Hayley Williams “Petals for Armor” Album Review

It’s no surprise that the solo debut of one of the biggest names (and biggest female name) in pop punk and pop rock would spark some mixed reactions. It’s also no surprise that now 31-year-old Hayley Williams would eventually grow the desire to break new boundaries, and write an album without the concern of it leaning enough towards a certain genre. Many people are quick to dismiss the solo work of artists they know as band members, rather than viewing it as the transcendence beyond old sonic limitations that reveals what more the composer is capable of. With Petals for Armor, the Paramore frontwoman has not taken this new level of creative control for granted, and with her bandmate Taylor York as the producer, her visions were sure to be honored and not lost in the mixing process. She takes us on a 15-track journey through the corners and crevices of her mind, speaking out about the realizations she has made through her battles with mental illness and an unfaithful marriage.

Petals for Armor was released in three separate parts throughout the spring, each part including five songs. Each segment depicts a different period in her fight against her demons, as well as her growth from it and means for self-care. While putting out a single record as a trilogy is a bit unconventional and risky, it ended up working out perfectly for Petals – It hit number one on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart, making Hayley the first female in history to top the chart as both a solo artist and band member.

The album’s lead single and beginning song, “Simmer”, is captivating from the start with the sounds of subtle gasps and breaths counterpointing murmuring synths. The very first words we hear from Hayley are, “Rage is a quiet thing”, as the faint resonance and hushed tones underneath continue with their restrained energy, illustrating the suppression of that rage. The song is about taming the beast within you, and knowing when to take control of it and when to let it out. The eeriest part is the bridge, when Hayley’s voice suddenly sounds faded and dizzy as she sings, “Wrap yourself in petals for armor” – her clever way of suggesting that it is okay to be vulnerable and feel a lot of pain or joy.

Second single “Leave it Alone” has a calm energy to contrast its dark lyrics about the brutal twists of fate, while also depicting the acceptance of them. The funky “Cinnamon” then shifts the mood to a brighter energy. Hayley sings about the freedom and simple pleasures in her off time at home, when she talks to her dog and expresses her most feminine sides. Her “ah”-ing and “ooh”-ing over the jagged beats and rhythms create some catchy syncopations that make the song easily memorable.

In tracks like “Sudden Desire” and “Watch Me While I Bloom”, we hear some of the high-powered belts that Hayley and Paramore are so well-known for under a whole new light. “Sudden Desire” starts out sounding like a slow love song, but escalates into chaos and jarring synths the instant the chorus kicks in, exuding the pain and heartache endured from past relationships. On the contrary, “Watch Me While I Bloom” explores the newfound freedom and growth of cutting ties with toxic people. Hayley manifests a proud feeling of self-assurance with lyrics such as, “You only got one side of me / Here’s something new / I’m alive in spite of me / And I’m on the move” – words that will inspire self-love in anyone who takes them to heart.

Like “Sudden Desire”, the poppy yet brutally honest “Dead Horse” fools you in the beginning when Hayley sings, “Every morning I wake up from a dream of you holding me…underwater.” The few seconds before she says “underwater” have you thinking once again that you’re listening to a light love song, then as the tune continues it becomes clear that it is really about her failed marriage with New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert. This song was written to reveal the sadness and shame Hayley had kept hidden under layers of rage and resentment for so long. She described the writing process as “finding this bubbling lava underneath a hard stone” and “digging up bones.”

On the lighter side of the album is the serene “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris”, a song that speaks volumes about why women should not be pitted against each other. It compares the development of fellow women to a garden, symbolizing every individual as a flower species with their own unique beauty. If you listen to this song back to back with the old-school Paramore hit “Misery Business” (which the band have retired playing for its internalized misogyny), it is evident how much Hayley has grown. From the teenage angst-driven “Once a whore, you’re nothing more” to the tenderhearted “I will not compare other beauty to mine, and I will not become a thorn in my own side”, she has bloomed into a poised and dignified feminist role model secure in her own womanhood.

The tuneful “Pure Love” opens the last third of the trilogy, when Hayley proclaims her yearning for romantic connection and overcoming her fear of intimacy. She brilliantly demonstrates the dynamic range of her pipes, especially with her use of vocal layering and harmonies in the ending chorus. The album’s final track, “Crystal Clear”, serves as a promise to herself that she will no longer “give in to the fear” of starting new relationships. The uniformity of its consistently tranquil outlook conveys Hayley’s perseverance in continuing on despite any trust issues that ensued from her past. This ends the record on an optimistic note, while affirming one last time that it is okay to be soft and tenderhearted.

With Petals for Armor, we’re given a deeper look into Hayley’s mind and her personal struggles than ever before. These songs take you on a sonic and emotional ride through the stages of grief, acceptance, and personal growth in the manner that she experienced them. While it has many messages to send, they are all rooted in the belief that the best way to protect yourself is to be vulnerable, rather than repressing that softness with a venomous coating. Although not every Paramore fan will fancy this album, it is filled with unique experiences that Hayley needed to depict through art entirely on her own terms; and now that she has let them out of her system, we can expect a new Paramore record to come next.

Favorite tracks: Sudden Desire, Pure Love