Hey there, collegiettes! I hope your spring breaks were relaxing… or at least more relaxing than classes are. This week, I bring you a band you have probably already heard of from a record company founded here at our fair university! So, before classes get too crazy, grab a broom and dance around to Panic! at the Disco.
“A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”
Don’t let the incredibly long song titles intimidate you. I have been listening to this album since it first came out, and I still don’t remember all of them. Panic! at the Disco’s first album is something I can only describe as bouncy. The songs aren’t necessarily the happiest (“The anesthetic never set in/and I’m wondering where/the apathy and urgency is/that I thought I phoned in”), but you will still find yourself dancing and singing along. You are probably familiar with “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies” already. My personal favorite is probably “Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off.” See what I mean about the titles?
“Pretty. Odd.”
This was a new, different sound for Panic!, and while it is not my favorite, I can appreciate it. One of my friends described it as more Beatles-esque, and I agree with that. The songs sound more stripped-down; meanwhile, they were at least half electronic in “Fever...” If you were to know a song from this album, it would probably be “Nine in the Afternoon.” Personally, I prefer “She Had the World” or “Do You Know What I’m Seeing.”
“Vices & Virtues”
I was very excited when this album was announced. And when “Ballad of Mona Lisa” came out, I am fairly sure I listened to it on repeat for a few hours. The music video is also quite wonderful. As I am looking at the track list, I don’t think there is a song I dislike on this album. It is a nice fusion of the first two (due to some personnel changes). It is bouncy like “Fever…” but with a wider depth of emotion reminiscent of “Pretty. Odd.” I tend to listen to “Let’s Kill Tonight” or “Sarah Smiles,” but I am just as likely to take my iPod off shuffle and enjoy the whole CD.
If you have not tried listening to Panic! at the Disco before (or even if you have), put your best pair of socks on and slide around your apartment while bouncing along to any one of their albums. I guarantee it’ll make your day better. Until next time!