Vinyl Record

Paramore - After Laughter

Paramore – After Laughter on LP: bright, synth-leaning alt-pop rock with sharp hooks. Buy in Kilmorna/Listowel while it’s on the shelf.

LP · 2017

Available from Kilmorna Collection in Listowel.

Buyer notes: 2017 LP, currently available from the Kilmorna Collection vinyl shelf. Pay for pickup in Listowel or ship within Ireland for EUR 5.50.

After Laughter finds Paramore pivoting away from big-guitar drama into something brighter on the surface and sharper underneath. It’s a pop-leaning record that borrows the snap of new wave and the shimmer of synths, then uses that colour to frame lyrics that aren’t interested in easy optimism. The contrast is the point: gleaming melodies, restless grooves, and a band sounding newly agile in how it moves. Hayley Williams’ vocal is front and centre—elastic, cutting, and conversational—while the arrangements keep shifting around her: wiry rhythm guitar, punchy bass lines, and keys that bring a sunlit sheen without sanding off the edges. The album plays like a set with momentum, balancing immediate hooks with a quietly unsettled emotional thread. On vinyl it suits the record’s dual nature: crisp, danceable surfaces with enough space for the tension to breathe. If you know Paramore for their earlier, louder eras, this is the left-turn that still feels like them—just reframed in neon.

It’s one of the key modern examples of a rock band retooling their sound without losing identity. The new wave/synth-pop palette gives Paramore a fresh stage for adult themes—joy, burnout, anxiety—making the record resonate well beyond its release year.

This LP is a staple pick-up because it captures a distinct “era” for the band—stylistically and emotionally. Copies tend to move quickly when restocked, and it’s a satisfying play-through album rather than a one-single souvenir. If you’re building a 2010s alternative shelf, this one earns its space.

Bright, punchy, and rhythm-forward: crisp drums, nimble bass, chiming guitars and glossy synth layers, with clear, upfront vocals and a bittersweet pop sheen.

What style of Paramore is this? More new wave and synth-pop influenced than their early pop-punk/emo-leaning records—still punchy and guitar-driven, but built around grooves and bright textures. Is this a good starting point if I’m new to Paramore? Yes—especially if you like pop hooks and rhythmic, danceable rock. If you prefer heavier guitars, you may also want to explore their earlier releases afterward. Does the album work well as a full LP listen? Definitely. It’s sequenced with momentum and contrast, so it plays best front-to-back rather than as a singles-only record.