Paramore's RIOT Still Holds Up... Some 19 Years Later

A little background on my relationship to this album:

It originally released in 2007. I would have been around 17 at that time - a junior in high school who desperately wanted to be edgy, alternative, and cool. But my family wouldn't really allow that, at least not the the full extent that I desired. I had find ways around their obstacles to express my inner edgequeen. 

So, my musical staples were pretty much the few Evanescence CDs I managed to get my hands on, my local alternative radio station, and doing homework for or paying a few bucks to a classmate to burn a mix CD with the playlist of my choosing. These were also the days where we'd burn CDs for people in our friend groups to introduce them to our preferred musical tastes. 

I had one acquaintance in my friend circle who was an enjoyer of indie music. We're talking the type of guy who's tastes would somewhat shape the concept of hipsters. Mr. I'm not a fan of mainstream music. "I liked this band before they were cool" type shit. 

Anyway, for whatever reason, I really looked up to his musical and artistic pretension. Don't get me wrong; he was nice enough to me. But just super pretensions about his media lol. And he had a right to be in all fairness. 

So he burned a mix CD for me. God, I wish I'd managed to hold onto it. It had some fantastic tracks and was seminal in shaping and maturing my music tastes. One of which was 'Misery Business.'

I would have driven the song into the ground if that particular track were a car. I listened on the school bus, in my room when I could access a CD a player... on repeat. I wouldn't hear the full album until I was in college with regular access to library desktops with no time limits. I downloaded almost every track onto my Zune with a few exceptions. 

How RIOT holds up today... 

Those few exceptions are part of the reason the album still holds. I guess I just didn't relate to them in my youth. But I found the full CD album at Walmart the other week and couldn't resist adding it to my small collection. 

Yesterday, I played it in full while tidying the house. I listed the tracks and my thoughts below:

1. 'For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic:' We're dealing with a stubborn ex or soon-to-be-ex here. The upbeat, punky-pop melody contrasts the sharp lyrics and Williams' unapologetic vocals. It's intentionally repetitive as the singer tries to force the message into the listener's ear. It's a little on side of high-school drama, but we can all relate as adults when dealing with immature significant others. 

2. 'That's What You Get': This track has more mature lyrics with the same, edgy melodic vibe. It's a tale as old as time that follows us well into adulthood. Self-destructiveness, allowing steady relationships to fizzle while prioritizing a newer, more exciting one. You come to the same conclusion you had before but ignored for passion. 

3. 'Hallelujah': It's a comfortable lie we tell ourselves, especially as we age: we've got nothing but time on our hands. That one day, everything will magically make sense and we'll feel like we're right where we're supposed to be. Williams' vocals oscillate between gravelly punk to soaring, smooth wails. 

4. 'Misery Business': It's lyrically experimental and offers the instrumental edge we adore. Nothing less than a classic. Alas, this track aged the worst of them all, despite being my favorite of the album. Girl, ain't no way in hell I'm inserting myself into someone else's business or relationship at this big ass age. 

5. 'When It Rains': Ah, the ever-present and always-overlooked rock ballad. A pop-punk album is incomplete without it. This one deals with some heavy subject matter: the death of a friend. Whether the song's subject succumbed to mental illness, addiction, or a combination of the two remains unclear. But does it really matter? It's another place we've been: the mourning, the bargaining, the confusion. 

6. 'Let the Flames Begin': This track hit home for me in this day and age. "This is how we'll dance when, when they try to take us down... This is how we'll stand when, when they burn our houses down." It's defiance in the face of extreme adversity, finding resilience despite your weakened state. It's refusing to give up pieces of yourself when the powers that be demand you do so. 

7. 'Miracle': It's a refined YOLO anthem in a pop-punk outfit. Williams commands the listener to have faith, embrace and work on their brokeness, and keep moving forward no matter what. We could all use a dose of embracing growth and what we've got right now. 

8. 'Crushcrushcrush': The second single of the album is ironically the second track that didn't age as well lol. Like 'Misery Business,' it features experimental lyrics and that core punk-pop sound that's oh-so fun to rock out to. But it says little. 

9. 'We Are Broken': I hard-relate to this track, especially lately. Grieving the innocence that has left the spirit after years of adulthood and hardships gradually breaking it down. A plea to the Almighty for a return to a more whole, full existence. 

10. 'Fences': Extremely relevant for today's social culture! I know a lot of tracks like this from back in the day were predominantly about celebrity culture. But so much of that applies to the greater population of today, with filters, constantly posting one's life for the public to consume, and the perpetual hunt for agelessness - all while dodging the boundary creation that may actually help. 

11. 'Born for This': This track, again, was probably more about the music scene and industry of its time. But it makes me think of modern society's constant pressure to chase likes, engagement, and popularity through every avenue. You exchange authentic living when you join that rat race. "Everybody sing like it's the last song you will every sing." Let go and let live, for f*ck's sake. 

In a nutshell...

I only found two tracks to be immature and products of their time. Still, I'm sure younger folks in their teens and early twenties would find joy in 'Misery Business' and 'Crushcrushcrush', especially if they listen to the likes of Billie Eilish or Olivia Rodrigo. The rest of these songs still hold up to thirty-something millennial who's been going through it.