An alternative title for this article was “This Is Why I Stan Hayley Williams” because she continues to do no wrong.
It’s been five years in between Paramore’s releases. FIVE YEARS. But I’d be damned (eternally) if I didn’t say that This is Why is the perfect comeback single. It manages to call back to the fan-favorite punk genre the band began with, while also continuing the musical evolution showcased in Hayley William’s solo work during the band’s hiatus.
Each portion of the song’s structure sounds fresh and instantly relistenable. Guitarist Taylor York brings two distinct sounds throughout the songs 3:27 runtime: opening the track with an improvised solo that’s plucky and strangely-ethereal before falling into a standard rhythm throughout the track’s verses, and then coming in with a crash during the choruses with hard-hitting guitar that’s an expected staple of Paramore’s work. Combined with constant drum beats and sporadic percussion focused mostly in the ambient bridge done by drummer Zac Farro gives the instrumental a haunting quality. Starting This is Why by showcasing the talents of bandmembers York and Farro is a smart artistic choice, and along with lending their voices for background vocals is a sure way of differentiating the song from Hayley William’s solo work.
But don’t get it twisted, Williams still manages to steal the show with her nonchalant, braggadocious vocal delivery that glides effortlessly over it all. The lyrics have various interpretations: a critique of modern politics and the “other side of the aisle”, response to criticism by fans of the band due to their departure from the punk genre, and anxiety over post-pandemic society (exemplified in the chorus). Either way, Williams’ songwriting issues these lines with sarcasm and an air of moral superiority, because no matter the message she is in the right. The line “If you have an opinion, maybe you should shove it, or maybe you should scream it” exemplifies this. Who cares what you specifically have to say about the matter, if that viewpoint is hateful or harmful or downright insane. She opts to take the high road and ignore the confrontation unless it’s positive, which is backed up in the second verse with the line “You’re either with us, or you can keep it, to yourself . . .”
It all comes together in the chorus, where Williams sounds the most self assured as she trades punches with the drums and guitars in an almost call-and-response delivery. Ironically, the chorus is the most reminiscent of the punk music they became popular for. But the lyrics tell a different story in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, of leaving the past behind and focusing on yourself. “This is why, I don’t leave the house, You say the coast is clear, But you won’t catch me out” delves into the question; Why deal with the pain of present day’s landscape when you can retreat to the confines of a safe space?
Overall, Paramore’s latest efforts at twisting their punk-rock roots into a new sound is as successful as I expected. This is Why (the lead single) will undoubtedly end on many critics’ Best-of-2022 lists, including mine, and it sets the stage for This is Why (the album) to continue the band’s legacy as world-wide hitmakers.
Final Rating: 5/5 Stars