Putting the "!" Back in the Disco

Panic! at the Disco is back to being Panic! at the Disco and not Panic at the Disco. They had dropped the exclamation point after the first album saying it was something they used in promotions and never intended to keep, but in a recent post on their website Spencer refers to the band as "Panic!" and not "Panic". Anyway. I guess that's unimportant.

The band also posted a 30 second clip of a new demo called "Oh Glory". You can listen to it here. Panic! at the Disco has had a tendency to get mixed up with a lot of emo bands like Fall Out Boy, which makes sense I guess since they tour together, but I think that gives them a negative rap that is undeserved. I've seen Panic! twice now and they are by far one of the funnest shows I've been to. They have a strong stage presence, theatrical act, and strong musicianship that really come to life on stage.

However one claim that I'm beginning to believe is that they are trying too hard. I appreciated Pretty. Odd for its diversity, but I also wished it was more danceable like their previous album. It's hard to judge by a 30 second clip, but "Oh Glory" sounds like the band is trying to give the crowd what it wants by making more dance music. Dance music is exactly what I want, but I'm worried it's going to sound forced. Whether it be adding a "!" back into their name, or constantly switching musical styles, Panic! is one band that is willing to jump through hoops for their listeners.

I'm not sure how the band is going to deal with the loss of two of its members. I would be worried, but after seeing them live it's become obvious to me that Brendon Urie is really the musical heart and soul of this operation, and he is all I really need in Panic! at the Disco.

The band is set to release a new single August 17th called "New Perspective", which will also appear on the soundtrack of Diablo Cody's second film Jennifer's Body (which looks awesome btw).

Here's a demo I got from their Myspace before the release of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in someways I've always preferred it to the album version.

Check it Out: Time to Dance (Demo)

P.S. I hope one day they change their name to "Panic!@the Disco". I just feel it would be so relevant to the day and age we live in.