My Amazon Reviews: Panic! At The Disco "Vices and Virtues"

Wingtips Waltz Across Naive Wooden Floors 
4 Out of 5 Stars

Reduced to a duo, Panic! At The Disco (now with reclaimed exclamation marks!) limp back to their emo-roots on "Vices and Virtues." Drummer Spencer Smith and guitar/vocalist Brendon Urie keep the name alive as bassist Jon Walker and guitarist Ryan Ross split. It's hard to tell who split for what reason, but "Vices and Virtues" is a clear step back from the goofy psychedelia of "Pretty Odd." Urie and Smith didn't completely drop their pastiche of everything 60's (as filtered perhaps, through XTC), but this album is in no way an obvious follow-up to "Pretty Odd's" naked ambition.

In fact, I was one of the reviewers who thought PO was a five star effort, reinvigorating the pomp and entertainment of bands like Jellyfish. Opener "Ballad of Mona Lisa" certainly attempts a recall of that giddy power-pop, than the album lurches firmly back into the mold of "Fever You Can't Sweat Out." This return to emo is not a vice, as PATD is really good at it, but it's not always a virtue. Urie and Smith keep up an energetic pace, and they love the production style that includes the phrase "and the kitchen sink." However, these two were not PATD's original principle songwriters, and some of the songs lack that killer hook.

That isn't a problem on the finale, "Nearly Witches." This song sounds like a leftover from the PO sessions, contains two kitchen sinks and has the killer hook. As "Vice's" oddball out song, it's a standout along with "Mona Lisa." "Let's Kill Tonight," "Ready To Go" and the ballad "Always" are the other keepers on the CD, and indicate that is Urie and Smith can work on their writing chops, this edition of Panic! At The Disco may be one that lasts.