By Kaitlin Reeves // Contributing Writer
With the release of their newest album, Death of a Bachelor, Panic! at the Disco continues to shatter expectations with the direction they take. This album features their usual style: cleverly written lyrics, catchy beats alongside big band/swing styles and lead singer Brendon Urie’s love of Frank Sinatra. But in comparison with their earlier installments, the band has definitely taken a few steps toward catering to the pop demand by changing their melodies to resemble today’s hits and the inclusion of easier-to-sing lyrics. However, there are still plenty of traces of Panic!’s signature sound, particularly in tracks like “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” and “Emperor’s New Clothes,” which include fast, smart lyrics and more of a synth heavy, techno beat.
With half of the album released as singles already, we were really only waiting for the other five tracks to complete the list. “Hallelujah” was released in April and winded up being their second “Top 40” hit in their career, giving us an insight into what was to come with Panic!’s new album and direction. “Victorious,” their second single released from “Death of a Bachelor” turned into a No. 1 hit, and is, quite possibly, the catchiest song from the album because of its easy-to-follow lyrics and up-tempo beat.
From the five that were later released to complete the album, “Crazy=Genius,” is my personal favorite because it brings the big band feel into play and introduces a new sound that Panic! has made their own. They’ve transformed their song composure from their early albums, which mainly contained a lot of synthesizers, to feature more instrumentation such as prominent guitar, piano, and everything in-between.
Overall, the album is a great new sound for the band. Urie’s very distinct voice is captivating in these new songs, and this album is one of the band’s best. Yes, they had to change their style a bit to keep up with the times, but this change has produced some of the best songs of their career. Panic! expertly retained their original approach to music and theatrical flair while catering to the ever-evolving needs of music fans.
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To contact Lifestyles editor Tanner Dedmon email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
