Pretty Ricky Late Night Special (Special Edition) CD

Snatched up by Atlantic after their Fueled by Ramen debut, Paramore rises to the challenge of playing in the big leagues with their 2007 sophomore effort, RIOT! Mining a familiar vein of punk-pop with emo overtones, Paramore isn't always original, but they make up for it with tunes, fire, and the youthful enthusiasm of lead singer Hayley Williams. The band also benefits from big-league production, making RIOT! rock with sparkle and crunch, and giving Parmore a leg up on their punk-pop contemporaries.

Miami heat is nothing compared to Pretty Ricky's scorching musical inferno. Not since the '70s heyday of The Jackson 5, and the more recent '90s frenzy of *NSync, has a young act stirred crowds to such a feverish pitch, creating mass hysteria wherever they appear. Over the course of a few months, Pretty Ricky became hugely popular, bringing heightened awareness to the urban Miami music scene. It seems fans just couldn't get enough of Pretty Ricky. Brothers Pleasure (Marcus Cooper), Slick 'Em (Corey Mathis), Diamond Blue Smith (Baby Blue), and Spectacular Blue Smith, became unable to even go to a local movie theater without causing pandemonium. "Blue Stars," one of the best-selling albums of 2005, spawned three hit singles - "Grind With Me," "Your Body," and "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number".

Includes videos: "Misery Business" Directed By Shane Drake Will Be Ready Early May.

Paramore: Hayley Williams (vocals); Josh Farro (guitar); Jeremy Davis (bass guitar); Zac Farro (drums).

Personnel: Kathleen Smith, Taylor Robinson, Josh Farro, Zac Farro (vocals); John Bender (strings, background vocals); Sebastian Davin (piano).

Recording information: House Of Loud, Elmwood Park, NJ.

Photographer: Josh Rothstein.

Arranger: John Bender.Spin (p.100) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[With] massive guitars, sweetly infectious choruses, and soaring power ballads..."
Alternative Press (p.163) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he musicianship shown on RIOT! is mightily impressive. The younger Farro brother pounds the skins brutally on 'Let The Flames Begin'..."
Kerrang (Magazine) (pp.46-47) - "There's big, bristling vocal melodies aplenty and clean, grooving guitars that you'll need a scalpel to remove from your frontal lobe."