After Laughter
After Laughter is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Paramore. It was released on May 12, 2017, through Fueled by Ramen, as a follow-up to their 2013 self-titled album. After Laughter was produced by guitarist Taylor York alongside previous collaborator Justin Meldal-Johnsen. It is the band's first album since the return of drummer Zac Farro and the departure of former bassist Jeremy Davis. After Laughter represents a complete departure from the pop-punk and alternative rock sound of the band's previous releases and, in direct contrast to its upbeat and vibrant sound, touches on themes of exhaustion, depression and anxiety.
Upon release, After Laughter received critical acclaim from music critics, who praised the band's new sonic direction and the 1980s new wave and synth-pop sound on the album. Several publications featured the album in their year-end lists, including Billboard and Rolling Stone. In 2019, Pitchfork listed it at number 169 in their list of best albums of the decade.
After Laughter was supported by five singles: "Hard Times", released on April 19, 2017; "Told You So", released on May 3, 2017; "Fake Happy", released on August 29, 2017; "Rose-Colored Boy", released on March 2, 2018; and "Caught in the Middle", released on June 26, 2018. The album debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200, marking their third top 10 album on the chart, with 67,000 album-equivalent units.
Background and recording
On January 19, 2016, singer Hayley Williams announced that the band was in the process of writing their fifth album, following up their 2013 self-titled album, Paramore. On June 8, 2016, the band posted a short video of themselves in a studio to their social media, the same month the album recording started. This was preceded by a number of images which all included both former drummer Zac Farro and producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, leading fans and various media outlets to speculate the return of Farro. On June 17, Farro was featured yet again in a picture uploaded to social media, this time behind a drum set, confirming that he would be recording drums for the album, though he later clarified that he was only recording drums for the album and that he had not rejoined the band as a full member. Despite this, on February 2, 2017, the band announced that Farro would return as the band's official drummer. The album was recorded in Nashville's historic RCA Studio B, marking the first time the group recorded an album in their hometown. It was produced by the band's guitarist Taylor York, and Meldal-Johnsen, both of whom also produced their self-titled record. The recording of the album concluded in November 2016.In an interview with The New York Times, Williams stated "I didn't even know if we were going to make another record...There was a moment when I didn't even want it to happen. Then it was like, I want it to happen, but I don't know how we're going to do it." Williams was also interviewed by DIY Magazine, where she mentioned "I still feel like we're really green, especially with this record. It felt like there were so many new things to try and so many new feelings about life – you're finally all the way over the hump of being able to deny that you're an adult now. Yeah, this was a crazy record to make."
Release and promotion
On April 19, 2017, the lead single, "Hard Times", was released along with a music video. On the same day, pre-orders of the album were made available, revealing the album title, cover art, track listing, and release date. A European headline tour was later announced via the band's official website, kicking off in Ireland on June 15. Riot Fest also announced that Paramore would be part of the festival's lineup in September. On May 3, the band released a second single from the album, titled "Told You So", along with a music video. On May 10, the album leaked online before its official release. On the day of the album's release, the band announced their third "Parahoy!" cruise, which took place from April 6 to April 10, 2018, sailing from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas. On May 17, the band performed "Hard Times" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Following this, on May 25, they performed "Told You So" on The Late Late Show. On August 29, 2017, the band released "Fake Happy" as the third single from the album, On February 5, 2018, a music video directed by Warren Fu for "Rose-Colored Boy" was released, which is also the album's fourth single. On June 26, 2018, a music video for "Caught in the Middle" was released, which also serves as the album's fifth and final single.Composition
Music and lyrics
After Laughter is a departure from Paramore's previous material, leaving behind the pop-punk and emo genres of previous releases entirely. Matt Collar from AllMusic described the album's sound as new wave. Ilana Kaplan at Paste characterized the album as 1980s new wave pop. Similarly, Billboards Chris Payne described it as an "early '80s new wave" album, as well as calling the songs on After Laughter "slick, sun-kissed alternative pop". Marianne Eloise of The Forty Five described the album as synth-pop. Brad Nelson of Spin also described the album as new wave, saying that "it's the band's brightest, most animated album. The sound is crisp, every layer discernible, lacking the blurs and reverberations that constitute traditional rock production and instead drawing from the rhythmic separations that characterize '80s pop and freestyle." Glenn Gamboa from Newsday stated that the band is "pushing deeper into their own pop-rock world," and that the album has "the candy-colored energy of '80s pop built on sleek synths and spiky, Afrobeat-tinged guitars." Pitchfork writer Ryan Dombal categorized the album a "piece of '80s pop-rock," stating "York focuses his inspirations the styles of 1980s rock and pop, conjuring a slicked-back take on fixtures like Talking Heads, Paul Simon, and the Bangles." The Line of Best Fits Dannii Leivers noted "the band have fully embraced chart-friendly, power pop." According to PopMatters, " fuses sleek elements of '80s new wave, funk, and synthpop." Punknews.org described the album as an "80s electro-pop album". Eve Barlow from Variety observed "...these tunes builds upon the more ambitious, experimental sounds of radio stalker "Ain't It Fun" off their previous, self-titled LP, leaning on their crossover success."The album's lyrical content predominantly touches upon themes of exhaustion, depression, and anxiety. NME said the album is a "pop triumph", highlighting the contrast between the "serious sadness" of the lyrics "underneath all the bangers". Similarly, The Guardian called the album a "vibrant record, a contrast to its lyrical themes, which cover masking misery, spiralling depression and the anxiety of ageing, only with a knowing wink." Newsday called the album "a collection of songs about remaining upbeat in the face of adversity that bounce around with." Billboard said "Williams sings about the act of crying on no less than five songs, and there are numerous moments where she could be addressing the unfriendly exit and subsequent legal entanglements of former bassist Jeremy Davis." Spin said the album "observes a different aspect of the subject of survival: the emptiness and pointlessness, and how often it fails to alter the indifferent universe that surrounds and requires it." The Line of Best Fit said "despite all its sunny hooks, After Laughter is a deep album with plenty to say. It's easily the most honest and mature Paramore have sounded yet."