The Daily O’Collegian

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Panic at the Disco’s latest album, ‘Pretty. Odd,” is a shift from its first album.

With driving beats, catchy lyrics and circus themes, Panic At The Disco caught my ear in a big way circa winter 2006. I became a Panic fan a bit late. The band released the album in 2005, but “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” was blasting on my iPod as I walked to class and spinning in my car’s CD player for about two months.

I became engulfed in the music. The lyrics intrigued me and I depicted the song’s meanings from the words the band gave me.

It does help that they wrote a song about my favorite Chuck Palahniuk novel, “Invisible Monsters” (“Time to Dance” on “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”).

But, I have mixed feelings about the band’s newest venture, Pretty.Odd.

Over spring break I listened to an early release of the album on MTV.com’s “The Leak.” It wildly surprised me: The music sounds completely different.

For the band’s sophomore release, a more mature sound ensues. Older, well-developed sound is good, but in this case it almost feels as if the band members hopped into a time machine and travelled back in time a few decades.

From classic rock, to country, to 1950s-style swing, there is a little bit of something for everyone on this album. The execution of these many sounds within one album leaves room for some improvement but Panic executes it fairly well.

The new album reminds me more of bands from the past than Panic At The Disco.

Take your dad’s Beatles records, mix them with The Shins and some of The Killers (a la “Sam’s Town”), maybe a little bit of old ragtime music and add the unique voice of Panic lead singer Brendon Urie and you have Pretty.Odd.

With tunes similar to my 47-year-old father’s favorite bands, and sometimes that which my grandfather listened to in his youth 60 years ago (listen to “I Have Friends in Holy Spaces”), the band proves to be a different breed than it was in 2005.

In Panic’s defense, the band members were high schoolers when they wrote the first album and are now in their 20s.

The more mellow sounds come with age, lead singer Brendon Urie told MTV reporters in February interview.

“I mean, [this record] is very different from the first record,” Urie said. “We’re still the same guys in the band, it’s just that it’s been three-something years since we’ve written material for an album, so … I think it’s just the natural change that takes place from the time you turn 17 to the time you turn 20.”

I was optimistic while listening to this album because bands are usually like wine; they get better with each album, this is true of many of my favorite bands including No Doubt, Coheed and Cambria and Muse. I feel as if I set my expectations unfairly high.

There are structural similarities on both albums. For example, both albums have an introduction song. “On A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” the introduction is a well-blended compilation of all songs on the album. It was effective.

In the “Pretty.Odd” intro, the band uses blunt lyrics that seem almost defensive: “Oh, how it’s been so long / We’re so sorry we’ve been gone. / We were busy writing songs for you. You don’t have to worry ‘cause we’re still the same band.”

I give the band members some poetic license here. They are a clever group of guys and they probably knew they would take some heat for being different.

I know they could not duplicate the last album but they are a bit snarky in the introduction. It turned me off from the album almost immediately.

But, as I moved through the tracks I thought there was some hope.

There really are a few good songs on this album. “I Have Friends in Holy Spaces” is the closest to the band’s previous style. It has a unique title that relates to the song but is still clever enough to make listeners wonder where the title came from.

With a 1920s-flapper feel and lyrics like “You remind me of a former love that I once knew / And you carry a little speech with you / We were holding hands walking through the middle of the street / It’s fine with me, I’m just taking in the scenery,” I feel almost as if I am listening to a track from the freshman recording sessions.

“Pas de Chaval” reminds me of The Beatles “Lady Madonna,” with rich horn orchestration and a modern twist.

“From a Mountain in the Middle of Cabins,” has a Beatles “Yellow Submarine” feel.

“Mad as Rabbits” has ska-influenced horn arrangements. And I am a sucker for horns.

I think, “Maybe I can get into this album.”

But then I hear the ridiculous country twang of “Folkin’ Around” (think Hank Williams). The album nearly loses me.

I am back and forth. I think eventually I will like this album but it might take a few months, even a year or two.

The album is the 10th most downloaded album on iTunes this week, according to the iTunes Internet store as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

People are listening, but it will surprise me if it stayed in the top 10 much longer. It just does not have the same feel as Panic’s previous work.

The verdict:

Well orchestrated tracks sprinkled through a hodge podge of musical genres. Panic will lose some fans from its freshman release but gain a few of a different breed with Pretty.Odd.

★★★☆☆