REVIEW: Paramore - This Is Why

After six years, beloved Paramore are back with their much anticipated album: This Is Why.

After Laughter marked a significant departure for Paramore from their previous pop-funk and alternative rock sound, embracing a more new wave and synth pop influenced sound. This Is Why sees the band tap into their previous sound while simultaneously attempt to reinvent themselves as they cover new ground creatively.

With a runtime of just over 36 minutes, the band makes sure to make every single minute count. The record is raw, cohesive, and oozes chemistry and confidence. Even though the band has gone through many ups and downs and changes in the last six years that they have been away as a collective, this album does not sound anything like a band that’s had to navigate internal turmoil and various lineup changes. In fact, one could argue that this is the strongest and most clinical they’ve ever been.

The album opens with the infectious and danceable single “This Is Why" which sets the tone for the rest of the album. This song, which was the lead single, is primarily driven by guitar riffs, catchy hooks, and Hayley’s signature powerhouse vocals. From the tension building verses, to the euphoric release on the hook, you couldn’t ask for a better song in this sonic lane. You can almost feel every bit anxiety and emotion that Hayley is singing about on here. It’s damn near perfect.

From there, we get the socially charged, second single, “The News”. Vocally, Hayley holds nothing back and she passionately sings, “all together our collective heart breaks,” which just feels like a straight up gut-punch. It’s Hayley doing what she does best.

Admittedly, a song like “C’est Comme Ça”, with its spoken-word-like verses, does kind of feel a little bit awkward creatively compared to majority of the other songs on this album. However, lyrically, it fits within the context of the album.

“Big Man, Little Dignity” is very reminiscent of something you would hear on After Laughter. Zac and Taylor provide the perfect canvas for Hayley’s vocals take center stage and on “Figure 8” we get treated to further vocal tenderness from Hayley. The album truly finishes on a high note as one of the standout songs “Thick Skull” offers a poignant and tender conclusion to the album.

Other standout tracks include the banger, “Running Out Of Time” and “Liar”, a gentle ballad and low-key love song is probably the most underrated on the album.

As these things usually go, artists aren’t going to please everybody with their work and it’s understandable why some core fans might feel like this album is missing the oomf or grittiness of Riot! but a song like “You First”, when Hayley says, “Thought I’d simmer down as I got older / Can’t shake the devil sitting on my shoulder” (a callback reference to “Simmer” from Petals for Armor) it is a reminder that, at its core, the band is still making emo music threaded in angst just like their previous work but the main difference now is that they have real, long, life experience and the benefit of hindsight.

Considering the fact that majority of the music acts that were coming up around the same time as Paramore over a decade ago, who were making similar music creatively, have basically fizzled out, Paramore seems to have gone through a rebirth of sorts with this new record. Many bands get to this stage in their careers and start to turn into “nostalgia bands” by falling back into the sound which made them popular. While there is nothing wrong with this, it can be seen as a lack of creativity or even laziness.

Let’s be honest, Paramore have never really shied away from evolution and reinvention — it is largely the reason why they are still one of the most relevant bands today, with a fanbase as dedicated and passionate as them. More than 15 years in the game and several albums later, they sound just as motivated and creative as ever.

Vocally, lead signer, Hayley Williams is impressive throughout the album. With lyrics such as, “I am attracted to broken pieces, I pick them up and now my fingers are bleeding, and it looks like my fault,” her pen game is as sharp as its ever been. On the production front, guitarist Taylor York and Drummer Zac Farro are super locked in. It is refreshing to have the trio back together.

The album features classic Paramore catchy and upbeat songs that mask darker and more introspective lyrics about mental health and social/political issues. It is a masterclass in reinvention.

Overall, This Is Why is a cohesive and well-crafted album that not only showcases Paramore’s growth and evolution as a band, but also serves as a reminder why the band is arguably the best pop-punk, alternative rock band active today and one of the most widely-respected music acts of their generation.