2008 Woodie Awards
Panic at the Disco returns with peppy, upbeat sophomore album
Charlotte Kyle
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: College Life
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The band, once known as Panic! at the Disco, has dropped the exclamation point loved by fans and despised by copy editors. The band, however, reassures fans the Panic sound won't disappear simply because of a slaughtered exclamation point.
"You don't have to worry 'cause we're still the same band," Panic sings on its opening track, "We're So Starving." The song, which barely exceeds a minute, is a bouncy, happy number explaining the band's absence from the spotlight. "We're so sorry we've been gone - we were busy writing songs for you!"
Panic's debut release, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out," seems depressing in comparison to "Pretty. Odd."
The new album is peppy and happy, keeping the unique circus-themed feel that comes with each track.
"Nine in the Afternoon" is upbeat and nonsensical. I hadn't heard the track on the radio or MTV yet, so listening to it flawlessly transition from "We're So Starving" to the band's first single was a more pleasant and rewarding experience.
Some albums you simply must listen to in order from start to finish. A storytelling-type album, it is no surprise Panic wrote "Pretty. Odd." from scratch. Listening to their sophomore effort is like opening a book of Grimm's fairytales or Aesop's fables, instantly transporting you into a world of magic and adventure. There's whistling and birds and references to "Alice in Wonderland," "The Wizard of Oz" and a number of other classics if you listen carefully enough, I'm sure.
It is disappointing that some people simply consider Panic a knock-off Fall Out Boy or write them off as simply another emo band. Panic has proved, despite its wardrobe and image, it is a band worthy of longevity and originality.
"I Have Friends in Holy Spaces" brings an image to my head of black and white movies, scratches on the film as pictures of musicians dance happily on the screen. Horns accompany low-quality vocals and an acoustic guitar in a track that sounds so simple it must have been the most expensive to record.
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Ryan
posted 4/05/08 @ 1:35 PM CST
All I have to say about Panic at the Disco is that at one of their concerts, they said, "We'd like to be thought of as the next Radiohead."
Personally I'd like to be thought of as the next Ron Jeremy, but just asking people to believe that isn't going to make it true. (Continued…)
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