Pretty. Odd. - Panic At The Disco

Pretty. Odd. - Panic At The Disco

After nearly 2 years of post-album touring, Panic At The Disco were due a follow up to their 2005 debut 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' and for long-term fans of the emo pioneers, the result is quite surreal. The Las Vegas quartet have near ditched the eyeliner and have begun a distinctive second phase of their career, in which they live out their fantasy of producing a psychedelic stroll into a world where the music may be more suited to their parents generation than that of their mostly teen fans. Opener 'We're So Starving' sets the scene for the rest of the album, with an extremely catchy guitar riff and repeatable lyrics as the band simply appear to be enjoying themselves and their music. Nine In The Afternoon is the clear first single on the album and brings in the main idea of basically being happy with the world you live in and enjoying it whilst in the prime of life. Urie and Ross move the album along with their idyllic lyricsm, in the process creating an endlessly listenable album, open to a much wider market perhaps than their previous efforts. However, the album is not without fault. I Have Friends In Holy Spaces is a let down after the exquisite first 5 tracks, although the next track more than makes up for it. Northern Downpour, probably the most likeable song on the album is the first to bring in a more melancholy sound on the album, although the melodic, sing along factor is not lost. As the song builds into it's multi-layered crescendo the listener is left wanting more and more. Eastern strings influenced When The Day Met The Night is bound to draw the most Beatles comparisons (particularly with the Sgt. Peppers album) and again hints at a poppier direction for the band. The album doesn't quite manage to scale the same heights again, save Behind The Sea which culminates in a seaside baroque singalong, much in the style of 'Night At The Opera' era Queen, only with less noise. The only real lesser track on the album is Folkin' Around, but this is not at all disastrous. It awaits to be seen if the band will decide to change style once again in the future, or stick to this winning formula created by Brendon Urie and co. Whatever happens, if they continue to produce albums with the quality shown in Pretty. Odd., Panic At The Disco have the potential to compete with American-rock giants such as Kings Of Leon and Foo Fighters and really create an impact on the modern pop rock scene.

Overall Rating: 8/10

Top Tracks:

She's A Handsome Woman
Do You Know What I'm Seeing?
That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)
Northern Downpour [5* Track]
When The Day Met The Night [5* Track]
Behind The Sea