When Panic At The Disco revealed new single 'Nine In The Afternoon' was free from the hyper-dramatic gloom of their debut album, 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out', it was obvious that things had changed.
Things have indeed changed, but not as much as you might have expected. 'Nine In The Afternoon' is the album's solitary straightforward pop moment. Its 14 companion tracks are in turns quirky, gothic and downright bizarre – it's everything you might have expected to follow the first record, the difference here is that 'Pretty. Odd' has been made with faces covered in smiles rather than floppy fringes, and is all the better for it.
Intro 'We're So Starving' bridges the gap between the first and second albums, with familiar harmonies and orchestral arrangements, but with added Beach Boys-influenced vocals. 'Nine In The Afternoon' is a peak in the world of guitar pop and highlights the gap between Panic and UK bands such as McFly or Hoosiers. It is also obvious that unlike other bands tagged with the 'emo' label, the chances of Panic At The Disco still moaning about life in their thirties is pretty slim. They are barely into their twenties and of the refreshing opinion that life is actually pretty decent.
The more angular 'She's A Handsome Woman' proves that the unpredictable lyrical patterns of the first album are still very much a feature, while 'Do You Know What I'm Seeing' introduces a surprise bluegrass element. Panic At The Disco have never been known for holding back on the instrument front but the harmonica is a new one…
Taking its influence from The Beatles on 'That Green Gentleman', the era of choice here is 'Yellow Submarine', with a psychedelic follow-the-leader atmosphere to much of the album. Building to an enormous and amazing finale chanting "things have changed for me", this is one of the album's standout tracks, despite us feeling the need to slip the term 'honky tonk' in right here.
'Northern Downpour' offers one of the album's biggest surprises; it's a ballad. Opening with a solitary guitar, it's fairly obvious that intentions are afoot to tug some heartstrings, and despite some grand poetical lyrics, we remain unmoved.
It's back to The Beatles on 'When The Day Met The Night', with a slice of sixties-influenced indie pop, throwing the trumpets back into the equation and proving that philosophical and insightful lyrics can be used to uplift. Just because you have grand things on your mind doesn't mean the music you make needs to be introspective and bleak...
'Pas De Cheval' is the closest the band come to returning to the 'Nine In The Afternoon', with the album's second straightforward song which is about nothing more than 'stuff'. It doesn't need to have a French title, however, and the song is sadly not about horses.
'The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know' sounds like Christmas day at Tim Burton's house. Bells chimes and trumpets herald a melancholy sense of fun. 'Behind The Sea' drops three of The Beatles to sound like Paul McCartney at his solo peak ('The Frog Chorus') and shows that Panic have not only rifled through their parent's record collections, they have wholeheartedly attempted to replicate them.
After messing around with folk and country, 'Folkin Around' sees the band get it out of their system, with this brief track, reminiscent of Bright Eyes' genius 'First Day Of My Life'.
The problem with the first few listens to both this and Panic's previous album is highlighted by harpsichord-laden 'She Had The World'. The album takes the listener so constantly by surprise that true appreciation isn't possible until every turn on the record doesn't take you completely unaware. However, once the song settles, it is one of the strongest on the album. It's very British, very unromantic and very good.
'From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins' is a cold break-up track, while album closer 'Mad As Rabbits' sees Panic throw their final surprise with a disco influence, which gives a remarkably straightforward ending to a highly-complicated album.
In short, it's a mess, a brilliant, complicated mess which, like their first album, requires familiarity to see through the clutter of influences, themes, top hats and trumpets.
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