Paramore guitarist releases comedic musical album featuring Hayley Williams

Brian Robert Jones, the guitarist who has backed Paramore, Hayley Williams and Vampire Weekend on stage in recent years, has released a project of his own: Weezyana: The Louisiana Purchase Musical, a concept album of musical theater spanning 42 tracks and close to two hours.

The record walks through the life of Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, mixing Broadway-style songs with narrative passages that connect the story between tracks. On streaming services it is filed under comedy, and the humor surfaces in moments like a prologue about alien civilizations and the entrance of Napoleon Bonaparte. The music itself, however, sticks closely to the conventions of the genre.

Hayley Williams appears on the album. Jones handles every lead vocal himself and brought in a group of friends to fill out the ensemble sound. He describes the release as a full narrative work, with plot summaries placed between songs so listeners can follow the story from beginning to end.

Beyond streaming platforms, Jones has posted a long-form lyric video on YouTube with captions, running the full length of the project. He recommends that version as the ideal way to experience the material, suggesting group watch sessions.

The release marks Jones' first large-scale solo undertaking outside of his work as a sideman, the role that made him a familiar face to fans of alt-leaning pop-rock.