Thirty something reader, writer, and music lover who believes all people should have the freedom to espresso themselves however they choose. This community is born out of an equal love of reading, writing, and the power of faith and coffee.
As a writer myself, I’m always looking for books to read on craft. In some ways, I find it cheaper and less time consuming than going for my MFA in writing. And my writing has improved according to my beta readers of various projects since I’ve started reading books on tips for the craft.
The first book I read on craft that helped me feel like I was actually learning what it means to call myself a writer was Stephen King’s On Writing. Changed my life. I quoted it for months after reading it, just ask my mom.
I came upon this book by DM offer from Danielle when she followed me on Twitter. Usually I roll my eyes when I get a DM from all the authors on Twitter but this one was the first one where instead of being asked to follow their Facebook page or Instagram account, I was being offered a free book that may or may not help me with my writing. Now that’s quite a loaded DM if you ask me. 🙂
Overall, this review will be short because I have nothing but good things to say about the book.
The book is eight chapters long and is split between the author’s actual journal entries and explanations of how the entry shows a tip toward making your craft better. One thing I loved is that after months of being told by beta readers to show, don’t tell, Hanna finally got me to understand it in a way that stuck. I’m not saying I’m an expert on it yet but I suddenly get the difference. The author’s journal entries read so much like fiction I was blown away. Her writing talent mirrors that of another favorite of mine, Cassandra Clare. I hope that after reading this book I can write as succinctly and flowing as Danielle does. Conclusively, if you want to become a writer or become a better writer, or struggling to sell books and wondering why, please consider getting this book at any bookseller. You won’t be sorry you did.
Before Sia was singing of swinging from chandeliers or being made of titanium with David Guetta, she was Sia Furler, born December 18, 1975 in Adelaide, South Australia. She began her career as a young child imitating her musical influences, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Sting. After being part of a jazz band named Crisp from 1994-1997, she moved to London in 1997 and performed background and lead vocals for various artists including Jamiroquai before signing with Sony Music’s label imprint Dancing Pool. Prior to this, Sia released her debut album OnlySee independentlybut it only sold 1200 copies. With Sony Music, Sia released her second album, Healing is Difficult. Displeased with how the album was promoted, Sia fired her manager, and left Sony Music, signing with UMG subsidiary, Go! Beat.
In 2004, Furler released her third album, Colour the Small One. Once again, the album was poorly marketed. She relocated to New York in 2005. She left Zero 7, her Australia Band that began her music career, and in 2008, released her fourth studio album, Some People have Real Problems. It not only charted high in Australia but charted at number 26 in the U.S. which makes it Sia’s first album to chart in the U.S.
Being that her fame was slowly rising like steam in the U.S. she was approached by pop singer Christina Auguliera to help write her sixth studio album. Bionic contains three songs co-written by Furler. In 2011, she wrote the song “Titanium” for Alicia Keys but it was later sent to David Guetta and he kept her demo vocals on the track and it became a worldwide success. Sia was upset about this because she had just retired as a pop artist and was trying to become a songwriter only. Before this, Sia had released her fifth studio album, We are Born. From the David Guetta fiasco, she co-wrote songs for Beyonce, FloRida, and Rihanna from 2011 to 2013.
In October 2013, “Elastic Heart” was used in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. In July 2014, Sia released her sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear. She released it in order to finish out her record contract but with the worldwide success of the album, she decided to work on a follow-up album and continue writing her own music.
In 2008 until 2011, Sia suffered from suicidal depresssion going so far as writing a suicide note. Following her depression, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease- an autoimmune disease that causes symptoms of an overactive thyroid. Because it was so hush-hush, a lot of people aware of Sia are unaware that she was married to Erik Anders Lang on August 2, 2014.
On January 29, 2016, Sia released her seventh studio album This is Acting. It’s a compilation of songs that were rejected by other pop artists such as Adele and Rihanna. Musically, the album has a electropop sound with soul influences. The album is called This is Acting because most of the songs were written for other artists and Furler said when she wrote it and later recorded it, she felt like she was play acting with it because it wasn’t necessarily something she would say.
