Music review: Panic! at the Disco – 鈥楧eath of a Bachelor鈥�
Hold on.
There蘑菇视频 no need to panic.
While Harry Nilsson and Three Dog Night taught us about one being the loneliest number, Brendon Urie is careful not to be spending his alone time just making rhymes of yesterday.
As the last remaining original member of Panic! at the Disco, the 28-year-old frontman turns his recent solitude into a raging party. The band蘑菇视频 fifth studio album is more of a solo effort with Urie writing the majority of the material as well as performing the lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, drums and keyboards.
A far cry from Panic! at the Disco蘑菇视频 emo-pop debut from 2005, the latest release is an immersive listening experience that manages to come off as both retro and new with Urie confidently leading the way. Urie has described his current effort as an unusual mixture of Frank Sinatra and Queen with a little jazz, rock and new wave influence sprinkled in for good measure.
A hint of Queen蘑菇视频 鈥淏ohemian Rhapsody鈥� adds a dramatic flavoring to 鈥淓mperor蘑菇视频 New Clothes,鈥� while the title track channels the smooth crooning of Sinatra as Urie announces, 鈥淎lone at a table for two and I just wanna be served.鈥� 鈥淐razy=Genius鈥� races with the big-band swing of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Brian Setzer and 鈥淟A Devotee鈥� shines brightly under a pop slickness reminiscent of Maroon 5.
鈥淗allelujah鈥� and 鈥淰ictorious鈥� are arena-styled anthems that supply the album with an unbridled energy and celebratory tone accompanied by the hangover consequences outlined in 鈥淒on鈥檛 Threaten Me with a Good Time鈥� as Urie declares, 鈥淚 lost a bet to a guy in a chiffon skirt/But I make these high heels work.鈥�
For me, the best is saved for last as Urie delivers an engaging vocal performance on the album closer 鈥淚mpossible Year.鈥� The sentimental number filled with sorrow and regret adds a touch of grace and sophistication in reference to the album蘑菇视频 title. A refreshed, refined and rebooted Panic! at the Disco proves to be a delightful peculiarity.
Clint Rhodes is the 蘑菇视频 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.