Alright alright, it’s fixing to be a good time. Today, I am giving my thoughts, opinions and everything else on Panic! at the Disco (aka Panic), including the reason why the album “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!” is the best album Panic! At the Disco has ever produced.

Before I jump into my reasoning for declaring “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!” their best album, let me give you a brief history of the band. Panic! at the Disco is a rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada that was started by four high schoolers: Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith and Brent Wilson. Throughout the years, the band has lost and gained members, leaving Urie as the only original group member in the band today. The band is often compared to Fall Out Boy because of the similar vocals of Urie and lead singer of Fall Out Boy, Patrick Stump. In fact, Pete Wentz, bassist of Fall Out Boy, was responsible for getting the band signed to his label, Decaydance Records.

Moving on from the band’s history, Panic is widely successful for many reasons. One of these is the different personalities each of their albums have taken on. There is literally an album or, at the very least, a song for everyone.

The band’s first album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” was released in 2005. This is definitely going to be your jamming album. It features the band’s most popular song, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” Most people know the song for its catchy, upbeat music and lyrics. However, this song does not reflect the theme of the album. The rest of the album takes on a more emo-pop sound with songs like “Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks,” “Time to Dance,” and “Build God Then We’ll Talk.” This my least favorite Panic! at the Disco album because I do not generally care for this genre; however, there are still great songs on this album.

The band’s second album, “Pretty. Odd.,” was released in 2008. Unlike their earlier loud and fast-paced album “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” ballads and slow rock songs make up the tracks of “Pretty. Odd.” The shifting focus of the band’s sound was the reason group members Ross and Wilson decided to leave Panic! at The Disco. The album has a Beatles-esque sound, and its title stems from the first lyrics of the song, “That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)”: “Things are shaping up to be pretty odd.” “Pretty odd” is the perfect phrase to describe what the album was to listeners of the first album. This is my second favorite album of the group, partly because it is so good to study to. Or, when you’re in your feels, you can put in some headphones and go on a walk with this album. Some of my favorites studying songs from the album are “Northern Downpour” and “Behind the Sea.”

Panic! dropped its third album “Vices and Virtues” in 2011, once again changing their sound. This ten-track album fuses the rock themed first album with hints of jazz. In most of the album’s songs, there is a dark, dreary sound that leads to an upbeat chorus. This is best demonstrated in songs like “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” and “Sarah Smiles.” Oh, and this album has the coolest album cover of all, which is pictured below:

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The best album of Panic! is the 2013 album with ten perfect songs that display some of the bands best music and Urie’s best vocals: “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!” This sound of this album is definitely the most mainstream the group has done. It has a fusion of rock and pop but features the smoothest vocals of Brendon Urie of any album, represented in songs like “Girls/Girls/Boys” and “Far Too Young To Die.” The best representation of the fusion of pop and rock is seen in the song “Miss Jackson (feat. LOLO)” with lyrics like “climbing out the back door, didn’t leave a mark, no one knows it you Miss Jackson.” This is the album to play on your rides back home when you need to bop with your friends or when you need some upbeat music to get you through work service. Every song is this album is so catchy.

Panic! At the Disco’s latest album is “Death of a Bachelor.” Released in 2016, it  incorporates the jazz of “Vices and Virtues” with mainstream pop. If you were to ask MSMS students their favorite album by the band, they would most likely say this one, for one main reason: Brendon Urie. The album solely features the original member, Urie, who once again displays some of his best vocals on the 11-song album. The most popular song (and the inspiration for the album’s title) is “Death of a Bachelor,” which is actually inspired by Urie’s life. The song is about Urie’s recent marriage and slowing down of his life. In fact, the entire album seems to pay tribute to his crazy days with songs like “Golden Days” and “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time.”

The group has also released notable singles, including “New Perspective” and “C’mon” with the band fun.

Before I wrap this article up, I will tell you some of my favorite songs from each album:

Death of a Bachelor: “LA Devotee,” “Golden Days.” I chose these songs because in my opinion, “LA Devotee” has the best music of every song of this album, and “Golden Days” showcases Urie’s vocals the best.

Too Weird to Live, Too Rare To Die!: Girls/Girls/Boys, Miss Jackson (feat. LOLO), Collar Full

I chose these songs because the music behind Girls/Girls/Boys is my favorite music Panic! at the Disco has ever done. I like Miss Jackson because of the pop influence of the song. Collar Full is great because it really showcases Urie’s voice again in the lyrics “Show me your love, your love Gimme more but it’s not enough.”  Ahh so good!

Vices and Virtues: “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” “Sarah Smiles.” These two songs showcase the album’s jazziness and transition from slow and sad to upbeat and peppy.

Pretty. Odd.: “Nine in The Afternoon,” “Northern Downpour,”  “Behind the Sea.” These are my studying songs. They’re also very calming.

A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out: “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” “Build God, Then We’ll Talk.” Everyone loves “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” but the lesser known “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” is a great song to jam to in the car.

I do not think I could pick a favorite Panic! at the Disco song. Favorites really depend on what genre of music you like, but I believe that Panic! at the Disco has something for everyone to enjoy. I was exposed to the band by fellow junior Lane Hughes. I started listening to them while I would study and do work service and began to notice that I was learning their songs pretty quickly. A few months later, I was listening to the band, and my suitemate walked into my room and asked if I listened to anything besides Panic! at the Disco!  Let me know in the comments below which Panic! at the Disco album and song is your favorite.

What is your favorite Panic! at the Disco album?

• Death of a Bachelor
• Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die
• Vices and Virtues
• Pretty. Odd.
• A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

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