Panic
I am one of many young adults who just this year rediscovered the joys of Panic! At The Disco’s first album. After uncovering my old iPod Nano before going on vacation in January, I decided to revisit A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out for a silly, indulgent nostalgia trip.
However, I was shocked to discover that I was genuinely enjoying each and every track despite the fact it has been 10 years since the band’s heyday. Perhaps the album has withstood the test of time because it was well ahead of its time, merging pop and rock with electronic dance in ways that attracted listeners across the music spectrum.
Though the album became a rock epic, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out was churned out in a few days by a couple of recent high school grads from Las Vegas. The band had been discovered by Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and recorded on the Fueled By Ramen imprint Decaydance, the label known for churning out the emo sounds that defined the Myspace generation.
Still, despite the very real possibility that Panic! At The Disco could turn into another of the many ill-fated boy bands for scene kids, which have all but vanished as their audiences have grown up, their music managed to come across as polished rather than precocious. They knew how to use the many musical tools at their disposal.
Each piece used elements of a variety of genres and styles carefully and never to excess. While the track “Camisado” surges on pure electricity and energy, “I Constantly Thank God For Esteban” manages to shake it up with a bit of Spanish guitar that gives the piece a Latin flare without overpowering its thick dance beats.
“But It’s Better If You Do” and “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” are perhaps the two most well-known pieces on the album, and both are very simple pop-rock with a slight cabaret feel that provides the listener a sense of pleasurable naughtiness. The end result of this skillful mixing is an album that is dynamic and interesting while still flowing seamlessly between tracks.
Their songs spoke of the band’s lofty ambitions; though they were younger than most of the students at this university, the band made music that older musicians aren’t bold enough to write. Their music touched on themes many of their contemporaries avoided as they tried desperately to appeal to preteens.
Panic! wasn’t afraid to call out the media that had yet to eviscerate them on “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage.” Questions of drug use and self-medicating for mental illness bubbled up in “Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks.” The songs were aware that they were grappling with big ideas, but rather than flinching, their lyrics proclaimed loud, large imagery and a vocabulary that would make the band members’ SAT tutors proud.
At the same time, the songs were brash, childish and self-indulgent in all the best ways. Their titles were full sentences, often borrowing quotes from literature or film. “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” was a social commentary narrative set to the tune of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music.
“There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet” was a jazzy number that poked jabs at the artificiality of high society in a manner relatable to teens and adults alike. “Time to Dance” is just a fun, energetic dance track that never fails to get my toes tapping or my head bobbing. There’s just so much to love from every song.
They’ve been in and out of the spotlight in the 10 years since Fever was released, and today, Panic! At The Disco is a completely different band with a sound and a look almost completely removed from its earlier, circus-inspired aesthetic. Still, it’s always pleasing to know that no matter how old you are, you can pick up the first album, tune into “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” and shush along with the bad words just like you did when your mom was in the car.
