Tennessee native indie rock band, Paramore, just released their sixth studio album, This Is Why. Paramore consists of band members, Hayley Williams, Zac Farro, and Taylor York. They have a career spanning over 20 years and are one of the biggest bands in alternative music. The band had taken about a five year break after their last album due to the death of a close family friend of York’s. During that time off, lead singer, Williams, released two solo albums. Now the band is back together with a brand new album and a tour starting in early March. The band even kicked off the celebration of the new release last week with an album release show in their hometown of Nashville where they played four songs off the new album.
The 10 track album starts off with title track, “This Is Why”. It was the first single the band released and gained popularity very quickly. With over 38 million streams on Spotify since its release last September, it was sure to get everyone hyped up for the return of Paramore. The track talks about isolation and the emotions of surviving the pandemic.
Track 2, “The News”, has a very upbeat sound with thought provoking lyrics singing, “Every second, our collective heart breaks/All together, every single head shakes/Shut your eyes, but it won’t go away” in the chorus; explaining the horror and destruction that’s being displayed through the media. Even using adjectives such as, “exploitative, deplorable, and historical” to describe the news and how we’ve all become desensitized to it; “All along, we call it normal”.
Track 3, “Running Out Of Time” and Track 4, “C’est Comme Ça” share some similarities. Both songs talk about the struggle of not running the show and accepting change, with track 4 translating to “that’s just the way it is” in French. “C’est Comme Ça” Williams wrestles with letting go of chaos to better improve her life, “It’s my dependence on the friction that really hinders my progression.” “Running Out Of Time'' starts off with a funky guitar that evokes feelings of anxiousness that ends up resolving during the chorus into a groovy sound with killer drums that drive the beat. Which has a similar sound to Joywave’s music. It is later paired with lyrics in the pre-chorus, “Intentions only get you so far/A harsh reality to discover”.
“Big Man, Little Dignity”, Track 5, is a slower, almost 70s vibe with a flowy sound. The meaning of the song was explained by Williams in a recent interview with Apple Music and Zane Lowe. She shared her own experience growing up with some “bad guys” in her family and recognizing with the help of therapy; the importance of not letting your anger for the few, tank your view of an entire group of people, generalizing them. As well as learning that allowing yourself the space to feel your feelings is important and healthy.
“You First”, Track 6, has a slightly darker sound and is about the dichotomy of good and evil inside yourself. In the pre-chorus, Williams sings, “Just like a stray animal/I keep feeding scraps/I give it my energy/And it keeps on coming back”. In an interview with The Line Of Best Fit Williams explained that this is an issue that she has struggled within herself. Understanding that she’s a role model for so many people, but also getting in her own head, knowing all of her mistakes.
Track 7, “Figure 8”, starts off with an electric sound much similar to the sound of their last album, After Laughter. It reminds me of watching the pipes in a wind chime go in circles hitting each other in a never ending loop. The imagery in this song is very strong, the guitar also helps you see and feel what the song is about. “Figure 8” is all about being stuck in a loop and losing yourself. The first verse notes, “Tapped the last good vein/Don’t know how to shut it off”.
Track 8, also known as “Liar” Is another nice break in between the upbeat songs that make you want to get up and dance. Williams’ voice has an angelic timbre much like Stevie Nicks in this one. It brings back that 70s sound that ties back In with some of the other songs earlier in the album. It is a sweet song about denying your love for someone and realizing that it’s okay to love that person. Last year, it was confirmed that Williams is dating guitarist and band member Taylor York.
“Crave”, track 9, is about nostalgia. Struggling to be completely in the moment because you know it’s going to end soon and knowing that makes you unhappy. I think sometimes it can be hard to put that feeling into words, but they did a great job painting the picture within this song. Especially with the first verse having lines like, “I can’t wait to memorize this day”. As well as, “I’m already dreamin’ of how it begins/And tryin’ to savor the moment/But I know the feelin’ will come to an end”.
“Thick Skull”, the last track on the album, I think was the perfect song to be the final one of the 10. It has a slow, soft start that builds as the song continues, it gradually becomes a loud, dynamic moment where everyone in the band is giving their all and some incredibly powerful vocals right up until the last seconds, then it gets super quiet. With the song being about self-blame, “Thick skull never did/Nothing for me/Same lesson again?/C’mon give it to me”, it does a fantastic job of taking you on a journey through the feelings of self-blame. The softness at first is the sadness and pity and then that changes over time into anger, like with the harsh sound. You end the journey feeling in despair and defeated. It’s such a great way to wrap up the story of the album.
Having the time away from Paramore as well as having to navigate the world being at a standstill when the pandemic happened, was so good for the three of them. Listening to this album, you can really tell they came back with a new found sense of purpose. A lot of love, reflection, healing, loads of intention, and learning to be in the present were put into This Is Why. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend giving it a listen and listening through the whole record in one sitting. This Is Why is now available on all streaming services.
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