Paramore - This is Why

I blame my wife for this. More to the point I blame that first friggin' Twilight movie. Goodness me, that was some fun, huh? The movie wasn't high art but the soundtrack was pretty bloody awesome. It was full of wicked alternative rock. Heck the biggest surprise to me was the inclusion of "Tremble for My Beloved" by Collective Soul. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of the band, but it felt out of place. Paramore was one of the standouts from the collection with the trio of songs they provided. It's kind of mind boggling to think that it's been over fifteen years since the world had to pick whether they were team Edward, or team Jacob ... like Jacob ever had a chance, I mean there are underdogs and then there are lost causes. My wife was team Edward, and we still have a Edward figure in the closet upstairs, in the original box I might add.

I like Paramore and I have heard most of their albums except for their 2017 release After Laughter but I honestly haven't spent much time really sitting with the band. That's the joy and curse of having so much music at the tip of your finger.

This is Why was an accidental on purpose purchase. It showed up on an auction site with a few other records, and I figured it was worth at least putting in the minimum bid and let whatever happens happen. After all, I really don't need to be going out buying new records. I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers here by saying, "I won." All I had to do way pay and go pick it up.

Music in 2023 is a bit of a shit show. I've been left behind as a dinosaur, and I'm fine with that. I'll admit that on occasion I hear a new song on the radio and am impressed, but it's rare. There are no bands, at least no bands on the radio, and song structure is different now. Everything is simplistic and there are no bridges, and tension seems to be a thing of the past. The groove is still key, but it's more a drone now and lyrical substance is a thing of the past.

I told you I was old.

Get off my lawn.

So here we have Paramore, a band who's been around for twenty years, so while they're still young(ish) they aren't kids anymore either so they're in that strange middle ground between generations. To me they represent that logical continuation of what '90s rock was trying to bridge in terms of alternative and mainstream. They still have their fans and This is Why garnered the band a couple of Grammy Awards, first as the year's best rock album (beating out Metallica, ha ha ha), and then for Best Alternative Music Performance for the single "This is Why." 

Rock may not be dead after all, it just isn't on the radio, and none of the bands who were nominated with them are exactly new ... Greta Van Fleet's newish, but let's be honest they're just trying to mine an old vein that was done better when I was a kid, and honestly when I was a kid I really didn't like it all that much.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked This is Why. The first time through I thought it was okay, but it didn't seem to have anything that stood out, but I gave it another run through and added a little more volume ... yeah, that was it needed. It gets better every time I hear it. There are quite a few really solid songs, and by gum they're catchy.

This may not be the rock and roll of my youth but it's still rock and roll ... and I like it.