Song by Song Review
“Bird Set Free”: With this song, which was originally written for the Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack, it was then pitched to Rihanna then recorded by Adele before being cut from the final 25 album. Sia’s vocals soar on this song about not giving up even in the face of death.
“Alive”: With this song, originally written for Adele but rejected at the last minute, it’s a song that motivates as no matter the obstacles, the speaker isn’t going to let it defeat or destroy her. I think Sia sounds better singing it herself than Adele may have sounded.
“One Million Bullets”:The only song on the album that wasn’t written for anyone else, it definitely has Sia’s trademark sound that was primarily showcased on 1000 Forms of Fear.
“Move Your Body”: Despite Sia’s ballad signature, this song doesn’t disappoint with it’s dancy sound and EDM-stylistic elements.
“Unstoppable”: This song almost sounds like Demi Lovato’s “Confident,” and some people believe it was intentionally written for Lovato. It’s one of my favorites off the album because of it’s pop anthem theme.
“Cheap Thrills”: It was also written for Rihanna, and definitely has the sound of a Rihanna song despite being rejected. I like the message and musical stylings of the track: having fun with just a dance floor and some good music, no money needed. It’s another one of my favorites off the album.
This song was co-written with Kanye West for Rihanna but Sia liked it so much she decided to keep it for herself. I like it because it follows the theme of not giving up your life for anything or anyone like “Bird Set Free” and “Alive.”
This song is about needing someone so much you burn with desire for them. This track is another one of my favorites because of its electropop sound and lyrical content.
This song reminds me of the Christian poem Footprints about someone that carries you threw some of the darkest times of your life. In the original poem, this is Jesus but with this song, it could apply to anyone.
This track contains elements of Sisqo’s hit song, “Thong Song,” and Sia even references it throughout the song. I like the overall musicality of this track.
With this track, Sia returns to her ballad style singing in this track about not giving up on a romance that appears to be weathering storm after storm.
With the final track on the album, Sia creates a dark vibe that has a haunted sound. I would have to say this track is a masterpiece in itself about the death of a love between two people, and reminisces “Cellophane” from 1000 Forms of Fear.
This is Acting peaked in the U.S. at number four on the Billboard Hot 200 in it’s debut week. Despite being written for other people, the songs not only sound like Sia signatures but further prove her talent is far from an act.
I’ll be honest. The Grammys actually rank low on my own personal totem pole when it comes to music award shows just because they are equivalent to the academy awards where they are boring as hell and very very dry. Now I know a lot of people just side-eyed the screen but let me explain why:
The Grammys are one of the highest accolades a musical artist could hope for but that doesn’t mean the show is exactly entertaining.
Last night in Los Angeles, the show was opened by Taylor Swift singing her newest single off her album 1989, “Out of The Woods.”
This performance was followed by Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood doing a mash-up medley of their hits. Some fans say Sam butchered “Heartbeat” but I thought they both did a great job.
Some lows of the Grammys were definitely Adele having technical difficulties during her return performance on the Grammys stage.
Another low was speculation that Taylor Swift robbed Kendrick Lamar of an Album of the Year win. I feel that last night proved that the country as a whole is sick of Taylor Swift because I saw memes making fun of her haircut and the above picture of Tori Kelly went viral because that was the face she was giving Taylor during her acceptance speech. I was happy for Taylor because she got to acknowledge Kanye West’s claims that because he interrupted her acceptance speech at the VMA’s back in 2009, he made her famous or relevant. Let’s get real here, Kanye. Taylor’s talent alone speaks for itself. You haven’t released anything of value since Stronger. Please stop the Twitter rants in an effort to publicize your album because I’m sure plenty of people will buy it simply because you are Kanye West.
Some highs at the Grammys
Demi Lovato slaying during the Lionel Richie tribute.
Kendrick Lamar put on a crazy poetic performance highlighting racism while performing his single, “Alright”
Lastly, my girl Tori Kelly did a mash-up performance with James Bay. And they both sounded way too good not to make us all hope for a future collaboration
Congratulations to all the winners! This means you are officially the best in your genre.
