Panic At the Disco - Pretty. Odd.

Warner Bros. Records 2008

7/10

Best Track: "That Green Gentleman"

Worst Track: "Folkin' Around"

Back in 2005, 1.7 million tweens went crazy for Panic! At The Disco’s freakshow-glam-emo debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. The band spent the next three years doing exactly what any breakout success shouldn’t do: hibernate, record a second concept album only to scrap it and completely re-invent their sound.

The result is Pretty. Odd., an unexpected throwback to less complicated times. Shockingly, it works not only as a solid connection to their former selves, but a promising glimpse at a fruitful future for the Vegas-based quartet.

Panic’s aesthetic changes are notable right off the bat. The silly, pointless exclamation point from their name has disappeared along with the dramatic costumes and eyeliner. Song titles like “London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines” and “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage” have been reduced to “Pas de Cheval” and “Mad as Rabbits.”

The most refreshing part about Panic’s change of heart is the maturity they’ve developed over the past three years. On Pretty. Odd., showmanship has given way to simplicity and distracting “young emo band” antics have been cleared out in favor of – gasp! – legitimate musical talent. Each of the fifteen diverse tracks evokes an influence more like the Beatles and their retro-pop contemporaries than Queen and Fall Out Boy.

Of course, Panic At The Disco still have some silliness left in them, as demonstrated in the bizarrely country-like “Folkin’ Around” and the goofy intro “We’re So Starving.” These tracks are short and relatively harmless, albeit annoying to the casual listener.

Hidden behind the theatrics that saturated their debut, Panic At The Disco have always had musical talent, an inspired vision and songwriting skills. This time around, they shine while still maintaining their debut’s catchy hooks and aural beauty. All around, Pretty. Odd. is a pleasant evolution.

- Amanda Renko

Panic at the Disco - That Green Gentleman