Decades ago, spinoffs were the television equivalents of today’s shared movie universes. A popular character or characters from one show would get their own show and be storylines independent of the original show. This article is introducing a spinoff of my column Lyric Shrink. Let’s call it Album Shrink. Instead of putting song lyrics on the analyst’s couch I’m listening to an album and giving you a peek into my psyche with a bonus album review. This is Album Shrink: Paramore – This Is Why.
This new article series is inspired by my falling into a bit of a writing rut. As well as a particular Rick Beato video talking about Paramore’s most recent album, This Is Why.
I’ve wanted to start writing album reviews of more current releases but couldn’t find an angle I liked. When I viewed Rick’s video the song that caught my ear the most was “Running Out of Time”. Something about it resonated with me and I knew I needed to write about it. After listening to the full track, I put on the full album. I realized while listening what it was that grabbed my attention, it wasn’t the Paramore sound of my high school or college years. It had matured and evolved. And that got me thinking about the subject of growing up.
Get a haircut and get a real job George Thorogood once sang, channeling the urgings of his well-meaning parents to grow up. My dad would do his best imitation of George when I was a kid to chide me whenever he found my outfit to be too casual or my hair too long. It was a humorous attempt to let me know that I’d need to clean myself up if I’d like to become a grown-up. Grown-up is just how I would describe Paramore’s latest album This is Why. The songwriting, production, and themes of the album feel far more developed than Paramore’s previous offerings. Gone are the pop-music stylings that brought them crossover success in the past. Depending on your devotion to the band, you might find this maturation unsettling.
But if you’re patient, I think you’ll find yourself intrigued by the story Paramore tells on the album.
Starting off is the title track “This is Why”. It’s a groovy tune with smarmy lyrics and heavily distorted guitars and dreamy vocals. It has a familiar Parmore structure with enough of a twist to catch your ear and draw you in for more. It’s a great setup for the next more aggressive track, “The News”, a bitter send-up of modern media coverage. I could easily imagine this song on Metric’s next album with its electronic instrument sequences and anthemic vocals. It features the type of social commentary you’d expect from a band less concerned about image than in their early label offerings.
In combination with the title track, I think Paramore alerts the audience that they’re in for something different. I find myself reminiscing about my college years when my opinions were pointed and the mainstream held less appeal to me. I left behind a desire to fit in and felt far more comfortable doing my own thing than I did in my grade school years.
The songs that follow tackle topics beyond break-ups and bad hangovers. “Running Out of Time”, “C’est Comme Ça”, and “Big Man, Little Dignity” gives us glimpses into the new worries of adulthood. From dozens of obligations, and aging bodies, to trying to keep your integrity. We get some great musical treats in each song, with my favorite being the clarinet and flute instrumentation on” Big Man, Little Dignity”. Though I’m biased as I played clarinet in my middle school years. I’m made more aware by these songs about all of the worries that come with adulthood. I was a child in a hurry to grow up.
I wanted to have a job, stay up late, and be able to buy my own things. Unfortunately, I had no idea all of the bullshit you have to deal with in order to get those perks.
The next series of tracks take on a more philosophical tone seeking out meaning and reasons why. Paramore explores karma, self-sabotage, and the nature of truth. “You First” has a sense of urgency with it’s siren-like guitars and buzzing bass. Haley sings out her warning that karma is out there and will take down those who are unaware. “Figure 8” keeps up the pace with the urgency felt more in Haley’s singing. These songs pass along the wisdom of life experience and really want us to pay attention. I think they succeed in grabbing it. “Liar” slows things way down. I get Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” vibes from it. Haley’s voice is fantastic as it flows over chiming guitars and a jazzy high hat, but it never quite connects with me. It might be one that has to grow on you.
Listening to Paramore, I thought about my own failures and how they accelerated my growth each time. I relate to sabotaging relationships and jobs.
I’ve stuck around both out of loyalty and fear of disappointing others. I’ve learned as Hailey croons, “I’m living in a horror film where I’m both the killer and the final girl.” To me, this means I often have opposing wills, and it’s up to me to determine which one I exercise. I can’t let others decide for me.
“Crave” comes next dripping with nostalgia. It’s a fond recollection of life’s successes and failures with the declaration of hell yes I’d do it all again. “Thick Skull” closes out the album with another of life’s lessons on when to give up your foolish behavior. Sonically, it has nice depth with the vocals sounding intimate, the guitars spacious, the piano haunting, and the drums steady. The lyrics recount a pattern of pain caused by the singer’s many attempts to rescue broken people.
As a therapist, treating the broken is my career. I do have to maintain a healthy amount of detachment from my clients.
It’s not a “Thick Skull” that helps because as reflected in the lyrics that won’t do anything for you. Instead, it’s vulnerability keeping me together. Surrendering to the fact that I can’t help everyone and there will be times when I’m out of my depth. Those are the times I need to surrender my ego and ask for support.
I’m reminded of Cheap Trick’s advice from “Surrender”. Another song about recognizing the value of giving in without giving up. Only punk rockers don’t surrender, right? They never say die and flip everyone the bird as the cops take them away. Well, Paramore has done all that and has finally heeded their own advice to Grow Up.
I hope you enjoyed this album review and my approach to musical analysis. If you’d like more analysis with a psychological perspective, read my back catalog of Lyric Shrink articles and come back for more album reviews with personal reflections in the next Album Shrink.