Panic! At The Disco “Pray For The Wicked”
I might as well start this review with a full disclaimer: I am completely and unashamedly a huge Panic! At the Disco fangirl and have been a huge fan of the Las Vegas band since they started out, way back in 2004. So needless to say, when the latest album Pray for the Wicked was announced several months ago, I was incredibly excited.
I have to tell you…I was not disappointed.
Pray for the Wicked is Panic! At the Disco’s sixth studio album, and while its vibe is somewhat different to previous albums, it still has that unique Panic! At the Disco feel that we all know and love. Singer Brendon Urie’s incredible vocals and supreme musical talent, along with some amazingly catchy tunes make for a brilliant listening experience.
Opening with (Fuck a) Silver Lining and Say Amen (Saturday Night), the album starts on a high (literally, Urie hits an amazingly high note in Say Amen) and it just gets better from there. Following with Hey look Ma, I Made It and the incredibly catchy High Hopes, Urie not only pays tribute to his dear Mother, he also shares an insight to what has kept him going through all these years.
It’s hard to pinpoint my favourite songs on the album, but both Roaring 20’s and Dancing’s Not A Crime are high contenders. A nod to Urie’s 2017 stint on Broadway as Kinky Boots’ character Charlie Price, Roaring 20’s has a jazzy, cabaret feel that grabbed my attention immediately, while the roller-disco like Dancing’s Not A Crime never fails to make me want to have a little groove, wherever I might be.
A distinct change of pace comes with One of the Drunks and The Overpass, followed by King of the Clouds, which is like nothing I’ve heard from Panic! At the Disco so far (not that that’s a bad thing), King of the Clouds is definitely a trippy, strange song but somehow fits perfectly on this album.
The incredibly catchy Old Fashioned, which never fails to get stuck in my head, comes next and then all too soon we come to the last song, the beautifully sombre Dying in LA. Featuring only a piano, some strings and Urie’s amazingly strong vocals, Dying in LA is a stunning track, and the perfect way to end what I believe is an amazing album.
Not only is Pray for the Wicked a great album, in even better news, Panic! At the Disco are headed to Australia in October (including Adelaide!) be sure to get your tickets now, as this will be a show you will NOT want to miss!
Album Review by Maree Holmes
Don’t forget Panic! At The Disco are touring on the following dates…
