which is why I’m grateful that this band trusts us enough with this album.

Overall, my favorite tracks are (and this is subject to change at any moment) Fake Happy, Forgiveness, and 26. My least favorite songs are Grudges and Caught In the Middle. But all in all, I very much enjoy the album as a whole. I’ve listened to it, from start to finish, way too many times to count, and I’m no where near done. Thank you, Paramore, for releasing this gem. I’m proud to call myself a fan and thankful that you haven’t given up on yourselves, or on your Parafamily. I hope you never will.