Panic! At The Disco, the Las Vegas quartet signed by Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz to his new Decaydance label, follow Fall Out Boy's songwriting formula: scathing lyrics about slutty ex-girlfriends and the lameness of the music industry, sung by frontman Brendan Urie, who's got the sensitive-boy vocal quiver down pat. What makes Panic! At The Disco different (and excellent) is their use of dance-floor synths and roboto drums, which redeems their debut album's whininess. The name sums it up – Panic! At The Disco are frenzied, insane, paranoid and a little screwed up, but they're not going to let that stop them from having a good time. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, produced by Matt Squire (Northstar, The Explosion, The Receiving End Of Sirens), is a rock record you can dance to; that's fun and sincere at the same time. Just imagine The Faint meets The Postal Service with all of the pop sensibilities of a Blink 182. This bunch doesn’t waste time trying to be cool because they understand that making music with feeling is the real path to recognition. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out is brash, in your face and despite its unarguably emo vocals, the lyrical content of the songs doesn't seem very depressed at all.
No, Panic! At The Disco is not Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump's side project, but they do sound familiar when it comes to vocals. However, the similarities end there, because after the first few listens of songs like The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage and I Write Sins Not Tragedies it's clear that Panic! At The Disco is out to set themselves far apart from their labelmates Fall Out Boy, and anyone saturating the scene. Sometimes the grooves sneak into traditional rockers, like the wry London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines. Other times they take center stage, as on the electronic rave-up Camisado. On all fronts, Panic! At The Disco pillage two pop-friendly musical trends – 80s keyboard nostalgia and angry-boy pop punk – and create something new. This is probably the most well produced first album a band could make. It is split into two completely different parts. The first half is more electro-rock sounding, filled with synth, vocal distortions and drum machines. The second half has a more retro sound complete with Vaudevillian piano, violin, accordions, and (best of all) trumpet. Both halves of this album are wonderful, and there aren't too many flaws.
Panic! At The Disco has a very unique sound despite the vocal similarity to Fall Out Boy. This band has lots of different styles and influences in their music. One track sounds French, another sounds like a classic rock, there's a surprise in every song. Panic! At The Disco's debut album is a genre-busting blend of slick, poppy emo-influence punk, Strokes-like rock, and disco. While the first two genres fit together seamlessly, a blend of all three is a risky proposition usually attempted only by experienced professionals. Nevertheless, these inspired neophytes score time with tracks like the glittering Camisado, with its sparkling sequencer interlude, and the witty Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off (the opaqueness of Panic! At The Disco's song titles is a large part of their charm). The band's lyrics tumble out in a rush, while their musical ideas are a complex distillation of pop's last 40 years, played with an innocence and enthusiasm as infectious as it is exhilarating. Panic! At The Disco will make you want to dance while making you feel wonderful that you've discovered a band that is so addicting, a band that never gets old.
