Hayley Williams, Simmer | Track Review 🎵

Hayley Williams, best known as the front woman of Paramore, delivers a compelling solo debut single with “Simmer.”

Hayley Williams is best known as the front woman of Paramore, a band that has had ample success critically and commercially. Paramore even did something that only a select few bands can tout – a Grammy win! Even with the success of the collective, Williams has a solo project in the works, Petals for Armor.  The first single, and Williams’ debut single is entitled “Simmer.”

“Simmer” is a unique single.  Produced by Taylor York (Paramore), and co-written by Williams, York, and Joey Howard, it’s clear that Williams desired to contrast herself from the band that propelled her to massive success.  Even so, “Simmer” is still very much ‘alternative’ by characterization.  It’s darker than most of the material that graced After Laughter, set in a minor key with more of an enigmatic vibe.

Lyrically and thematically, Hayley Williams shines, capturing rage and controlling that rage.  On the first verse, she sings, “Rage is a quiet thing / Ooh, you think that you’ve tamed it / But it’s just lying in the wait…” On the second verse, she gets ‘salty,’ hence the reason “Simmer” earns the parental advisory explicit lyrics designation:

“Mmm, and if my child needed protection
From a fucker like that man
I’d sooner gut him
‘Cause nothing cuts like a mother…”

Of course, on the chorus is where we see the push and pull between the rage and control:

“Control
There’s so many ways to give in
Eyes closed
Another way to make it to ten
Oh, how to draw the line between wrath and mercy?
Simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer down…”

Final Thoughts 

Based on “Simmer,” Petals for Armor should be an intriguing debut album from Hayley Williams. “Simmer” isn’t the second coming – I’m not totally ‘wowed’ by it – but it’s a compelling debut single.   As always, she sounds great vocally, while the lyrics and theme are also pretty sweet.  The music is none too shabby either – Taylor York does well for his bandmate.

Hayley Williams • “Simmer” – Single • Atlantic • Release: 1.22.20

Photo Credit: Atlantic