We’ve all heard the phrase, “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” but for the sake of all of us, it’s good that Vegas did not keep Panic! At the Disco all to itself. What started as a cover band of Blink 182 songs soon blossomed into something wonderful. Straight out of the suburbs of Las Vegas, Panic! greets us with infectiously catching, danceable, and not to mention complex songs. While still in their early stages, Panic! caught the attention of Fall Out Boy’s bassist, Peter Wentz. Wentz was starting a record label called Decaydance Records, an offset of Fueled By Ramen when he came across a demo for Panic! and proceeded to sign them to Decaydance.

In order to record A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, Panic! flew to Maryland to work with Matt Squire, who is noted for working for artists such as Thrice and The Receiving End of Sirens. Guitarist Ryan Ross explains that they did not want to create a CD with 11 songs that sounded the same so they didn’t. Instead Panic!, rounded out with vocalist Brendon Urie, Brent Wilson on bass, and Spencer Smith on drums, divided their album into two parts. The first half gives a futuristic experiences equipped with synthesizers while the second half is more nostalgic, complete with an accordion.

The album starts with an introduction and proceeds with dance music and lyrics unlit about track 8 where you get an intermission before the album takes a turn to the more melodic note. It’s hard not to get these songs stuck in your head with lyrics like “Swear to shake it up if you swear to listen.” Even though it’s their first record, Panic! proves that they are ready for the press as Urie proclaims “Panic: meet the press” and claiming that “it’s time for us to take a chance” and “oh, we’re just a wet dream for the webzine, make us it, make us hip, make us scene” and later mentioning, “just for the record, the weather today is slightly sarcastic with a). indifference or b.) disinterest in what the critics say.” The first single off of Fever is an announcement simple put as, “Time to Dance” and with the synthesizers and infectious lyrics, you can’t help but get up and dance.

Panic! offer everything we’ve been waiting for and much like their tour mates and friends, Fall Out Boy, Panic! don’t fall to far from the tree with long song titles. Fever offers titles such as “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage,” “Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off,” and “There’s a Good Reason These Tables are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Figured it Out Yet.”

Panic! At the Disco are most certainly a must have for anyone, and I mean anyone. Some of my personal favorites to check out would have to be “Lying is the Most Fun…,” “But It’s Better if You Do,” and “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” So I leave you with a simple proclamation by Urie in “Lying is the Most Fun…” and it goes something like, “Dance to this Beat!”

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

Links:
Official Panic! At the Disco Website
Decaydance
Fueld By Ramen

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