Paramore — This Is Why — Album Review
Alternative | Rock | Indie | Punk
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
It’s been a common back-and-forth between me and a friend of mine that neither of us had really given Paramore a proper listen. Of course, there was the likes of “Misery Business” making everybody’s childhood all-the-more awesome, but what about how the band sound like now?
I decided to make it almost kind of a mini new-years resolution of mine to finally give Paramore a proper listen upon the release of their brand new album, titled This Is Why.
This Is Why makes for the sixth studio album by Paramore, and a clear sign that I am a little late to the party with this band. With everything said, I clearly had very little idea regarding what I would be expecting from this album, save for tracks like “Misery Business”, which the band had released a very long time ago. Either way, I was excited to see what was in store on this album. I had listened to no teaser tracks before the full album’s release, so I was going into this with a completely blank canvas of expectations.
Even so, This Is Why did manage to pleasantly surprise me with a sound that I never thought would be done to such a justice by Paramour. Contrary to their heavier, more punky roots that were way more accessible back when their older tracks were actually released, this album carries the more current sounds of indie rock, fittingly tinged with the classic Paramore attitude.
The album certainly gets off to a tremendous start. With the first two tracks being the first two teaser tracks for this long-awaited album cycle, This Is Why gets off to an apt start as well. Both the title track and “The News” stand as clear highlights from the project. And as someone who didn’t listen to them as teasers, it’s great to feel just how well they build upon the album too.
And while the energy that these tracks brought does dip a little into the album’s second half, I wouldn’t say that it is an entirely bad quality for This Is Why to have, as some of the softer tracks (particularly ones like “Liar”) are very gorgeous tunes.
But arguably the best quality that This Is Why has, and one that both the energetic tracks and the softer ones share, is how much of a festival ready and anthemic feel the whole thing has. Honestly, this album was made to be performed live. And I know I’m jumping on the bandwagon a little late here, but I know that for fans of this band, the moment they get to witness this albums tracks in a live setting cannot arrive soon enough.
This Is Why is a brilliant balance of energy and atmosphere, making for a totally spring-ready project that oozes with an all-rounded sense of enjoyment. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised by how good this album actually is. But for die-hard fans of Paramour, I’m sure they knew just how good it was going to be from the very start.
Favourite Tracks: This Is Why | The News | Figure 8 | Liar
Least Favourite Track: Thick Skull
Atlantic Records
