She’s tired of being put on a pedestal, only to be ripped down by the same hands that placed her there. It captures the same brashness of Williams’ voice as heard throughout much of RIOT! (“For A Pessimist…”, “Let The Flames Begin”), and Brand New Eyes (“Careful”, “Brick By Boring Brick”, “All I Wanted”). It’s captivating, not least in part because of the delivery of the chorus’ last line (“I’m gonna be the one to let you down”) and the “la la la la”s before the chorus hits, sung with overemphasis and terse dryness. Some of these nuances are highlighted in the song “ Idle Worship.” It is easily one of the most interesting tracks on the album, joining “26” and “No Friend” in that category. From the early 2010’s, this decade has seen the rise of synths and electronics married to the overall pop mainstream: you might think Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, Justin Bieber’s Believe (and Purpose), Kanye West’s Graduation and Yeezus (even Daft Punk at this point), as well as collaborations between mainstream pop stars and electronic-leaning producers like Diplo, Skrillex, Max Martin, Calvin Harris and, for better or worse, The Chainsmokers. With the mechanics of pop ever-changing, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what pop “is”. They haven’t so much as crossed over into the pop sphere as they’ve adopted nuances of the genre to fit their own vibe. Through the lead single “Hard Times”, we’re able to glean that Paramore has resolutely adopted this new sound. 2017’s After Laughter is oxymoronic in sound: the upbeat grooviness is palpable, but the lyrics, as with many Paramore songs, are sometimes downtrodden, this time touching on subjects such as depression, anxiety, grudges, and ultimatums. Now, returning four years after the success of their self-titled album, as well as Williams’ and guitarist Taylor York’s Grammy win for “Ain’t It Fun,” Paramore find themselves continuing to explore the scope and reaches of pop elements in their music, specifically synth-pop that first became popular in the 1980’s. Neither pessimism nor optimism at this point have much bearing in Paramore’s bracket. They might have abandoned the abrasive guitar-shredding and intrusive interrogatives of RIOT! for the bouncier, more vibrant sound of pop synths but, underneath, Paramore remain just as angsty as they were when lead singer Hayley Williams screamed how she would sing out when “they burn our houses down”. They’ve come a long way from the scene hair and pop-punk sensibility of All We Know Is Falling.

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