ALBUM REVIEW: This is Why

Paramore - This is Why

Veteran pop-punk band Paramore is back with the 2023 release of their 6th studio album, This is Why. Six years after their widely acclaimed LP, After Laughter, Paramore sought to contrast their previous release and reflect on their own journey as a band and as individuals. Almost 20 years after the band’s inception, we see the group harkening back to their original “guitar-led” sound as opposed to their more recent pop endeavors both in Paramore and in frontwoman Hayley Williams’ solo career. Here we see Williams display vocal mastery with her silky falsetto on “Liar,” transitioning to her classic strong belt on "Figure 8," a track that could have been plucked from the B-sides of the 2009 album Brand New Eyes. On the album’s lead single and titular track we see the band’s perspective on post-pandemic social interaction with lyrics like “This is why I don’t leave the house / You say the coast is clear / But you won’t catch me out,” followed by an extremely infectious dance breakdown in the chorus. 

The album feels largely inspired by the UK post-punk movement of the early 80s, and yet is still so classically a Paramore album. For longtime fans of the band, this album is a gift after the band’s hiatus and complete inactivity following the end of the After Laughter tour. Scaling back from tour life and ultimately pursuing other projects is what makes the band’s return as impactful as it is. Full of angst and energy as per usual Paramore hits it out of the park at a time when the pop-punk revival spearheaded by artists like WILLOW and Olivia Rodrigo has taken a swing at a sub-genre that Paramore has dominated for the last two decades. The revival of their more classic sound does not feel like a cash grab; it is a genuine display of excitement for punk music and the return of a band that continues to evolve and mature with age. They show no signs of slowing down as they ramp up with electrifying live performances both on various talk shows and ultimately for their North American Tour in the summer of 2023. This is Why is out now.

- Lorenzo Hinojosa

Genre: Alternative Rock
Recommended If You Like: My Chemical Romance, Avril Lavigne, Flyleaf
Recommended Tracks: The News, Figure 8, Running Out Of Time, Liar
FCC: Clean