The world has been through a lot since Paramore released their most recent album After Laughter back in 2017. The elephant in the room is obviously the global pandemic, but the list of reasons to stay inside has grown tremendously during the group’s hiatus following their extensive world tour.
So it’s no wonder the lead single and title track for their upcoming album is called “This Is Why,” with lead singer Hayley Williams repeatedly finishing off the refrain with “I never leave the house.” Williams’ ominous, caustic vocals play off of the beautiful yet solitary imagery throughout the accompanying music video, directed by Brendan Yates of much-loved punk outfit Turnstile, to create a feeling of social paranoia and anxiety throughout the song.
“It summarizes the plethora of ridiculous emotions, the rollercoaster of being alive in 2022, having survived even just the last 3 or 4 years,” Williams says of “This Is Why” in a press release. “You’d think after a global pandemic of fucking biblical proportions and the impending doom of a dying planet, that humans would have found it deep within themselves to be kinder or more empathetic or something.”
She also explains it was the final song written and recorded for the upcoming album. Being one of the biggest rock bands to come out of the Nashville area, Paramore dropping new music is always something to keep an eye on in Music City. And with Williams releasing her first two solo projects — the electronically enhanced Petals for Armor in 2020 and the acoustic-oriented FLOWERS for VASES / descansos last year — in the time since After Laughter, it will be interesting to see what direction they’ve chosen to take their sound in. If “This Is Why” is any indication, fans can expect the album to continue Paramore’s departure from the pop-punk sound that first put them on the charts — something a little closer to the funk-kissed electro-pop of After Laughter, but a little darker and more aggressive, prompting comparisons to Talking Heads.
This Is Why will be released on Feb. 10. Preorder or pre-save it with via this handy link, and find Paramore’s social media and other details (including what appear to be dates for some forthcoming singles) on the band’s website.
