After a five year hiatus, fans have missed the sound of Paramore. Hayley Williams, Zac Farro and Taylor York return with their single ‘This Is Why’; the perfect remedy for post-pandemic uncertainty.
The song pre-empts the release of 10 tracks for an album of the same name, which will come out on the 10th of February 2023. Climbing her own rollercoaster of emotions during turbulent times, Williams reassures us her knack for upfront lyricism has not been lost, as she sings “You’re either with us or you can keep it to yourself”.
Paramore were previously hailed as the voice of pop-punk, which during their break seemed to have a revival in the depths of TikTok, resurfacing in young musicians like Olivia Rodrigo and WILLOW. With this new release comes a new generation of listeners, desperate for a sound to soothe their teen angst. Fittingly, the music video for ‘This Is Why’ is heavy with nostalgia, and reminisces on the days where the band surfed the alternative wave with the likes of My Chemical Romance.
Although the first sight of William’s bright orange hair sets fans ablaze in anticipation, this time it feels different. The band are older and wiser, and have gathered new influences over their break, even crediting Bloc Party and Foals for inspiration. In a letter to her fans, Williams explains how “the idea of getting out there and doing what we do at this time feels heavy and futile and necessary all at once”. The direction of Brendan Yates in the music video pays homage to influences of the track, and interprets the ‘teen’ rage they were once famed for in the context of adulthood, breaking new ground in their journey.
The difference in sound is a catalyst for excitement within the group as Williams states that she thinks “we are about to experience our happiest, most fulfilling moments as Paramore”. Dampening the high shine of the fresh-faced teens that first entered the music industry, a raw approach to ‘This Is Why’ caters to a more mature set of emotions about surviving the past few years. As the track opens on a roll of the drums and a growl of guitar, it’s hard to fight the internal teen rage, but a new outlook muddies the water of sheer furiosity and we enter an era of unfiltered urgency. Doing what they do best, Williams reassures listeners they will find what she describes as “gratitude and hopes and solidarity and all that exists in between” from the band in their new music.
