levitation

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that this was the direction Paramore are taking. Their self-titled album was the perfect balance of pop and rock and this album veers even further into pop. In the end, while none of the moments in the album remind me of the old reasons why I love Paramore, it is still one tight pop record. The main focal point in this album is the juxtaposition of their poppy and bouncy sound to their dark and depressive lyrics. It is a little confounding, but maybe ... read more

This record is a lot more accessible than I thought it would be. Everything is just ace here - it's romantic, grand, otherworldly. The album does lose its footing a little towards the end with the slower songs, but the slowest of them all, "Alan" is one heck of a paean that beautifully ties up this album.

What makes Father John Misty such a hit is his lyrics - how sardonic and laughingly honest they are. Together with the baroque production of "I Love You, Honeybear", it is one thrill of a ride. Sadly, that has been stripped off this round. Though the lyrics may still pack a punch, the mellow production brings a layer of seriousness to this. It either makes you think doubly hard about how his lyrics reflect the world we live in, or how painfully pretentious they are. A lot of times, it ... read more

The album is chock-full of potential pop radio hits, but they all sound way too similar - you feel like you're listening to the same song over and over, though they might sound great on the radio, by itself. Dua's unique voice is the star here, at least. At times it might sound like you're listening to P!nk, and it begs you to wonder if her voice and music can be taken to different places than this.