Paramore’s latest album This is Why marks something of a momentous occasion for the band; it’s the first time in the band’s history that their lineup has remained the same since their previous release. So with the unit now more cohesive than ever, it should come as no surprise that the sound follows suit.
The title track ‘This is Why’ was our first glimpse into this Paramore album, and does well to establish what you can come to expect from the rest of the album as a whole. Filled with timely lyrics (“This is why I don’t leave the house!” is a natural favourite given our experiences in the past few years), a stomping drum beat thanks to drummer Zac Farro, an accompaniment from the track’s quirky and feisty guitar riffs, as well as the usual poignant vocals we’ve come to expect from frontwoman Hayley Williams over the years, the track is quintessential Paramore.
Similar can be said about the second single ‘The News’, a song about the tragedy of society that is subjected to the 24/7 news cycle filled with disasters and tragedy on such a regular basis. There’s an underlying stress and tinge of pain in Williams’ voice throughout the song, which is sure to make it resonate with the listener just that little bit more.
Relatability is very much a constant throughout much of the lyrics in this album, and both ‘Running Out of Time’ and ‘C’est Comme Ça’ (arguably the funniest track on the album) are laced with lyrics that will remind listeners of the universal experience we share dealing with the adversities of everyday life.
Credit has to go to Taylor York too, who provides the jovial guitar work that helps to piece together each track perfectly, providing the perfect soundtrack to the sassy anger and introspective lyrics throughout the album.
The scathing track ‘Big Man, Little Dignity‘ comes across as a call out to the men who have been the antagonist in Williams’ life, and lyrically it feels like a track that has taken much inspiration from Williams’ solo work that she released during the pandemic
The inspirations that undercoat this album are varied, yet the result is cohesive in a way that only a Paramore album could be. So while there are plenty of rock moments, especially on tracks ‘You First‘ and ‘Figure 8‘ there are moments of psychedelia, hints of indie and post-punk, and even nods to the Paramore of old too. Truly a sign of a band at their very best, then.
Vulnerability is also a key aspect of the album, and ‘Liar‘ is the track which places this vulnerability at the forefront, with a much more sombre tone in both the vocals and the instrumentals. The album’s closing track ‘Thick Skull‘ is powerful and involves a finale-worthy lyrical performance from Williams’ that brings a gentle close to an album that started so explosively.
This is Why is an unfaltering album that not once misses a beat, and it’s clear that as the band’s members have matured; so has the music, rising above the infighting and struggles of the Paramore of the past to create something magical.
The album has been perfectly designed for those who grow up with the Nashville outfit’s pop-punk blaring in their ears for the duration of their school years, who are now dealing with the realities of the real world, and if Riot was an album of teenage angst, then This Is Why is an album for adult aggression.
