“Karma’s gonna come for all of us, I just hope she comes for you first.”
Paramore’s return to the fold has been long-awaited, to say the least. It’s been a long six years since their last effort, After Laughter, saw the band lean further into the glitzy pop rock sound teased on their previous self-titled full-length in 2013, with further elements of new wave and math rock forming the foundation of what I believe to be the group’s strongest work. After Laughter certainly signalled the most significant sea change within Paramore’s sound up to that point, but now, with 2023’s This Is Why, Paramore seek to amplify their broadened genre horizons, with great success.
The first taste of This Is Why came in the form of the album’s title track and opening number. An infectious art rock anthem, spacious in its composition, it was certainly not the reintroduction fans likely expected, feeling more reminiscent of Radiohead than Paramore. That said, “This Is Why” does a masterful job of ushering in the new era of Paramore’s sound, and stating clearly and boldly what it’s all about. They’re weirder and far sparser than ever before compositionally, but undeniably catchy as they’ve ever been.
Both remaining tastes of the album followed in “The News” and “C’est Comme Ca”, further exploring the sounds present on This Is Why. Biting lyricism tackling personal and political hardships, packaged in glitzy post-punk fashion, both singles not only drove home the creative ethos of This Is Why, but further displayed Paramore’s commitment and ability to expand their sound in meaningful and intentioned ways. Further, the heightened math rock sensibilities of these tracks provides a further stylistic texture to the post-punk foundation established here that is more than welcome, given just how strongly the band pull off that sound, due to the absolutely masterful guitar and drum work of Taylor York and Zac Farro respectively.
The first non-single present on the record comes in the form of “Running Out Of Time”. Harbouring an infectious dynamic between its low-energy verses, tackling themes of helplessness in the face of overworking and overstimulation; contrasted by its bouncy, high-energy chorus. The thematic and stylistic choices present here feel so intrinsically linked, bouncing between that draining sense of dread of facing up to letting someone down (“Intentions only get you so far, what if I’m just a selfish prick?”) lending to a more lethargic nature that’s present in the delivery present within the verses. Then, this is juxtaposed wholly by the track’s peppy chorus, in which it seems vocalist Hayley Williams seems to accept her shortcomings in this regard, perhaps in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek/inauthentic manner, stating she simply “ran out of time”.
“Big Man, Little Dignity” sees the album take a moment of respite from the energy and introspection present on its opening numbers, in favour of the first (of a few) outward-facing track(s) lyrically. Seemingly a condemnation of an important figure in Williams’ life previous who wronged her, “Big Man, Little Dignity” is a deeply personal and unabashed track lyrically, contrasted by the relatively calm and collected nature of its composition and delivery.
As we reach the album’s midpoint, we see a masterful one-two flurry with “You First” and “Figure 8”. The former of the two is seemingly a spite-fueled admission of Williams’ disillusion with many of her peers in the music industry, of which there has been an exponentially increasing number of those who have been exposed for misusing their influence in recent years. “Everyone is a bad guy, and there’s no way to know who’s the worst.” She further states her hope that their comeuppance comes to bite them in time with “Karma’s gonna come for all of us, and I hope … she comes for you first.” It’s an appropriately biting and remorseless examination of the state of the music landscape at the moment, and one that proves to be one of the most infectious and impressive cuts across This Is Why.
The aforementioned “Figure 8” follows, standing as potentially the most aggressive track across This Is Why, both stylistically and lyrically. Containing a chorus most reminiscent of something found on 2009’s brand new eyes, with a more math rock-oriented instrumental, it’s a real treat. To be clear, any notion that This Is Why is Paramore “returning to their roots”, or whatever a number of pundits may have purported over the years is almost unequivocally false. However, “Figure 8” stands as the one track across This Is Why to encompass elements reminiscent of that bygone, but still beloved era, and is all the more a standout for it. It’s a punchy, aggressive and deviously infectious tune that is sure to become a fan favourite in no time, and stands as the strongest cut across an already-strong line-up of tracks on This Is Why.
Coming to the album’s closing stretch, “Liar” brings down the album’s pace with a sombre ballad of introspection. Absolutely gorgeous in composition, with a haunting vocal performance throughout, “Liar” is a further stand-out track on This Is Why. Followed by the glitzy, upbeat “Crave”, a song that explores the giddy, impulsive feeling of blooming love. Exploring both the utmost positive and negative aspects of the ‘honeymoon period’, Williams’ lyricism here is a raw and unapologetic examination of her own habits going into a new relationship—be that with a brand new lover, or otherwise any bond formed.
This Is Why closes out with “Thick Skull”, a further exploration of Williams’ tendency to repeat the same mistakes that hurt her in the past. It’s a relatable subject matter for most I’m sure, and one that comes locked with one of the most lush, rich and dense instrumentals found on This Is Why. Riding bass grooves, clean guitar riffing and emotive piano chording all word in tandem to create a progressive wall of noise as the song progresses, eventually all dipping out to leave Williams’ voice solitary and alone, as she proclaims that she’s finally “caught red-handed”.
All in all, This Is Why is one of the most truly developed, forward thinking and downright fun rock records I’ve heard in some time. While some fans pining for the sound of the band’s formative years may be let down initially by the album’s stylistic changes, I believe the further you delve below the surface of This Is Why, the more you will come to love what the album strives to be. A stylistically strange, lyrically fierce and compositionally masterful rock record in all aspects, This Is Why is an absolute must-listen, and an early contender for album of the year considerations.
9.5/10
This Is Why is available today, February 10th via Atlantic Records, and you can find the album here.