From playing in his grandmother’s living room to touring around the world with blink-182, singer and songwriter of Panic! at the Disco, Brendon Urie has created yet another masterpiece in the form of a new album, Death of a Bachelor. The fifth studio album was released Jan. 15, 2016 after nearly half of the tracks had been leaked on social media. This is the first solo album entirely written and composed by Urie after the departure of drummer, Spencer Smith and guitarist, Ryan Ross due to artistic differences. Even though he is now the only member of the official lineup he is able to play several instruments including drums, bass guitar, accordion, piano, cello, violin and trumpet. In addition to his ability to play almost any instrument, Urie is also known for his four octave voice range and tone fit for Broadway.
The album contains eleven tracks which incorporate elements of pop, synth-pop, rock, swing and even jazz. Many of the singles already have accompanying music videos, for example the “Hallelujah” video is inspired by the game Monument Valley and the “Emperor’s New Clothes” video follows the story from “This is Gospel” off of the previous album and shows Urie transforming into a demon with the help of impressive prosthetic makeup, horns and wings. The third album single, “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time” features a sample of “Rock Lobster” by rock band The B-52’s which compliments the songs lively energy and party induced lyrics. The fifth track, “Death of a Bachelor” pays an homage to Frank Sinatra, Urie’s greatest musical inspiration since he became interested in music. The mood of the song is very jazzy but it is paired with a modern beat that balances the song out perfectly. In “LA Devotee”, a personal favorite, Urie describes his love for the city of Los Angeles, this is one of the few typical pop songs featured on the album due to its energetic beat and catchy lyrics.
Source: foter.com
Since their formation in 2004, Panic at the Disco’s repertoire has featured styles of music ranging from vaudevillian pop punk to hip hop to jazz and swing. Every one of their albums has a completely different sound which documents the bands’ musical and creative evolution throughout the years. Due to its memorable melodies, creative lyrics and catchy choruses, Death of a Bachelor can be considered to be more mainstream than the four other albums. This album also has a more positive and euphoric vibe than the others, the previous themes were usually much more negative and melancholic. Overall, this may be the start of a new groundbreaking era of Panic! at the Disco and Brendon Urie as a solo artist.