Panic! At the Disco, Pray for the Wicked | Album Review 💿

Panic! At the Disco returns with its highly-anticipated sixth studio album, Pray for the Wicked. Imperfect, it still musters up some great moments.

Living up and potentially exceeding your best work is an arduous task.  That’s the task that frontman Brendon Urie and Panic! At the Disco have on their hands post- Death of a Bachelor.  Perhaps Death of a Bachelor isn’t their best album, but it’s closer to the top of the discography than the bottom IMO.  Album number six, Pray for the Wicked, continues a trend of briefer LPs from the band, comprised of 11 songs and clocking in at a tight 34 minutes.  Many of the elements that made Death of a Bachelor successful remain in play but Pray for the Wicked doesn’t quite reach the same heights.

“(Fuck A) Silver Lining”

Prayer for the Wicked opens with a bang – a sizable one-two punch. ✓ “(Fuck A) Silver Lining” ‘gets right to it’ with its bold and busy production, and most obviously, the unapologetic, ‘in your face’ f-bomb.  Despite being profane, Urie sounds as assertive, enthused, and gritty as always, particularly on the ‘offending’ chorus: “Fuck a silver lining / Fuck a silver lining / ‘Cause only gold is hot enough, hot enough.”  His assertive, gritty vocals continue to cut right through, while his falsetto reaches even higher heights.  His theatrics truly sell the opener.

✓ “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” remains tuned-in and turned-up. As always, the production is a work of art, including fantastic keyboard work and synths.  Later, the gargantuan chorus adds horns and massive, pummeling drums. The choruses represent the most epic moments for sure, as well as summing up the record’s message.

“I pray for the wicked on the weekend
Mama, can I get another amen?=
Oh, oh, it's Saturday night, yeah
Swear to God, I ain't ever gonna repent
Mama, can I get another amen?
Oh, oh, it's Saturday night, yeah.”

The push-and-pull is what makes “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” so compelling. Urie is struggling with spirituality versus being free and living it up.

“Hey Look Ma, I Made It” 

✓ “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” finds Urie ‘flexing’ – in the most alt-pop way possible.  Essentially, this bright, fun, major-key gem finds Urie celebrating becoming successful in the music industry. On the horn-filled chorus, he simply lays it out there:

“Hey look ma, I made it
Hey look ma, I made it
Everything’s comin’ up aces, aces
And if it’s a dream, don’t wake me
I said, hey look ma, I made it.” 

On the verses, listeners are treated to cleverer, left-of-center lyrics associated with the band. Pray for the Wicked maintains its ‘roaring start.’ 

✓ “High Hopes” continues the be incredibly consistent, kicking off with driving brassy, exuberant production work, once more set in a major key. “Have to have high, high hopes for a living / Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing,” Urie sings on the optimistic chorus, continuing, “Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision / Always had high, high hopes.”  Elsewhere, he speaks about destiny, dreams, “rewriting your history,” and being true to self.  Clearly, this is an anthem for dreamers and encouragement for the non-conformists of the world.

“Roaring 20s” 

“Roaring 20s” follows a formidable quartet.  It’s heavily rhythmic, big-band styled nature is reminiscent of “Crazy=Genius” from Death of a Bachelor.  Also, the influence of Urie’s participation in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots is highly evident. As always, the lyrics are intriguing, balancing both a 1920s vibe and exemplifying the twenty-something/post-twenty-something lifestyle.  “This is my roaring, roaring 20s,” Urie sings on the chorus, later adding, “Roll me like a blunt ‘cause I wanna go home.” “Dancing’s Not a Crime” maintains Panic! At the Disco’s beloved horns but feels more contemporary compared to “Roaring 20s.” Not particularly deep, it’s all about love. 

“One of the Drunks” represents another instance of the ‘push and pull’ between ‘living it up’ and spirituality.  The production remains busy and dynamic, blending modern-pop alongside the horns.  It’s enjoyable but lacks the memorability of the band’s best.  “The Overpass” commences with savvy brassy hits, eventually busting into a funky, ornate groove.  Vocally, Urie slices through the production like a knife, with a few instances of kinder, gentler falsetto.  Creative, “The Overpass” is quirky.

“King of the Clouds” 

“I’m the king of the clouds, of the clouds / I get lifted, I get lifted.” ✓ “King of the Clouds” successfully fuses alt-pop with elements of throwback soul.  Short and sweet, the strings, organ, and Urie’s falsetto are the biggest selling points.  Among the odder records is the penultimate cut, “Old Fashioned.”  Why? It’s the colorful horn line with those chromatic notes that sounds like it doesn’t quite fit.  Beyond that, hearing about teenage Brendon and drinking works without a hitch. “Dying in LA” concludes Pray for the Wicked with a thoughtful, well-sung ballad.  Arguably, it’s actually a bit out of character because it’s not eccentric, but down to earth.

Final Thoughts

All in all, as with most Panic! At the Disco albums, there’s plenty to like about Pray for the Wicked.  First and foremost, track by track, Brendon Urie shines vocally. Beyond the vocals, there are a sufficient number of standouts.  Also, worth noting, the production is big, bombastic, and eccentric, carrying directly over from Death of a Bachelor.  All that considered, Pray for the Wicked doesn’t quite reach the same highs as Death of a Bachelor, even though it has similar characteristics.  The songs aren’t quite as memorable, while some of the production cues and risks work while others are questionable.  It’s imperfect, but still has its fair share of moments.

✓ Gems: “(Fuck a) Silver Lining,” “Say Amen (Saturday Night),” “Hey Look Ma, I Made It,” “High Hopes” & “King of the Clouds”

Panic! At the Disco • Pray for the Wicked • Fueled by Ramen • Release: 6.22.18

Photo Credit: Fueled by Ramen