Paramore’s self-titled fourth album slammed into first place on the iTunes charts the minute it was released on April 9. Fans have been waiting three years and they weren’t going to wait any longer.

“Paramore” is a potpourri of emotions and melodies; with 17 songs in total, the album presents a wide variety of themes including loneliness, freedom, love, the future, maturity and positivity. The band has kept their old rock gusto but has matured their sound even further thanks to frontwoman Hayley Williams’s endless vocal range and the band’s talent of combining sweeping melodies. Every song on this album makes the listener feel something.

“Fast In My Car” kicks the album off, and this track can make you dance in a heartbeat! Lyrics like “We’re driving fast in my car/we’ve got our riot gear on/but we just want to have fun” give the song an overall theme of freedom and carefree living. The guitar is pretty epic in this song and the beat is extremely contagious.

One of the most interesting concepts on this album is the inclusion of three interludes that split up the album into different sections. Each interlude has beautiful vocals provided by Williams and a ukulele playing the short tune. The lyrics are clear-cut and eloquently sung. I really admire Paramore for stepping out of their comfort zone and doing something so bare and different.

“Ain’t it fun living in the real world?/Ain’t it good being all alone?” [These lyrics are sarcastically sung by Williams on the song “Ain’t It Fun.”] Backed up by a gospel choir, the song focuses on the harsh reality of life, but it’s fun to sing along to. Cue in-sync clapping and incredible energy, and you have a mixture of perfection.

I think “Last Hope” is going to be one of the most successful songs off this album. “It’s just a spark/but it’s enough to keep me going” can give anyone hope even on the darkest of days. The vocals in this are so gracefully sung and they sound even better next to the crooning guitars and bass.

The last thing you would expect from this album is a slow love song, but this band leaves you with many pleasantly unexpected surprises. “Hate to See Your Heart Break” is more of a sad song with smoother guitar led by Taylor York. The lyrics could not get any more beautiful: “Love happens all the time/to people who aren’t kind/and heroes who are blind.” It’s a gorgeous song that could definitely make anyone cry. Oh, and did I mention the song is effortlessly tied together with a background string octet? Grab the tissues.

Paramore knows exactly what they are doing and they know the message they’re giving to their fans. The last song on the album, “Future,” is what I call rock perfection. The lyrics are quietly sung with immense positivity and hope: “Think of your future and think of your dreams…” The song is nearly eight minutes long, four of which are straight-up wailing guitars, pulsating bass and kick-ass drums. The song also includes a false ending, the actual ending being a classic fade-out. As the music fades, you realize Paramore is never ending. They’re just heading into the future- their new future.

I highly encourage any music fan to listen to this album; if you can’t relate to at least one song, then you are not human. Almost every genre is used on “Paramore” and not one disappoints. If there is one thing Paramore wants you to do, it’s to feel their music and to be able to enjoy every single song. That’s why you get 17 of them.

5 Dolphins out of 5

Tracks to download: “Daydreaming,” “Ain’t It Fun” and “Last Hope”