Album Review: Paramore - After Laughter

After Laughter leaves behind the teenage angst, signature red hair and bassist Jeremy Davis to start the next chapter of Paramore with '80s vibes and the return of drummer Zac Farro.

Hard Times brings the '80s guitar riffs with pop-rock beats that continue into freestyle-jam Told You So and joyful Rose-Colored Boy. Underneath the laughter lies heartbreak as Hayley Williams bares her soul lyrically in 26, Forgiveness and Tell Me How, not sugar-coating her feelings about losing friends, anxiety and fame, while the beats keep Fake Happy going. The dramatic change might not be welcomed by all Paramore fans, but give it a go.