For Fans Of: Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975

There are some trends that stand through the test of time. With fashion, some things can be a total disaster and die almost overnight. Even though the fanny pack was cool in the 90’s, you never even see them today without thinking they’re atrocious. My older sister attempted  to revive the fanny pack trend this year, 2016; let’s just say that it did not go well. While some things tend to be fads that die overnight, some things manage to stay a gem forever. Even though the band Panic! At The Disco has been around for over ten years, their newest album, Death of a Bachelor, reintroduces their prominence and influence to the music scene.

Panic! At the Disco is a one man band composed of Brendon Urie. Yes, only one man was involved in the writing and recording of this whole album. With every action needed to create this album, Urie was involved in the whole process. Urie wrote, recorded, and produced for this album. Even though there are no other members, Urie’s musical genius proves that he does not need other members to create a great album. Death Of A Bachelor shows the raw wit and capability Panic! At The Disco has been able to develop over the past 10 years.

Every song on this album is perfectly placed, allowing for the song to flow from track to track. With the exciting opening of “Victorious” to the more reflective closing of “Impossible Year,” the transition from track to track is almost seamless. Urie’s songwriting is witty, humorous, and honest. There is a great combination of both upbeat songs such as “LA Devotee” and mellow songs like “The Good, the Bad and the Dirty.” With many different themes present on the album, it is guaranteed that there is a song on this album to fit every different mood.

Urie’s brilliance is not only showcased through his songwriting, but his expertise is also shown through his vocals. Urie is a very spectacular vocalist and uses his songwriting to ensure the success of the album. The instrumental is not overwhelming to the vocals and lyrics; it provides the perfect combination of the three necessities needed to create a fantastic album. While I do believe that this is a truly great album, there are some problems.

I would have enjoyed to see a few more tracks on this album and I believe that eleven tracks is too short of an album length. While the quality of the songs make up for the lack of quantity, there are a few issues within the songs. The chorus of “Golden Days” is a little messy due to the instrumental at peak of the chorus not blending well with the rest of the song. Parts of the song seem as someone is trying to start a Lamborghini with the key to a Kia: it just doesn’t work. However, these errors can easily be forgiven through the other material on the album.

Death of a Bachelor is easily the best Panic! At the Disco album to this date. While time passes and may lead to changes in musical eras, Panic! At the Disco has the potential to remain a leader of the musical scene and influence other music for many years to come.