Continued from page 11 the outrage it thematically follows . Although seemingly polite , this track is the album ' s most indignant . Where the new album marginally falls short is its cohesion – a far cry from the joyful sorrow of 2017 ’ s After Laughter . The band themselves seems to have acknowledged this in an Instagram post on the multitude of themes being explored . After six years apart , Paramore seems to be playing explorative catch-up . Even with connecting elements of anxiety and vengeance , the jagged edges of each motif don ’ t always connect to the next , especially in the tonal shift between the A and B sides . Falling short doesn ’ t just end in metaphor either : with only 10 songs within a modest 36 minutes , this album might have more in common with “ Running Out of Time ” than it cares to admit . For a band whose longevity is somewhat unique , “ The News ” makes it hard to avoid the obvious : this is a band made up of millennials . Although well-meaning and deftly produced , this track ’ s political charge is almost overdone – at least for this Gen Z ear . It ' s not enough to leave a bad taste in your mouth , but it is definitely a weaker track when sandwiched between “ This is Why ” and “ Running out of Time ,” both of which are sonically and lyrically stronger representations for young adults grappling with the modern world . “ The News ” is to This Is Why as “ The Man ” is to Taylor Swift ’ s Lover ; not an objectively bad song , but it does make you grit your teeth a little in its comparatively generic approach to social issues . With a discography consisting of typically omnipresent themes , “ The News ” is a bit of a weak spot for Paramore ’ s generationally expanding audience . Even so , this album is impeccably strong , and its millennial lens is more often a commentarial asset than a hindrance .
Even under the microscope Paramore never fails to deliver . Although it ’ s a gentler , more refined callback to their pop-punk days , This Is Why is far from regressive . With “ a certain degree of disorder ," Paramore has been the voice of a generation for nearly two decades , and for good reason . A new album only strengthens their legacy , bringing our favorite angsty teens along with us into adulthood . Paramore isn ’ t going anywhere , nor would we want them to .
– Riley Vernon
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THE WAEVE The Waeve
( Transgressive )
When Blur guitarist Graham Coxon released his debut solo album , The Sky Is Too High back in 1998 , Blur had just made a successful leap from purveyors of dandy Britpop to a more indie / guitar-centric sound , scoring a mega-hit with “ Song 2 .” Yet even the more lo-fi sound of the selftitled Blur album could not have predicted the sound of The Sky Is Too High . Seemingly dashed off in dissonant first-take four-track recordings and released on his own Transcopic label , the solo album failed to make an impact . Coxon would eventually leave Blur and release a string of solo albums , each one sounding more confident and fully formed , eventually re-igniting a relationship with Blur producer Stephen Street . Coxon ’ s guitar prowess and original style were well known throughout the Britpop world , with even one-time nemesis Noel Gallagher calling him “ one of the most talented guitarists of his generation .” So when news broke in 2022 that Coxon had formed a duo , The Waeve , that would rely more on his saxophone playing than his guitar work , expectations weren ’ t exactly through the roof . Worry not ; the debut fulllength by The Waeve bucks expectations in the best way possible . Coxon and his girl-
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