They hinted at a return in 2021 and now it’s officially confirmed – Paramore is back in the studio and working hard on his sixth studio album.
In a new interview with Rolling stonethe three members of the veteran pop-punk group – Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro – have revealed they are in the throes of recording their upcoming album (still untitled and no release date), their first for nearly five years after releasing their successful record in 2017, After the laugh.
In 2020, Williams hinted in a meeting that the band’s next album would revert to a guitar sound, which would lead many to believe the band would re-exploit the pop-punk and emo sounds and aesthetics of their heyday. Now, months after the registration process began, Williams tells Rolling stone that the album might not be the “emo record” many expect – although the guitar is still in the foreground.
“The music that initially excited us was not exactly the kind of music that we continued to make,” said Williams. RS. “Our production has always been everywhere and with this project, it’s not that different. We’re still in the thick of it but some things have stayed consistent from the start. 1) More emphasis on the guitar, and 2) Zac should go like Animal however he wants with drum takes.
That way, Williams added, you can expect an album that may still sound nostalgic but will sound fresh, and that will launch into new sonic territory for the band.
“We wrote and followed something that we liked and it actually surprised us,” Williams told RS about the band’s first studio session in years. “We kept joking, it was all downhill from that point on, but thank goodness we were really surprised throughout it all. I’m still waiting for the moment to let us know that we’re on to something new and not just rehashing the same shit. It was “Ain’t It Fun” for our self-titled album, and “Hard Times” or “Told You So” for After the laugh. It’s not so much about feeling like a hit, but more about a scary and exciting feeling of walking in uncharted waters. It keeps you curious. We had that feeling from the start this time around.
According to the group, they started the recording process in Nashville and have since moved to a studio in California, spending most of their time ordering PostMates, playing ping-pong and, in Williams’ case, trying to convince SZA to hang out with them in the studio. (Williams has covered several SZA songs in the past, including “Drew barrymore. ”)
“We walk into the studio around 10 am and leave around 7 or 8 pm like a bunch of dads,” Williams said. “I tried to get SZA to come hang out with us because I want to be real life friends, but we leave the studio to eat and sleep and she’s still fighting.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Williams reflected on Paramore’s future as a project her current members will always return to. While they may go their separate ways for years, going about their own business and, in Williams’ case, embarking on a successful solo journey, they will always find their way back to each other and to the music. “Paramore feels right at home,” said Williams.
Paramore’s latest album, After the laughmarked a new era of sound for the group with its synth-pop sound. The album was widely acclaimed, with critics noting the group’s growth and their honest writing about depression, anxiety, and the future. The record was the first album involving Farro since he left the band in 2010 and the first without ex-bassist Jeremy Davis.
Check out NYLON’s list of 2022’s most anticipated albums, including Paramore’s upcoming record.
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