As much as I’m excited for a lot of my favorites in pop finally getting acknowledged by the Grammy Foundation, I really hope they will get a little more lively next year.
The movie is armed with an all-star cast including Rebel Wilson, Dakota Johnson, Leslie Mann, and Alison Brie. The movie follows these four women as Alice’s character comes out of a long-term relationship and goes off to find out who she is. With her new job at a law firm, she meets Robin who is an expert at being single, and she goes about teaching her the stereotypical way to go about being single (partying every night, having sex with any guy that shows interest, waking up hungover the next morning) but when Alice meets up with her ex and asks him to take her back. She’s surprised to find he’s moved on with someone else.
Without giving more away than necessary, I will end with saying that this isn’t your typical raunchy romantic comedy. What you go to the movies thinking you will see isn’t what you leave having seen. It actually holds an amazing message in favor of the single life, and that’s totally refreshing for a movie that was released on Valentine’s Day weekend.
My Smart Cookie Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
How To Be Single debuted in third grossing 18.7 million in its opening weekend at the box office.
Hailing from Rumson, New Jersey and at only 24 years old, Charlie Puth first caught our attention as the lead vocalist who croons the chorus of Wiz Kahlifa’s award winning song “See You Again” for Fast and Furious 7.
At the young age of two, Puth suffered a near fatal dog bite incident that damaged his right eyebrow. At age 12, he began his music career unofficially by participating in a jazz ensemble in Red Bank, NJ. Despite attending regular high school, from 7th to 12th grade, he attended Manhattan School of Music pre-college, majoring in jazz piano and minoring in classical music. From here, he went to college on a full scholarship at Berklee College of Music where he majored in music production and engineering. He graduated in 2013.
His music career sprung into action when Puth began a Youtube channel called Charlies Vlogs, where he released his first single, “These Are My Sexy Shades” in 2010. Charlie Puth was originally signed to Ellen Degenerees label, eleveneleven but left in 2013. In 2015, he signed with Atlantic Records. Prior to the release of his debut album, Nine Track Mind, he was a feature act on the 2015 Jingle Ball Tour.
Song by Song Review
“One Call Away”: A song he wrote with his best friends in L.A. it showcases Puth’s songwriting style as well his signature musical style of pure vocals across a piano track.
“Marvin Gaye”: The debut single off his album released with Atlantic Records, the track is all about the heat of passion between two people who just met, and features Puth’s friend and fellow pop artist, Meghan Trainor.
“Dangerously”: One of my favorites off the album, I relate to the message of the song and love the musicality of the track because it’s got a soul pop vibe. Puth himself tweeted that the part of the song where he sings, “knew we would crash at the speed that we were going” part took about 100 times to get right. You can’t even tell, Charlie. Either way, your voice sounds as smooth as spoonful of brownie cheesecake ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.
“Losing My Mind”: I feel like this track should be my text notification since I am probably losing my mind 21 out of 24 hours a day. Puth explains the song as a track on an emotional day when he felt like he was the worst songwriter in the world and that he was losing his mind. Sounds like he fixed his writer’s block with this song.
“We Don’t Talk Anymore”: A great song that I can dedicate to my ex since things there ended entirely terribly. This is my favorite track on the album because I love the back and forth between Selena Gomez and him on this track as well as the overall musicality of the track.
“My Gospel”: Love the musicality of this track as well as the overall message of the song. Now if only I could get a guy who looks like Charlie Puth to sing this to me because he dedicates it to me. This song was co-written by Josh Kear, most known for writing the hit Carrie Underwood song “Before He Cheats.”
“Up All Night”: Puth’s vocals and jazz piano backtrack make this sound a lot like the sequel to “One Call Away.” He wrote this while doing head stands according to Puth’s Twitter page. This track is incredibly relatable for anyone who’s ever had a crush. Bravo, Charlie.
“Left Right Left”: Another piano ballad that talks about that moment when time has past and you finally start picking yourself up and moving on with your life after a breakup that you thought would destroy you for good. Ironically, Puth recorded this song on a hover board and he fell really hard during the recording session.
