Why 'Pray for the Wicked' is Panic's best pop album
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

6 Reasons Why "Pray For The Wicked" Is Panic’s Best Album Since "Vices and Virtues"

Panic! at the Disco's sixth album finally matches up to what I loved about the band's early years.

90
6 Reasons Why "Pray For The Wicked" Is Panic’s Best Album Since "Vices and Virtues"
https://panicatthedisco.com/prayforthewickedtour/

Although Panic! at the Disco is my favorite band, I haven't loved every album. Especially in recent years, there has been a shift from their early rock sound into more of a pop, mainstream sound.

I'll admit that I was super nervous for "Pray for the Wicked." I wasn't that huge of a fan of "Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die" or "Death of a Bachelor" (beyond its AMAZING title track), however, Brendon Urie put his time in the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots" to good use.

This album has so many positive things going for it, and it is definitely proving to be my favorite album since "Vices and Virtues." Here are just a few of the reasons why I love "Pray for the Wicked."

1. The Sincerity

Whereas "Death of a Bachelor" focused more on celebrating success and enjoying fame, "Pray for the Wicked" focuses more on the journey and what got Urie to this point in his life.

Everything about it is sincere, from "Old Fashioned" referencing the early days of Panic! saying "they were the best of times" and "High Hopes" explaining how he always wanted to have a life like this, even when he had nothing.

2. The '20s Vibe

Everything about the song "Roaring '20s" belongs in "The Great Gatsby," which is one of my favorite movies (the new 2013 one with Leonardo DiCaprio of course). From the horns to the grandiose vocal line, this song is by far a standout on this album.

3. Musical Theatre Influence

Urie's time on Broadway truly shines on this album more than ever before. His voice has always been well suited for musical theatre, and this album showcases it.

One song in particular that really shows this influence is "The Overpass." The chorus-like lines between the verses is meant for the stage. I can picture it in a musical, which perfectly combines two of my favorite things: musical theatre and Brendon Urie's beautiful voice.

4. Lyricism

My main issue with the past two Panic! albums has been the lyricism. Ryan Ross was the original lyricist of the band before the split in 2009, and Brendon proved that he could still write music on his own with "Vices and Virtues"; however, the past few albums have been so generic and not like the originality the band once held.

This album finally feels original and fresh. Although it is still more mainstream pop than they used to be, it still feels organic and real as opposed to manufactured to be liked. There are even little nods to older songs such as the lyric "sketchy girls and lipstick boys" in "The Overpass" modeling "testosterone boys and harlequin girls" in "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off."

5. Acknowledging More Of The Past

I understand that there have been things in the past that have really hurt Urie, with the split and other issues too deep to get into. Even in interviews from the past few years, he avoids saying the names of former members except for Spencer Smith who stayed with his after the split until 2013 when he left the band for personal issues.

Despite his behavior in the past, Urie finally acknowledges the past and what got him here in this album. "Old Fashioned" is all about the beginning of the band and how they were "the best times of his life."

6. "Dying in L.A."

This song deserves to have its own reason on this list. Every recent album has had a ballad, and this one is definitely my favorite. Even though "This is Gospel" is a fan-favorite song, the album version is too manufactured, and the piano version is significantly better.

This song describes the struggles of someone coming to L.A. and not making it, the exact opposite of what he has done as he describes in"Hey Look Ma, I Made It." This song paints a darker side of L.A. compared to what we heard in "Death of a Bachelor" single "L.A. Devotee." Whether this song is about a younger version of himself, or others he knows in L.A. who haven't made it, this song is probably the best song Urie has ever produced.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

27618
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less
beer on the beach

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

7 Reasons SoCal Rocks!

75 degrees and sunny, plus, no humidity. I mean do I really need to say more?

1940
woman in black and white long sleeve shirt carrying girl in red jacket in Venice beach
Photo by Jeff Hopper on Unsplash

SoCal summers are the best summers by far, and honestly, no argument is needed. But, if you aren't sure why SoCal summers are the best, here are 7 reasons why!

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

25 Lyrics for Selfie Captions

Because let's be honest, we all use lyrics.

54047
woman takes a selfie for social media
Pixabay

Sometimes you can't think of the perfect caption for your Instagram post. I love using lyrics as my captions because there's so many great lines in songs that just seem to fit in the moment. Here are some lyrics that could work for your selfie or pictures of you with your friends!

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Bruce Springsteen's Top 7 Lyrics

Everything Bruce says in his classic rock songs.

20547
bruce springsteen album cover born in the usa

Anyone who was born and raised in New Jersey (or anywhere really) knows of Bruce Springsteen, whether or not they like him is a whole other situation. I hope that his hundreds of classic rock songs and famous high energy performances, even in his sixties he can put on better concerts than people half his age, are at least recognizable to people of all ages. Love him or hate him (I identify with the former) you have to admit that some of his songs and interviews have inspirational quotes and lyrics.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments