I’ve been listening to #DeathofABachelor since it was released a week ago on January 15, 2016. I’m talking, I’ve only been listening to that album for a week straight. When I workout, when I shower, when I’m feeling like giving up on this thing called life. I already know all the words, and I’m totally stoked that Panic At The Disco is back, and badder than ever!

In case you don’t remember who Panic At The Disco is they are an American Rock band from Las Vegas, NV. The only member of the band that hasn’t changed is lead vocalist and multi-instumentalist Brendan Urie. The rest of the founding band members have been replaced since the band first started in 2004. They are most known for their single off their first studio album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” which was a Top Ten hit single despite being the band’s first single ever released. It was later certified double platinum.

In 2006, the band lost its original bassist and found that with their second album, Pretty Odd, their sound had changed. This lead to principal writer Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker, leaving only Brendan and Spencer Smith as the bands only remaining members. This didn’t leave the band in disarray for long because they picked up and released their third album, Vices &Virtues in 2011.

In 2011, the now three member band (Dalton Weekes, Spencer Smith, and Brenden Urie) released their fourth studio album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!. In 2015, Spencer Smith left the band and Dalton Weekes became just a touring member, leaving Brendan as the only member left.

                Death of the Bachelor was solely written and recorded by Brendan Urie. The album is written based on his current lifestyle with wife, Sarah Urie.

Song by Song Review

“Victorious”: The first single off the fifth album is like a musical cue similar to that of a champagne bottle popping to celebrate big and small victories in life. Writer and vocalist Urie said that when he recorded the song, he almost passed out from that note he holds during the beginning of the song.

“Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time”: This track is definitely a continuation of the party theme from victorious but has very blunt lyrics talking about all the ingredients to a good time including: “champagne, cocaine, gasoline, and most things in between…” Urie claims that that specific line was considered problematic by industry executives but he kept it because it reflected the lifestyle of being young, how they chase that feeling and it’s never enough. This song reminds me of the movies The Hangover and 21 and Over.

“Hallelujah”: Urie claims this song was written while drinking scotch in the studio, and it’s just a bunch of drunken ramblings. It definitely has a “Take Me To Church” feel and utilizes a trumpet in the beginning of the track which again gives it and old-timey gospel feel.

“Emperor’s New Clothes”:  This song has a royal theme to it; my favorite part of the track because it’s one of my favorites is the “finders keepers, losers weepers” throughout. The track is one of my favorites because it’s the most rock-and-roll track on the album.

“Death of A Bachelor”: Has a Sinatra, jazzy feel to it. It features a melotran track playing in the background. Urie explains the track as quote, “Death Of A Bachelor” is very important to me. It expresses the bittersweet (but mostly sweet) end of an era. A look back at a part of my life now deceased. An “It’s A Wonderful Life”-esque look into a possibly different future. But mostly an appreciation for the present.” For me, the track reminds me of the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World because it has a breakdown that sounds like music you’d hear in Mario Kart or a video game in general.

“Crazy=Genius”: Most definitely, my favorite track on this album because people call me crazy all the time but musically I love that the drum beat from this track is the same from “Sing Sing Sing” by Benny Goodman, which was featured in a Chips Ahoy! Commercial back in 1990’s.

“L.A. Devotee”: A track that’s musically in three different keys, E-minor, E-major, and F-major, it talks about the people of Los Angeles; How they always have a new fix to make them ageless and beautiful.

“Golden Days” A track written to emulate Weezer’s “My Name is Jonas” with use of a cymbal during the chorus of the track. Lyrically, it holds a lot of descriptive imagery and is a good example show, don’t tell.

“The Good, The Bad, The Dirty” A track that talks about the judgements of other people and how you have to fight past that in order to know who you truly are. Musically, it has a pop-rock sound. My favorite line: “If you want to start a fight, you better throw the first punch, make it a good one.”

“House of Memories”: A track that was originally written on piano, it has an evil composer sound to it. Lyrically, it’s about his life with his wife Sarah.

“Impossible Year”: The only track I can’t bear to listen to on the entire album because it just has a weighty, woe is me feel to it. As an optimist, I shy away from songs like that because if you aren’t careful they can put you in the wrong mindset. Musically, the track has EDM style swirls throughout.

Death of A Bachelor may be Panic At The Disco’s fifth album but it stands apart from the rest because not only does it have hip-hop, pop, and rock musical stylings but it proves that rock and roll is still very much alive. Panic At the Disco just announced that in 2016, they are heading out on tour to co-headline with fellow rock band, Weezer.

References:

www.twitter.com/panicatthedisco