Paper Tigers by Thrice

"Paper Tigers" is a track from Thrice's breakthrough 2003 album The Artist In The Ambulance, a record that helped establish the band as a major force in the early 2000s alternative rock and post-hardcore scene. The album received widespread critical acclaim and marked a turning point in Thrice's career, broadening their audience well beyond underground punk circles.

Drummer Riley Breckenridge delivers a performance that balances driving rock energy with rhythmic complexity, navigating multiple time signature shifts across the song's structure at a moderate 92 BPM tempo. The interplay between straightforward rock grooves and irregular meters gives the drumming a dynamic, unpredictable quality that keeps the track engaging throughout.

Unique Drumming Characteristics

• Frequent time signature changes between 2/4, 4/4, 6/8, and 7/8, requiring constant rhythmic adaptation
• Groove-based 4/4 rock patterns that anchor the song's verse and chorus sections
• 6/8 feel passages that introduce a triplet-based, flowing rhythmic texture
• 7/8 sections that create an asymmetrical, off-kilter pulse against the melodic elements
• Controlled use of dynamics to support transitions between contrasting time signatures

Skills You'll Develop

• Transitioning fluidly between compound and simple time signatures in a rock context
• Internalizing and counting 7/8 meters without losing pocket or groove feel
• Maintaining consistent tempo across irregular bar lengths at a moderate 92 BPM
• Applying dynamic control to support song-level structure and arrangement
• Reading and interpreting drum charts that incorporate multiple mixed meters