Guys, we need to talk about Panic! at the Disco.
You might remember them:
More specifically, we need to talk about Brendon Urie:
But we especially need to talk about “Death of a Bachelor,” Panic! at the Disco’s fifth studio album.
This album is the perfect blend of pop, rock, and electronica, weaving these genres together into a superb aural confection. Though he’s been married for a little over two years, this album is Urie’s official, jubilous farewell to bachelordom. Urie’s lyricism, always masterful, reaches new heights and delights in this pop-infused, anthem-filled, attitude-lifting record. Let’s take a look at the tracks.
Victorious
My absolute favorite song off the album. “Victorious,” is a turbo-charged start to an incredible album. It’s the perfect song to get pumped to and the lyrics are so fun to sing.
Notable verse: Double bubble disco queen headed to the guillotine/Skin as cool as Steve McQueen, let me be your killer king
Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time
A song for people who love having good times but who may not always remember it. Sampling “Rock Lobster” gives it a distinctive sound.
Notable verse: I lost a bet to a guy in a Chiffon skirt/But I make these high heels work/I’ve told you time and time again/I’m not as think as you drunk I am
Hallelujah
Getting past heartbreak is hard and it can be easier to stay heartbroken instead of trying to find another love. “Hallelujah” speaks to that feeling of trying to shake yourself out of post-breakup blues and the joy that’s waiting just beyond all the doubt and fear.
Notable verse: Stop thinking about/The bullets from my mouth/I love the things you hate about yourself
Emperor’s New Clothes
Like “Victorious” this song celebrates the self and casts aside any notion of humility or not acknowledging all that you deserve.
Notable verse: Sycophants on velvet sofas/Lavish mansions, vintage wine/I am so much more than royal/Snatch your chain and mace your eyes
Death of a Bachelor
Being in a serious relationship requires compromise and, sometimes, changes. Instead of partying until 4:00 in the morning, maybe you just stay in and watch Netflix while eating mozzarella sticks. But if that relationship leads to something like marriage, then that means certain habits have to be laid to rest once and for all. This song celebrates the death of a bachelor in exchange for a lifetime of love.
Notable verse: How could I ask for more?/A lifetime of laughter/At the expense of the death of a bachelor
Crazy=Genius
Urie takes us straight into a 1950s nightclub with this riotous song about being misidentified as a normal person when there’s a whole lot of crazy burning beneath the surface. Oh, and if you’re wondering, the people mentioned in the song are the founders of the Beach Boys.
Notable verse: Other boys you may have dated/Serrated your heart with a slice/But the cut of your love never hurts/Baby, it’s a sweet butter knife
LA Devotee
This is definitely an homage to the City of Angels and all of the people who fall in love with it. It sounds almost like a lamentation, but one that celebrates being drawn in by the bright lights.
Notable verse: The black magic of Mulholland Drive/Swimming pools under desert skies/Drinking white wine in the blushing light/Just another LA Devotee
Golden Days
This is my second favorite song on the album. We’re reminded here that while time may turn us old and gray, we are forever young and full of life in photographs. Our golden days are eternal in the memories we forge in our youth.
Notable verse: Time can never break your heart/But it’ll take the pain away/Right now our future’s certain/I won’t let it fade away
The Good, the Bad and the Dirty
This song will mean different things to different people, but it sounds like the point in a relationship when you either have to adjust your expectations to the person you’re with or leave the person completely.
Notable verse: True all of the good girls act so good/Til one of them doesn’t wait their turn
House of Memories
Sometimes, relationships can’t survive the end of the honeymoon phase. You want too much from the other person or they want too much from you. What makes this worse is staying together because the relationship stops being about how you feel and more about how you felt.
Notable verse: If you’re a lover, you should know/The lonely moments just get lonelier/The longer you’re in love/Than if you were alone/Memories turn into daydreams
Impossible Year
All relationships go through ups and downs, but the downs can be severe. Sunshine looks gray and blue skies seem overcast. The slow tempo of the song is a chill ending to an upbeat album.
Notable verse: There’s no you and me/This impossible year/Only heartache and heartbreak/And gin made of tears/The bitter pill I swallow/The scars souvenir/That tattoo, your last bruise