Paramore’s “This Is Why” Reflects on Life Post-Lockdown

Paramore pictured with their original lineup in early 2009. Credit: Unstoppable via Flickr

Musicians in 2023 have pivoted from their safe, stylistic backgrounds post-covid, opting for a new sound and employing a more self-reflective, hardened outlook on life, that has translated to consistently pessimistic lyrics. Paramore is one of these bands.

The band re-emerged in 2022 from a five-year hiatus with the single “This Is Why,” as they geared up to release their latest album with the same name.

The band released two more singles, “The News” and “C’est Comme Ça” before finally dropping the full album on Feb. 10. 

Paramore has always been known for their punk-rock, pop-punk and emo aesthetics on previous records like “Riot!” and “Brand New Eyes.” Even on 2017’s “After Laughter,” they tried their hand at ‘80s synth wave and alternative dance music.

However, on “This Is Why,” the band’s foray into post-punk revivalism and dance-punk feels different. They sound like themselves, yet grown up and confident, despite the members being in their 30s now.

Hayley Williams and Co.’s. sixth album is their most bleak, and the influence of bands like Bloc Party, Interpol and Metric is glaring.

The title track kicks off the record with slow, tight instrumentation leading up to one of the catchiest hooks in the tracklist, with the chanted gang vocals of “This is why I don’t leave the house, you say the coast is clear, but you won’t catch me out, oh why? This is why.”

Williams’ lyrics immediately conveyed an apprehension of the horrors of the outside world that sticks throughout the album’s entire runtime.

This is apparent in the follow-up “The News,” as Williams grapples with the avariciousness of the current media and how it affects life outside of the house. The band is essentially telling us to “turn off the news.”

“Running out of Time” is an incredibly danceable cut that talks about the limited time day-to-day. The tension released after the hook is deserved, and Williams sounds like she is trying to break out of this repeated cycle.

“C’est Comme Ça” is a quaint and compact track with spoken word vocals sprawled throughout, à la Slint’s “Spiderland.” The production here is a bit rocky, however, it adds to the rawness of the record as a whole.

The track “Big Man, Little Dignity” sounds like a b-side from “After Laughter,” full of airy production with a synth-pop edge. This could almost be mistaken for an “Alvvays” track if you were only listening casually.

The track aims to knock down misogyny in a world that keeps rewarding it, despite these men having “little dignity.”

The tracks “You First” and “Figure 8” sound like textbook Paramore, yet more fleshed out, filled with synthesizers and distorted guitars. Zac Ferro’s drumming on “Figure 8” is what brings the track together. The bombastic production and idiosyncratic screams of Williams could fit snugly on their earlier work, yet would still be the standout cuts. 

The lyric “just like a stray animal” on “You First” scratches that certain itch in the brain.

The final leg of the album continues this melancholic trend, with the album’s one and only ballad “Liar.” Williams’ juxtaposing lyrics of being a liar to her significant other, yet not being ashamed to love anymore is interesting enough. The song is a little dragged out though and isn’t one of the stronger moments here.

Hayley Williams performing in July, 2011. Credit: kloroform via Flickr

The penultimate track “Crave” is a short track with jangly guitars, with Taylor York’s guitar work being the driving force of the instrumental here.

The closing track, “Thick Skull,” ends the album on a high note as Williams croons over lush instrumentation, eventually incorporating her powerful soprano yells in the latter parts of the track.

Might get easier, but you don’t get used to it” might as well be the tagline for this record.

“This Is Why” is not only a success for music in 2023, it sets a precedent for musicians whose creativity is marred by the depression of the covid-era to realize that it is okay to admit that it’s affected you.

Paramore is quite literally saying, “This is why we have changed, and that’s okay.”