Review: Panic! At the Disco’s debut dances on 20 years later

After breaking into the mainstream in 2005, Panic! at the Disco have been held up as one of the most iconic emo bands and a core piece of the “Emo Trinity,” along with their contemporaries Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. This sentiment is not without merit, as evidenced by their strong debut album.

Panic! started in Las Vegas in 2004 as a blink-182 cover band led by guitarist and songwriter Ryan Ross and drummer Spencer Smith, who attended high school together. Ross started out as primary vocalist, but after recruiting Brendon Urie and bassist Brent Wilson, it was decided that Urie would be the frontman.

Eventually they got the attention of Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and were signed to Decaydance Records, despite having never performed live.

The next year, and after four months of recording, the band released “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” on Sept. 27, 2005. Almost 20 years later, it still holds up as a great piece of pop punk culture.

Following an intro that mimics turning the dial on a car radio, opener “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage” sets the listener’s expectations with its music and lyrics. 

The former mixes synths and electronic percussion with live musicianship on the part of the band, while the latter explicitly states their intentions to shake things up in order to become the voice of a new generation. In addition, the song’s title is only the beginning of a list of absurdist titles absent from the actual lyrics.

“London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines” juxtaposes timeless composition with timely references to webzines and the pop punk/emo scene Panic! was entering. The song sees them trying to get ahead of music critics.

“Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks” is dominated by Wilson’s bass playing and guitars that sound like horns — or perhaps vice versa. The slower tempo is a welcome change of pace and matches the lyrics that address addiction.

“Camisado” continues this thread as its subject lands in the hospital, putting their child at increasing unease. The chorus is easily one of the most memorable on the record, while the music adds keyboards to an already diverse array of musical elements.

“Time to Dance” is the most intense from the get-go, with Smith especially hitting hard on the drums and Urie hitting high notes for the first time on a Panic! album. The lyrics reference both fashion and guns, as it details a woman cracking under pressure to perform for men at all times.

“Lying is the Most Fun…” contrasts the last song heavily with a more relaxed and seductive instrumentation. The teenage narrator is horny as hell, as he tries to convince a girl that he is not only the best lover, but the best romantic partner.

The album is split up into two halves. The lyricism from Ross remains consistent with references to Chuck Palahniuk, the novelist responsible for “Fight Club.”

The “Intermission” starts out as a straightforward techno bop until it cuts out and gives way to a classical piano demonstration. This directly parallels the direction in which the album heads going into the second half.

This is evident on “But It’s Better If You Do,” which puts more emphasis on the band’s collaborative performance and dominant pianos. The lyrics deliberate the pros and cons of being a strip club patron from a young age.

This leads directly into the album’s heavy hitter, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” Along with the aforementioned combo of band and keys, a cello is added to the mix. It fits the subject matter, which depicts the narrator interrupting a wedding to interrogate the unfaithful bride.

“I Constantly Thank God for Esteban” contains a more reserved instrumentation than the previous songs, but it’s by no means lesser. Wilson’s bass line forms the backbone, allowing the other members to diversify their playing style. Lyrically, it tackles hypocrisy by those who don’t practice what they preach with allusions to organized religion.

“There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey…” turns the orchestral subtext into actual text by employing primarily classical instruments like piano, cymbals and horns. The song chronicles a normally overlooked dinner guest seeking this time to stir up chaos.

The grand finale is “Build God, Then We’ll Talk,” which brings back rock elements while adding accordion to backdrop a tale about a woman who sleeps with her boss to get by at a new job. The lyrics critique infidelity and prostitution, wording them as “a wonderful caricature of intimacy.”

Overall, Panic’s debut album continues to succeed on the merits of its innovative sound and musings on budding sexuality.

Two years after Urie ceased operations for Panic! at the Disco, the band is set to return as a headliner for When We Were Young Fest this October, where they will perform their debut album in its entirety.