If you watched MTV during the middle of the last decade, then you have probably heard of Panic! at the Disco. Debuting with probably one of the catchiest songs of the past ten years “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” Panic! was poised to be everyone’s “I knew them first” band. That one song catapulted the Vegas quartet into super-stardom, headlining their own carnival themed tour. Each song off of their debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, felt fresh and new, giving the scene a much needed kick in the pants.
And then Pretty. Odd. came out. Now, just to clarify, I’m not calling the album bad, but it certainly wasn’t what fans thought it was going to be, or in this case, wanted. I do appreciate the throwback to an older time, where instruments were key and vocals didn’t need any effects. The album did in fact put out my favorite Panic (notice the exclamation point is gone) songs “Northern Downpour,” but the album as a whole was considered by most a disappointment.
But, after two members dropped to form The Young Veins, and the exclamation point re-inserted into their name, Panic! reemerged seemingly as strong as ever.
Panic!’s third album,Vices and Virtues, was supposed to be their return to the sound that made them break out. Frontman Brandon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith . However, a lot of the tracks on Vices and Virtues seem to bend more to what Pretty. Odd. brought to the table, instead of moving towards their debut, which is what I personally prefer. Besides the catchy opener “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” and the extremely catchy party song “Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind),” the rest sounds like Panic! trying to find a middle ground between both of their albums. “Trade Mistakes” starts with a great orchestral entrance, and fits well into the first half of AFYCSW very well. “Sarah Smiles” is a jazzy mixture of late Fever and early Odd, mixing horns and accordions to make an insanely catchy gem. “Always” is the “Northern Downpour” of this album; one beautiful love song.
Just like the earlier albums, I stand firmly behind calling Brandon Urie is probably the best sounding frontman in alternative music today. He carries each song on his back; without his amazing singing ability, this album would probably fall flat. I can’t really think of any singer who can fill in his shoes and make it sound like Panic!. I’d love to see Urie pull a Brandon Flowers or a Patrick Stump and put out a solo record; I’d bet it would be great.
Vices and Virtues isn’t anything like A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, but that’s not saying it’s bad. Actually, Vices is pretty good. However, after hearing that the now duo wanted to go back to their original sound, I expected that. Although they didn’t commit to that throughout the ten songs on this CD, it’s still a good album that SHOULD make all fans happy.
Final Grade: B
Go Download: “Always”
Middle of the Row 
I guess I am outside the majority opinion, but honestly after hearing Pretty. Odd. (which is one of my favorite albums ever – that and Kate Nash’s Made of Bricks being my most listened to CDs that year) I can’t really go back to listening to A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. I liked the more mellow sound it brought to the table, from “Northern Downpour,” to “When the Day Met the Night,” to “She Had the World” and am glad that their newest CD didn’t revert back to that Fall Out Boy, party comparable sound. Maybe the sound doesn’t fit their name, but I am more than ok with that.
Though Vices and Virtues isn’t as high on the list as Pretty. Odd. for me in concern to the number of songs I like in the track list, it still includes a lot of keepers including “Memories” and “Always” that I will be listening to over and over.
Firstly, if you liked Pretty. Odd., then you should listen to The Young Veins (aka ex P!atD). It sounds reminiscent to PO, with a mix more of Beatles.
Again, Pretty. Odd. isnt bad at all, i just found their debut to be better (they’re both still great records). But, it’s just a matter of opinion.