I was really baffled when listening to the aptly titled Pretty Odd for the first time. What’s this? No trace of synthesiser or electronic driven music and no frantic crunching of as many lyrics as they could into a verse. Throughout the whole running time I kept listening out for even one track that contained a trace of their old style. Nope, guess they lied when they stated in the introduction song (We’re So Starving) “You don’t have to worry because we’re still the same band”. This whole album is such a wide departure from their previous style that it will definitely have many listeners wondering if this album is an attempt at an April Fools joke.
Pretty Odd, sees the band experimenting in a number of different styles and pulling out every trick in their music repertoire with violin, cello, trumpet, piano, tambourine, ukulele, fiddles, banjo, harmonica and organ. Folkin’ Around see the band delving into country territory, while She Had The World has them trying out a renaissance sound and I Have Friends In Holy Places sees them tackling a Dixie land tune. Despite these additions most of the tracks lack the infectiously energetic pace found on their last release and are largely forgettable. The only exceptions are the grandiose & upbeat single Nine In The Afternoon and the increased tempo of tracks That Green Gentleman and Mad Rabbit, which finally add a little bit of fun to the proceedings.
It’s a shame that Panic have undergone such a dramatic change in style as somewhere along the line they’ve lost an exclamation mark to their name and forgotten to include more entertaining material. While some of their previous work was overwhelming and overproduced at least it was notoriously catchy and fun.
In the end Panic At The Disco seems to have traded in their pretentious pop music style for an attempt at orchestral music that ironically feels dull & lifeless. At it’s best; the album could be called a failed Beatles imitation (it was mixed at Abbey Rd Studios), while at it’s worst it just sounds boring. If listen to this album with no preconceptions you might appreciate the mellow sounds more than I did.
Pretty odd? More like pretty shit.
Final rating: 50/100 pennies
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