“Then There’s You”: Max Martin added his own personal touch to this track but this has the makings of being as popular as Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl” if it becomes a single. If not, I enjoy the pop musicality of the track and only hope I can get married one day to this song.
“Suffer”: This track reminds me of a Temptations song, and makes me feel as though I’ve transported back to the fifties with it’s malt milkshake diner vibe but Puth wrote this about a girl that was messing with his mind.
“As You Are”: Ok so I stand corrected. This is my absolute favorite track on the album. This track was co-written by Shy Carter Mayne. Also, Charlie if you ever want to have a shotgun wedding to someone you don’t really know, I’m only one call away 😉
“Some Type of Love”: The song that helped him get a record deal with Atlantic Records, this was written and recorded in his parent’s house. The perfect song to listen to on Valentine’s Day.
So far, Nine Track Mind has debuted at #6 on the Billboard Hot 200. Puth may be one call away but he’s definitely a someone you should watch out for. His music will have you losing your mind because it’s just that good.
Tori Kelly is an amazing songwriter but as far as the music industry goes, she is only known for her angelic vocals. See, I was late to the Tori Kelly fan party. I happened to see a tweet from someone I followed on Twitter (isn’t this how all good stories start nowadays) talking about Tori Kelly. Then, a few days later, I saw her on the Radio Disney music awards and I started to take notice but it wasn’t until I wrote my first ever article for Outloud.com reviewing her debut album, Unbreakable Smile, that I realized how amazing of an artist she really is.
Her new single, “Something Beautiful” is no exception. The song gives a positive spin to what others consider beautiful as well as tackling themes of confidence, self-esteem, and belief in oneself and the strength one holds inside. I can’t stop listening to it. And when I’m not listening to it, I find myself humming it or singing it to myself because it gave me an earworm. My favorite thing about the song is that it’s the perfect remedy when you are having a bad day, a bad week, or heaven forbid, a bad year. The single was released as part of her Unbreakable Smile repackaged edition.
Tori Kelly is scheduled to perform this upcoming Monday February 15 with fellow breakout artist James Bay (and my British bae) on this year’s Grammy Awards. You can bet I’ll be tuning in and singing along.
I’m the last person to ever sit through a game of football yet watching the Superbowl for me is less about the game itself and more about the ads throughout and the food I get to munch on while I’m watching.
Doritos Ultrasound
This commercial definitely caught my attention but it also gave me the creeps a slight bit. I’d give it a 3.5/5 stars for creativity but it lost 1.5 stars for the creepy factor.
Paypal: There’s New Money in Town
This commercial made me and my dog take notice because we are huge Lovatics (fans of Demi Lovato)because of the use of Demi Lovato’s song, “Confident” but as far as what Paypal was advertising, it was hard to tell. Do they have a new feature on their site? Is it easier to use their site? Or were they advertising Paypal makes you feel confident with your money. 2 out of 5 stars.
Apartments.com
This commercial was very smart and clever and featured rapper Lil Wayne. 4.5 out of 5 stars
Shock Top: Unfiltered Talk
This commercial was funny and had my attention throughout, and at the end of it, I was definitely craving a beer. 4.5/5 stars.
Buick: The Big Game Meets The Big Day
Featuring rising talent Emily Rajenkowski, most known for her role opposite Zac Efron in We Are Your Friends, and Obdell Beckham, Jr. It was funny and clever, and I knew what product they were advertising by the end. 3.5/5 stars.
Dollar Shave Club: Zeke
This ad definitely kept my attention, grossed me out, and had me considering signing my dad up. 4 out of 5 stars.
Acura: What He Said
Featuring Van Halen, this commercial got the point across and was one of the few car commercials that didn’t annoy me. 4.5/5
QuickenLoans: RocketMortgage
I like that they suspended things in the air in this ad but still got the concept across. 4/5
Hyndai: Ryanville
Who doesn’t get distracted looking at Ryan Reynolds? Clever ad and got the point across. Another car commercial that didn’t annoy me. 4.5/5
Budlight Party
This was one of my favorite commercials of the night. Super smart. Amy Schumer is way hot right now, and I love when she says: “It’s not too big, I mean, you can handle it.” I laughed out loud. Very entertaining commercial. Genius concept using the caucus as the theme. I’m definitely a voting member of the #BudlightParty. 5/5
Skittles: The Portrait
Very clever and features Aerosmith legend, Steven Tyler. 4.5/5
Prius: Heck On Wheels
This commercial definitely made me want a red prius. This was incredibly clever centering around a police chase in a prius that becomes a national phenomenon. 4.5/5
Coke: Ant Man vs The Hulk
This commercial was clever, as most Coke ads are, advertising the new mini Coke by comparing it to Ant Man and the Hulk.
Butterfinger: Bolder Than Bold
This commercial was good but not great. A little predicatable for someone who studied marketing. 3.5/5
Kia: Christopher Walken
This was funny and as a Kia customer, I definitely like how they advertised the new Optima. 4/5
T-Mobile: Drake
This commercial had me erupting in racauous laughter. So funny and still got the point across. 4.5/5
Colgate: Turn Off The Water
A very socially conscious ad that still got the point across in terms of brand and product. Very clever. 4.5/5
Third Place Finish: Turbotax
This commercial was a little dull until he called for his dog and it was named Turbo Tax. Also, TurboTax is a great way to file your taxes absolutely free, and your refund comes super quick.
Second Place: Doritos Dogs
As a dog lover and proud owner of two beauties, let me tell you. Dogs love doritos. This commercial was absolutely brilliant and totally appealed to me as a dog lover.
First Place: Heinz Ketchup
My daschund Katrina is one of my favorites and this commercial just made me so entirely happy, all the while I ended up craving a hot dog. Honestly, that’s just right now since I’m incredibly hungry.
All in all, if you want your product or brand to shine, have a dog in your commercial. Trust me on this.
On January 31, 2016, Fox’s musical remake of the hit musical movie, Grease went live starring Julianne Hough as Sandy, Aaron Tveit as Danny, and Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo.
GREASE: LIVE: (L-R): Keke Palmer, Kether Donohue, Julianne Hough, Andrew Call, Carly Rae Jespen, Carlos PenaVega Aaron Tveit, David Del Rio, Jordan Fisher and Vanessa Hudgens in GREASE: LIVE airing LIVE Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Cr: Tommy Garcia/FOX
The musical started out with a killer cover of “Grease is The Word” by pop chart sensation Jessie J as well as a cover of “Beauty School Dropout” during the live performance by 90’s favorites, Boyz II Men.
Everyone did phenomenal and it’s hard to pick a star but I’d have to say that notable moments for this reviewer would be:
Vanessa Hudgens performance throughout despite the death of her father, Greg Hudgins, the night before. Despite the devastating loss, Hudgens showed true professionalism as well as the depth of her talent as a singer, dancer, and actress. The show was also dedicated in his honor. I was absolutely blown away by how well she performed that I almost forgot that Sandy and Danny are the major characters of the musical, and Rizzo is only a minor character. Yet, last night, Rizzo became the star of this new rendition of a 1970’s classic.
Another crazy and notable moment was when Didi Conn, who played Frenchie in the original movie, starred as Vi the diner waitress, who shares a scene with Frenchie (played by Carly Rae Jepsen). Joe Jonas even made an appearance during the big American Bandstand dance scene.
Newbie Aaron Tveit isn’t a musical newb at all, and brought a new perspective and demeanor to the role of Danny. His IMDB shows that he’s starred in a role on hit tv show Gossip Girl and in the 2012 film version of L`es Miserables. Julianne Hough on the other hand, gave Sandy a sexy edge while still upholding the mold of the original role, and even gave a quick nod to Dancing With The Stars.
Overall, I give the musical five out of five stars and can’t wait for Fox’s next live musical project as I will be definitely be tuning in.
I bet you didn’t know that this album #Wildfire isn’t Rachel Platten’s first rodeo. This is her third studio album and it hits all the right notes musically. Chances are, you’ve sang along to a Rachel Platten song? She’s the powerhouse voice behind your Top 40 car karaoke go-to, the song that motivates while going for a run and after a really hard day, “Fight Song.” Yet, where did Rachel Platten get her start as an artist? Her 34 year old fighter spirit was born to Jewish parents Paul and Pamela Platten in Manhatten but was raised in Newton Centre, Massechusetts. She studied classical piano from age five and learned how to play guitar in high school.
She attended Trinity College where she was an active member of the all-female campus acapella group, the Trinitones. She graduated from college with a degree in International Relations but inspired by an experience singing back up for a friend’s band in Trinadad while studying abroad while performing for about 800,000, she decided that she had to pursue music full-time. From here, she moved to New York’s Greenwich Village performing with a cover band called Dayz of Wild. In 2012, she married Kevin Lezan in a Jewish ceremony.
Musically, her debut studio album Trust In Me was released in 2003. She is famous for calling her debut a collection of demoes. Her second album, Be Here was released on Rock Ridge Music in 2011. “1,000 ships,” the single off her 2011 album hit number 24 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. Following this, her songs began to become heavily demanded for use in television shows such as Pretty Little Liars as well as used as the theme song for the hit show Jane By Design, commericals such as the 2015 Ford commerical, and even film soundtracks such as The Good Guy.
On June 27, 2014, Platten debuted “Fight Song” on We Heart It as part of an artist spotlight. She is now signed to Columbia Records which began promotion of her as their artist by releasing “Fight Song” as her debut single in the spring of 2015. It went on to debut at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and later peaked at number 6. As far as her fight, she’s slayed by shattering records by having two Top 40 hit singles both with “Fight Song” and “Stand by You,” which debuted at number 38 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Song by Song Review
“Stand By You”: The second single off this album that has gypsy vibes musically, and talks about unconditional love and loyalty between two friends or lovers.
“Hey Hey Hallelujah”: Featuring Top 40 favorite Andy Grammer, it’s my favorite track off the album because it not only has a fun, dancy almost churchy musical style but it references a woman who knows her power around the men who fall for her.
“Speechless”: A ballad that’s slow in tempo but heavy in its lyrical content about being blown away by someone as a person, yet they even have the power to “quiet your demons.”
“Beating Me Up”: The drum beat in this track is a lot like a war drum but echoes that of a heartbeat as this song lyrically discusses letting go of someone who was toxic to you, and how you must eradicate them from your heart to ever move on completely.
“Fight Song”: It’s an anthemic pop song set in midtempo, self-affirming in its lyrical content, and chances are you’ve not only already heard it but you played it when you needed a pick me up after a rough day.
“Better Place”: A song with Platten’s vocals and piano backtrack. It lyrically references moving on finally from that toxic lover mentioned in Beating Me Up.
“Lone Ranger”: Musically and lyrically, this is a hit for sure. Musically, it reminds me of a Shakira song. Lyrically, it talks about someone who suffers from trust issues and would rather be alone than get close to people.
“You Don’t Know My Heart”: Musically, it has EDM pop sounds paired with strong lyrics about being judged and declaring that this person doesn’t know the real you. #ThankYouRachelPlatten
“Angels In Chelsea”: Another favorite off the album biased because it’s co-written by Hot Chelle Rae band member Nash Overstreet. It’s optimistic in both its lyrical content and musically, it sounds much like a church choir would.
“Astronauts”: Another piano pop ballad mixed with EDM sounds, it reminds me of a Paula Abdul song during the chorus section. Platten vocally even sounds like a mix of Abdul and Christina Perri.
“Congratulations”: R&B from the first note, Platten’s vocals on this track slay because the way she announces her words, and the power in her voice really makes this track a power anthem in the most subtle way.
“Superman”: The track begins with just a heartbeat style drum beat and Platten’s vocals. You can really here the power Platten holds as a vocalist because she has such control over her voice and this track ends the album perfectly as perfect evidence of that.
Wildfire debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. As of February 2016, she will head out on the Wildfire Tour to further promote her album. With her anthemic fight songs, Platten cemented her destiny as a star on the rise, and a hero in our hearts.
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.
The Smart Cookie Philes 