Panic! at the Disco’s fifth album, Death of a Bachelor, is one of their best. It brings back a lot of the elements that have made their sound so memorable over the years. While it doesn’t top their debut in terms of being ahead of its time and pushing creative boundaries, it’s still worth picking up.
One of Panic! At The Disco’s greatest strengths has always been their lyrics, and on this album they shine even brighter than they did on their last. This album also combines electronic influences with the guitar and drums even more seamlessly than on their last album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die. It felt like frontman, and now sole member, Brendon Urie was experimenting and it all worked out—but its eclectic sound grew old fast.
This album sounds like more of a mix of the band’s first and third records, but with a new twist. Panic! at the Disco never seems to do anything twice, and this album is no exception, especially with Urie taking on full creative control. It’s hard to explain the shift in sound precisely. While their fourth album was smoky—all cigarettes in alleyways and dimly flickering neon lights—this album is edgier and more flamboyant: more sharks in swimming pools, hitting the jackpot, and getting drunk with drag queens.
The vast majority of the songs are upbeat, over-the-top dramatic, and fast-paced. But Urie’s spectacular voice, one of the band’s standout features over the years, shines the most on slower songs such as “Death of a Bachelor” and “Impossible Year,” where Frank Sinatra’s influence on Urie really shows.
The album’s second single and first song, “Victorious,” still hasn’t worn off in the way a lot of singles tend to do. It’s jam-packed with energy and really sets the tone for the tracks to follow.
On the flipside, one of the album’s only flaws is that it sometimes seems to trade unique melodies for over-production. Urie’s exceptionally talented—he’s proven that over the years. He could’ve toned down the production and focused more on crafting melodies that make each song stand out in its own way. “Golden Days” and “The Good, the Bad and the Dirty” suffer a lot in this way—they sound good—but it’s easy to forget they exist until they’re playing.
Ultimately, Death of a Bachelor is another dramatic, over-the-top release from Panic! at the Disco. It sets itself apart from its precursor by not only embracing debauchery but also being a sobering album of self-reflection and coming to terms with growing older and settling down, and most of all, it’s an optimistic step forward.
