Older, Wiser, Angrier: Paramore Reinvent Themselves on “This Is Why”

Five years since their spirited synth-pop release After Laughter, Paramore return with an ambitious and authentic urgency on This Is Why.

Since the release of their 2013 self-titled album, Paramore have taken a sonic departure from the pop-punk roots they once strongly embraced. Choosing to abandon early and mid-2000s nostalgia for a wider array of genre-mashing influences, Paramore have made it known that they are ever-evolving. The band’s sixth album, This Is Why, finds them now unveiling an alt- rock groove with inspiration from acts like Bloc Party and Foals.

Undoubtedly, lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro’s maturity and growth as musicians is at an all-time high across the 10 new tracks with the help of producer Carlos de la Garza. The end result feels like a natural continuation of the band’s evolution, landing at a post-punk, impassioned sound that is still distinctly Paramore.

Title track and lead single, “This Is Why,” fiercely opens the album (despite being the last song written by the band) and sets the tone for its topical subject matter: “It summarizes the plethora of ridiculous emotions, the rollercoaster of being alive in 2022, having survived even just the last 3 or 4 years,” said Williams in an interview for Apple Music. The apprehension and anxieties of re-entering a cultural landscape vastly changed by the COVID-19 pandemic are evident in Williams’ lyrics across the album’s entirety. “The News,” a venomous commentary on the negativity of social media, the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle, continues in this thread. These frustrations are accented by punching guitar riffs and a frenzied build-up of anger.

The band’s new take on alt-rock instrumentals shines bright through the grinding riffs and persistent beat of “You First,” a song in which Williams fervently tackles the paradoxical nature of being human. With lyrics like “Turns out I’m living in a horror film / Where I’m both the killer and the final girl,” she contemplates feelings of internal tension atop a tantalizing melody from York’s guitar. Building upon this energy, the dynamic “Figure 8” boasts hard-hitting drums and distorted guitars as a foundation for lyrics filled with tension and stress about feeling stuck in a toxic cycle.

Each track on the album feels carefully crafted, full of brutal honesty and urgency, and each with its own story to tell. “Running Out Of Time” is a standout track with groovy guitars and a soaring vocal performance where Williams cleverly examines her own struggles with time management in both day-to-day experiences and in the wider perspective of life. The track shares sonic and lyrical similarities with “C’est Comme Ça,” as both detail her frustration at losing control, all disguised in upbeat, bouncy rhythms.

Even the softer moments on the album radiate heartfelt intention, with “Big Man, Little Dignity,” enchanting the listener with twinkling instrumentals and soft vocals juxtaposed against its lyrical punch. During the dreamy acoustics of “Liar,” Williams reflects on deep-rooted denial and admitting and accepting love.

Nearing the end of the album, “Crave” relaxes into a dreamy soundscape with layered harmonies as Williams winds through memories. Despite its stripped-down start, the final track (and first song written for the album) “Thick Skull” melds layers of guitar and piano to build an atmospheric, entrancing wall of sound, bringing grandiose closure to the album. In an interview for The Line Of Best Fit, Williams states the song’s lyrics are reflective of her biggest insecurities throughout the band’s career. As the last album released on the contract Williams signed as a teen, This Is Why serves as a landmark of resolutely leaving those fears behind.

This Is Why is available now across all major streaming platforms.