The Paramour Sessions Album Reviews

Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

AMG Review

Having long ago dumped the tired rap-rock format of their early work, Papa Roach continues attempting to reinvent the hard rock wheel on 2006's The Paramour Sessions. Unfortunately, while the band seems to be aiming for M�tley Cr�e's Theatre of Pain, the results sound something more akin to a nu-metal version of Loverboy's Keep It Up. These are boisterous, brash, and in-yo-face tracks that really want to convince you they have the goods. And sure, the band does evince a kind of Technicolor, Sunset Strip club, cocaine-line-on-a-Marshall-stack vibe, but mostly the songs just ain't there. Admittedly, "The World Around You" has a catchy chorus and "Time Is Running Out" is a suitably anthemic pop tune. However, while Papa Roach makes a lot of gestures toward rock & roll suicide on The Paramour Sessions, the album ends up being a lot like lead singer Jacoby Shaddix's confession of "I've got a jet black heart, it's all f*cked up and it's falling apart" on "...To Be Loved." It sounds a lot cooler than it actually is. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide