Fueled by Ramen
Despite having a near-infantile musical and lyrical vocabulary, Panic at the Disco decided to attempt a thematic rock 'n' roll epic with its second release, "Pretty. Odd."
There is nothing pretty about "Pretty. Odd.," which isn't really that odd at all' it's just pretentious and pandering to an audience that couldn't name a true Seventies concept album.
The album's first single, "Nine in the Afternoon," recreates a little of the band's glittery Vegas fanfare, but still oozes a cheerful, happy-go-lucky motif that doesn't mesh well with the song's otherwise interesting rhythms and melodies.
Gone are the band's dance-pop days from "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out," and singer Brendon Urie has notably changed his vocal style as most evident in Beatles-inspired songs like "Pas de Cheval" and the notably upbeat "That Green Gentlemen (Things Have Changed)."
The whole mess is confusing, and not in a funny Electric Light Orchestra kind of way. "Pretty. Odd." is pretty bad.
"?Joe Wertz
