Life as a CD reviewer;

Panic At The Disco - Pretty.Odd.

I was excited and intrepid when I pushed play on Panic at the Disco's new album. While I enjoyed PATD's first CD A fever you can't sweat out, I was afraid that perhaps that was it for them, and they could not evolve thier sound.
Recorded in Las Vegas, and mixed at Abbey Road Studios, it seems PATD have been digging around in thier parents records for this almost folky punk laced with electro-emo-pop.

From the beginning I feel, for my money, this album is better than thier debut.
Amusing intro song, Oh, how it's been so long
We're so sorry we've been gone
We were busy writing songs for you
The new single Nine in the Afternoon still hearkens on thier old sound to pull the fans in.
I Have Friends In Holy Spaces is a like introducing a ukulele to Christina Aguleria's Back to Basics album, while Northern Downpour, Behind the Sea and From a Mountain in the Middle show off some neat lyrical twists.
Pas De Cheval is hilariously my favourite, like a spaghetti western set to music!
The album has a sentimental feel to it, the melodies feel like a soundtrack pulling the songs through cheesy westerns, Chicago style gin joints, going off to court with Maid Marion and the gentility and into the Yellow Submarine for some flower power.

PATD have continued thier penchant for irritatingly long song names, I wasn't keen on it to begin with but its return does not please me.
Guess I can't like everything!

Its like Chicago meets Flower Child, watched over by Beatles of the past.

Track Listing:
1. We're So Starving
2. Nine In The Afternoon
3. She's A Handsome Woman
4. Do You Know What I'm Seeing?
5. That Green Gentleman [Things Have Changed]
6. I Have Friends In Holy Spaces
7. Northern Downpour
8. When The Day Met The Night
9. Pas De Cheval
10. The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know
11. Behind The Sea
12. Folkin' Around
13. She Had The World
14. From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins
15. Mad As Rabbits