Review Times Two! Panic at the Disco and The Decemberists

Been a slow week in terms of music I actually want to review, so I took some requests! This week, I'll take a look at the third album from pop stars Panic at the Disco and the new (chart-topping?!) folky Decemberists record.

To be honest, I had forgotten Panic at the Disco were still around. After their slightly annoying yet popular debut A Fever You Can't Sweat Out and the massive sonic turnaround of their second album Pretty. Odd., the band lost two of its members, leaving only do-it-all frontman Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith. The band cited musical differences as the reason for the split. I actually enjoyed Pretty. Odd., so it seems that it was the brainchild of the two departed bandmates, because Vices and Virtues marks a return to the modern pop sound of AFYCSO. Unfortunately, this is not a good thing.

The saving grace that first album had was that it was at least interesting. Annoying as it was, the band had a unique edge to their sound. Vices and Virtues takes the sounds from their debut and removes the edge, taking the annoying and making it simply dull and uninspired. The 'band' just kinda slags its way through the ten tracks; it's music for the sake of no one. I say 'band' because Urie plays everything but drums, which makes me think that losing those two members is really going to do this band in. With no band members for Urie to play off of and vice versa, the music dips into a state of stagnation. The most interesting/worst part is the last song, which features an epic choral outro. Interesting because it's at least trying to be creative, worst because it's like putting a Lord of the Rings war scene at the end of The Social Network; it's inappropriate and makes absolutely no sense. (Disclaimer: No, I did not mean to compare this record to The Social Network, it's just a simile.) 1.5/5.

Ah, this is better. After recording four pretty standard (but good!) indie folk-rock albums and a slightly ill-advised rock opera, The Decemberists returned to form in January with the country-laden The King Is Dead. This is almost certainly the most country record I've ever listened to and liked...maybe it's the lack of lyrics about tractors and booze, or the fact that frontman Colin Meloy is from Montana and not Alabama (accent-wise, I don't have anything against people from Alabama!). Anyway, take an otherwise good folky country record, replace the obnoxious Southern vocals and lyrics with some actual substance, and there you have it.

This review has turned into me just dissing on country music, hasn't it. This is a good record though! I've played through "Calamity Song" countless times, and the guitar work on "This Is Why We Fight" is impeccable. There are also some very pretty ballads throughout, with "January Hymn" and "June Hymn" highlighting these. Meloy's penchant for verbose lyrics isn't changed in the slightest by the slight musical shift. Honestly, there really isn't a bad song on here, but besides "Calamity Song" there aren't many great ones either. That sounds degrading, but on't let that turn you away, an album with no bad songs is still a very good piece of music. 3.6/5.

The Strokes - Angles

Angles, the fourth record from NYC rock kings The Strokes, is a far cry from their early albums. Once dubbed the ‘saviors of rock’ by many fans and critics, the band has undergone a series of recording and style changes that sets their latest album apart from the edgy, fuzzy sound of albums like Is This It and Room On Fire. Some of the change has to be attributed to frontman Julian Casablancas’ venture into solo territory; his album Phrazes for the Young also has a much more polished sound than that of his previous work with The Strokes. Nevertheless, the tighter sound is an interesting evolution for the band, and one that should be met with considerable praise.

“Everybody’s singin’ the same song for ten years,” yells Casablancas on first single ‘Under Cover of Darkness,’ and that couldn’t be truer. Ever since the band’s critically acclaimed debut album Is This It, fans and critics have been praying for a worthy follow-up, but they have been mostly disappointed with what they’ve been given. If you’re looking for a return to early 2000s form, you’ll again be disappointed, but if you want some tight catchy rock tunes, this is the record for you. The guitar hooks on ‘Under Cover of Darkness’ and especially album opener ‘Machu Picchu’ are so infectious you’ll need to be sedated to stop from whistling them. One of the most striking changes for the band is the emergence of a rhythm section that does more than just keep time. The Strokes have always been a guitar driven band, but on Angles there are some great drum patterns and fills to complement the onslaught of awesome guitar riffs. Casablancas’ vocal performance is spot-on throughout, as his tired drawl shifts between ranges effortlessly.

The real problem here is that after a rocking start, the album loses steam rather quickly at around the halfway point. Some of the songs in the final half sound like filler, and they failed to keep my attention at a few points. Overall though, the quality here is very good, and even though at some points it really does sound like Casablancas forced some of his solo work onto his band, they perform it flawlessly. A few of these songs will be finding their way onto my year-end list for sure. 4/5.

Since it’s been a while since I posted last (finals and all that), here are some scores I’ve given for other recent releases (or impending releases).

The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck – 4.3/5

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns – 3.7/5

Low – C’mon – 3.4/5

Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care – 4.2/5