Panic at the Disco: ‘Pretty. Odd.’
Scott BresslerPanic at the Disco
Pretty. Odd.
Rating: 4/5
Tracks to download: “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?,” “She Had the World,” “Mad as Rabbits”
For fans of: The Beatles, music that hearkens back, Pete Wentz
Panic at the Disco may not be terribly inventive with their music, but damn are they business savvy. After contacting Pete Wentz (of Fall Out Boy/ Ashlee Simpson’s boy toy/ cell phone penis picture fame) through his LiveJournal and asking him to check out their band, Wentz actually gave Panic a listen and was so impressed that he flew out to their sinful hometown of Las Vegas and attended a practice in their garage, afterwards signing them to his Fueled by Ramen imprint label, Decaydance.
Around this time, Wentz’s Fall Out Boy released “From Under the Cork Tree,” an unprecedented success that propelled them to tabloid stardom. Thus, when Panic at the Disco recorded and released “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” an album so sonically similar to the one put out by Fall Out Boy only months before that it could have been a B-side disc, Wentz’s endorsement catapulted them to stardom.
Now, here’s when Panic at the Disco get really smart. With full knowledge of the fates of other trend tailgaters (i.e. the Hives, the Vines, Jet and every band that made it big because of the Strokes), they’ve dropped the stupid exclamation point from their name, abandoned Fall Out Boy’s style and picked up the Beatles’ as a replacement.
Given their hometown, it’s easy to see where they got the idea. I can see it now: Panic, wandering aimlessly down the Vegas strip, stumble into a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s “Love.” They all look at each other with a knowing grin. “Hey, people love Cabaret and the Beatles! We’ve got the whole Cabaret thing down, let’s sound like the Beatles!” And the rest is “Pretty. Odd.”
Well, not really. I won’t lie, the album is about as un-odd as an album can be. As a society we’re all pretty used to a sound similar to that of the Beatles’. Nonetheless, “Pretty. Odd.” is surprisingly Pretty. Good. The songs are all familiar on first listen, but in a nice way, like sleeping in your own bed after a long trip.
Some standouts on the album include “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” a dreamy little number featuring some nice vocals and orchestra parts and “She Had the World,” which features some of the best voice work in their discography, coming from backup vocalist Ryan Ross.
While Panic at the Disco has not put together anything remotely innovative, “Pretty. Odd.” is a surprisingly good sophomore (and, to be honest, sophomoric) effort. With well-used guitar, harmonica and more theatrical arrangements, it is an album that is easy to enjoy. The well-executed classic sound will ensure their careers as musicians.
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