Panic At The Disco - 'Nine In The Afternoon'
I have a really old iPod. It's one of those pre-colour, greyscreen, no-video jobs with actual buttons above the datawheel and a battery which struggles to last more than a couple of hours. It's so old, in fact, that it still has the ! in Panic At The Disco's name. I mean there's old, there's vintage, and then there's just plain out of touch with what is going on...and then there's my iPod.
It also has a selection of songs from the pre-post-exclamation Panic - when they were still Panic!, you see - all of which serve as a reminder of why it's such a good idea that this band have evolved with time. They always had good imaginations, what with all the dressing up, swapping instruments and generally acting like the entire world of music is their plaything, rather than the tiny little corner with the 'guitars only!' sign, as occupied by some of their peers.
But they also used to try and make things fit into spaces where they should not go. Words, mainly. Words like "poison rationality", shoehorned into a melody which served them poorly, and didn't really fit the music, and made Brandon Disco sound like a tickled sheep.
Now they're back, and there's a new confidence to their songwriting. This song has a proper pop momentum, bouyed up by singalong, woozy mock-psychedelic Alice In Wonderland lyrics, Queen-ish guitar riffs and baroque, Beatley orchestral touches. Finally those brains are being put to good use!
Oh, and they also do that brilliant thing that bands do when they're overdubbing handclaps onto a song. After the job of clapping in time is over, they burst into a round of applause. I've no idea why this should be a brilliant thing instead of an annoyingly self-congratulatory thing, but it really is. Listen to the end of 'Whatever' by Oasis or 'The Gutterati' by the Fratellis if you don't believe me. It just works, every time.
Which is, coincidentally, the exact reason why I'm sticking with my iPod. I don't know why it still works, but I'm awfully glad it does.
Download: Out now
CD Released: March 17th
(Fraser McAlpine)
PS: has already called any comparisons between this song and Queen or the Beatles "tiresome". Bah! Rumbled!
Comments
You know, I love Panic (what have they DONE with that explamation mark?!) At The Disco, infact, they're one of my favourite bands... But I'm not so keen on this song. I don't think it's anywhere near as good as any of the songs on their first album. Camisado is the best song. Bring back the old PATD (which would actually be P!ATD, which looked a lot better)!!
Silly reviewer, it's POISE AND rationality not poison, and i dont call this song evolving, i call it ditching originality for heavy beatle influence, not to say this isn't a good song, justnot as good as the stuff you believe to be primative.
[Aw, is it? I liked it better as "poison rationality". Oh well. - Fraser]
It's "poise and rationality" actually, which fits in as it's being sarcastic about the whole "haven't you people ever heard of.." bit
:)
x
[It still doesn't fit the melody it's being jammed into though. - Fraser]
Good song, weird video. I really couldn't be bothered to go see these guys in the end. So tired (thanks cricket then we go and loose) and I have work to do.. ah well, there will be other times :)
I love Panic (thii ! is gone we should hav a funeral) and i love this song but i love the old Panic! (yes i had to add the !) the first time i heard it, it was at the reading and leeds festival and i was like wow is tht really Panic at the Disco up there but i think i'll like the new Panic at the disco just as much as the old Panic! at the Disco
Oh no, this is were all the music snobs come out and start screaming OMG SELL OUT! THE NEW SOUND IS SOOO NOT ORIGINAL!!
And before that happens I just want to take cover and say this song rocks Panic are still as cool as always - They do kinda look a bit drugged up in the vid though xD
This song is so catchy, the lyrics are so mind bending just like all their other songs - I like music that makes me think :D
Naww I like their old stuff better. Not because the new sound is SO not original.. but because the old stuff was shiny.
i like this song, but i preferred them before, they songs were more interesting. They've changed a lot,and this new album is completely different to the last, well maybe it's for the better, even though i prefer the old PATD ! (well, P!ATD)
I couldn't care less who they take inspiration from, I just wish they would make decent music like they used to. Nine In The Afternoon is complete rubbish compared to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, and so is the rest of Pretty. Odd. I guess Panic At The Disco's talent went when the exclamation mark did...