Paramore

With all the attention Paramore received for Riot!, in-group tension ensued. Fortunately, that tension manifested itself in one of 2009's strongest pop-punk albums. The members go through an exorcism of sorts, with producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day) helping them expel their frustrations both assertively ("Ignorance") and introspectively ("The Only Exception," "All I Wanted"). Hayley Williams, as aware of her own faults as she is of her parents', her crushes' and her bandmates', writes and sings with a conviction unmatched in the genre. Boys, you're totally getting beat by a girl.

Emo can be a gross mix of self-absorption and media savvy. Which is what makes the
naiveté of these tortured Tennesseans so likable. On 2007's platinum Riot!, they seemed to
be having actual fun playing their sharp, sheer mall punk. Produced by Rob Cavallo, the
follow-up has a whiff of Important Rock Statement: Singer Hayley Williams blazes TV
preachers, does some career-oriented stock-taking ("Looking Up") and even trie... More >