This Is Why Review

In this article, Amber discusses the new Paramore album, and also takes a look at how the fans and media view it.

Review of Paramore's This Is Why

By Amber Medina-Montoya

March is upon us, which means that spring break is just around the corner, and the end of the year closely follows, as well. Hopefully, with the turn of the season will come more sunlight, which means more serotonin for everybody. This is good for almost everyone, as seasonal depression is a very real thing in the winter. The extra sunlight will do us all some good.

Last month, hit pop-punk band Paramore released their new album titled This Is Why, which has received a variety of reviews. Some are good, while others seem to be outwardly judging and criticizing it. The album has 10 songs and adds up to just 36 minutes of listening time. These songs are titled “This Is Why”, “The News”, “Running Out Of Time”, “C’est Comme Ça” (which translates to “It’s Like That”), “Big Man, Little Dignity”, “You First”, “Figure 8”, ”Liar”, “Crave” and “Thick Skull”. As a sort of slightly belated celebration, I felt that this article would be a perfect way to dive into not just the album, but media and fan reactions to it as well. So, without further ado, let’s dive into it!

Photo Credit: wikimedia

Starting off with my personal opinion on this album, I’m in love with it. I love how they decided to go with a different sound and tone compared to their older albums. It feels new, while still holding a little bit of that epic sound that Paramore is easily recognized for. My personal favorites from the tracklist are “You First”, “The News”, and "Figure 8". They are my favorites because of their fantastic lyricism and because they all retain an older Paramore sound. Hayley Williams is a mastermind and I will die on that hill. This is not me saying that this album can hold a candle directly to their Riot! album, but some of the songs on this album come close. I could keep this section going for hours, but there’s still another topic I want to touch on, so let’s move on.

The media’s and fans’ opinions on this new release have been varied, with everyone having something to say about it. A good amount of the fanbase does not seem to be a fan of the album, mainly because of how different it sounds compared to their older releases. I have also seen a handful of people bash Williams’ lyricism in this album. In an article published by thereviewgeek.com, the author wrote “This Is Why doesn’t pull any punches, and it definitely hasn’t got the same aura as past installments, as that pulsating noise doesn’t come to fruition. Notably, the songs lack definitive beats, and they seem to go the same way, with lead singer Hayley Williams showcasing brooding vocals which don’t fully click in.” This quote seems to showcase the thoughts of the part of the fanbase that does not agree with the album or enjoy it as much-- which is fine, people are entitled to their own opinions. On a more positive note, nme.com, a pop culture site, said, ‘'This Is Why is as in tune with the textures of today’s forward-thinking rock as much as it is a love letter to Paramore’s brilliantly caustic early days. There’s a great deal of volatility to the band’s artistic growth, and it shows in both their evolution leading up to ‘This Is Why’ and the sound of the album itself.” I agree with this article a lot more than the aforementioned one, but that is just a matter of one’s own opinion. Despite how split the fans are on the topic of this release, the band still has many people praising their new writing, which is a breath of fresh air, considering how risky it can be for artists to change their sound, especially when they are a well-known band that is recognized mostly for how their older music sounds.

Wrapping this up, I highly recommend giving this album a listen and dissecting the lyrics. While this album is different than what the band normally writes, it stands out well and it is 100 percent worth a listen. After that, it is free-game to form your own opinion on it. Just don’t let the media’s reactions steer you away from it. I will not lie and say that I am not at all biased in my opinion, because I am. I am a huge Paramore fan and I’m absolutely in love with Haley Williams, but I genuinely do think that this record is done well and it has the potential to gain the band more fans. On that note, I hope you have a good day, and I will see you all in next month’s issue!

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