Panic! At the Disco, Death of a Bachelor | Album Review 💿

Panic! At the Disco excel on their fifth studio LP, Death of a Bachelor, delivering a multitude of eccentric, entertaining & thrilling moments.

Brendon Urie is a god – a musical god that is! Panic! At the Disco continually plays to their strengths: incorporating a wide variety of styles and a heavy dosage of eccentricity.  Some might consider their fifth studio album, Death of a Bachelor, ‘weird,’ but its idiosyncrasies actually make it a pretty rad affair. Ultimately, Death of a Bachelor is filled with its fair share of thrilling, wild, and creative moments. Face it; only Brendon Urie could deliver an album like this one!

“Victorious”

“Tonight, we are victorious / Champagne pouring over us / All my friends were glorious / Tonight we are victorious.” ✓ “Victorious” serves as a fierce opener from Death of a Bachelor – truly a tone setter. Brendon Urie serves up a heaping dosage of left-of-center lyrics, robust vocals, and epic production work.  “Victorious” is both quirky to the nth degree and incredibly spirited.

“Oh, we gotta turn up the crazy
Livin’ like a washed-up celebrity
Shooting fireworks like it’s the Fourth of July
Until we feel alright.” 

“Alright, alright, it’s a hell of a feeling though / It’s a hell of feeling though!” Brendon Urie is turned-up to the nth degree on ✓ “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time,” another standout from Death of a Bachelor. Urie exudes exuberant spirit on the infectious chorus, excerpted above.  Lyrically, it’s incredibly zany, with references to waking up in only his undies and losing a “Bet to a guy in a Chiffon skirt,” yet, he “makes these high heels work.” The narrative is wild AF – plum nuts! The chorus, continued below, only adds and further accentuates the craziness.

“Champagne, cocaine, gasoline
And most things in between
I roam the city in a shopping cart
A pack of camels and a smoke alarm.”

“Hallelujah”

On another surefire gem, promo single ✓ “Hallelujah”, Brendon Urie asserts, “All you sinners stand up, sing hallelujah!” Yes, on the ‘sanctified’ chorus, Urie is all about sinners everywhere allowing the spirit to move through them. Is the record spiritually driven? Eh. “Hallelujah” ranks among the deepest song of their career; it’s more transcendent and thought-provoking. Ultimately, it seems “Hallelujah” is directed toward the audience. While Urie uses his own experiences, they are such common experiences versus specific ones that anyone who listens can relate. “Hallelujah,” hence, is more of a ‘congregational hymn,’ and an epic one at that!

“If it feels good, tastes good / It must be mine / Dynasty decapitated / You just might see a ghost tonight.” ✓ “Emperor’s New Clothes” is another wild, creative musical gem gracing Death of a Bachelor. As always, Brendon Urie delivers a dynamic and energetic vocal performance – quite ‘royal’ in its execution!  In addition to the use of a royal title, the colorful “Emperor’s New Clothes” features additional lyrical references, including, “I’m taking back the crown / I’m all dressed up and naked.” Perhaps the crown jewel of lyrical gems is as follows:

“Sycophants on velvet sofas
Lavish mansions, vintage wine
I am so much more than royal
Snatch your chain and mace your eyes.”

Ultimately, “Emperor’s New Clothes” is quite the ambitious, distinct listening experience.

“Death of a Bachelor”

“I’m walking the long road / Watching the sky fall / The lace in your dress tangles my neck / How do I live?” The Sinatra-inspired title track, ✓  🤩 “Death of a Bachelor,” is among the crème de la crème of Panic! At the Disco’s fifth LP. On “Death of a Bachelor,” Urie manages to successfully fuse multiple styles (alternative/easy listening/R&B) into one successful song. It’s a simply gorgeous, thanks to its superb production work, dynamic vocals (that falsetto is magnificent), and memorable songwriting, particularly the soaring chorus.

“The death of a bachelor
O-o-oh! Letting the water fall
The death of a bachelor
O-o-oh! Seems so fitting for
Happily, ever after, whooo
How could I ask for me?
A lifetime of laughter
At the expense of the death of a bachelor.”

The only death that occurs here is the end of being single and becoming a married man.  Urie married Sarah Orzechowski in 2013.

“…If crazy equals genius / Then I’m a fucking arsonist / I’m a rocket scientist.” Sigh, it can’t be said enough that Brendon Urie has always been one of kind.  It wouldn’t be far-fetched to call him an eccentric genius.  Here, on the CRAZY “Crazy=Genius,” his craziness and genius shines fusing big band, pop, and rock.  Quite the adrenaline rush, it starkly contrasts “Death of a Bachelor,” positively, of course.

“LA Devotee” maintains high energy and a quick tempo. Urie sings in his lower-middle vocal register on the verses, before ‘amping it up’ on the gargantuan chorus with his cutting tenor.  One of the selling points is the use of a key change – modulations are so infrequent in mainstream music anymore, sigh.

Follow up “Golden Days” qualifies as a ‘deep cut’ within Death of a Bachelor.  Even so, it finds Urie continuing to exhibit the power of his pipes. Is the vocal control sketchy? Yes, he has delivered much more refined, controlled vocal performances, but the gift that is his voice is undeniable. Another record that gets minimal attention when mentioning the LP is “The Good, the Bad and the Dirty.” Hey, it has a great name if nothing else! The song has ample swagger, featuring hip-hop production cues, and of course, the legend himself – Brendon!

“House of Memories”

“If you’re a lover, you should know / The lonely moments just get lonelier / The longer you’re in love / Than if you’re alone” Say what? Penultimate number “House of Memories” deals with the anxieties of past and present love.  What’s most intriguing about the aforementioned line is how Urie tackles loneliness from a committed perspective: “I don’t want to be afraid / The deeper that I go / It takes my breath away.” By the chorus, with the “house built,” Urie asks for her word: “Promise me a place / In your house of memories.” Emo, poetic…checks off many boxes. 

✓ “Impossible Year” concludes Death of a Bachelor epically. On this gorgeous ballad, Urie delivers one of his most balanced performances to date.  He exhibits control, but remains commanding, continuing to infuse soulfulness.  The best way to describe this thoughtful number is moving.

Final Thoughts 

All in all, Panic! At the Disco excels on their fifth studio album; Death of a Bachelor is fantastic. What makes the Grammy-nominated effort elite? To reiterate, it’s filled with eccentric, entertaining, and thrilling moments.  Brendon Urie sings his butt off, and even if you argue with his level of vocal control at times, or even an ‘overabundance’ of instruments on some records, more often than not, Death of a Bachelor is truly a gem.

✓ Gems: “Victorious,” “Don’t Threaten Me with A Good Time,” “Hallelujah,” “Emperor’s New Clothes,” “Death of A Bachelor” & “Impossible Year”

Panic! At the Disco • Death of a Bachelor • Fueled by Ramen • Release Date: 1.15.16

Photo Credit: Fueled by Ramen