Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! is a series of hits and misses, I assume a lot like a typical night out in Las Vegas, the lifestyle which frontman Brendon Urie kept in mind throughout the creation of the band’s fourth album. The hits are spectacular, whilst the misses leave me wondering what happened to this band that once soared upon the release of their debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out way back in 2005. Panic! At The Disco are still magnificent, but they’re undoubtedly succumbing to the temptations of popular music – their uniqueness is waning, coming and going in an uncertain manner.
The opening track ‘This Is Gospel,’ however, is an absolute gem of a song. The album plunges straight into a song that is truly Panic! At The Disco; it’s powerful and certain, as strong as the sound of the heartbeat that the track opens with. ‘This Is Gospel’ is inspired with a passion that unmistakably comes directly from the heart, the lyrics ‘this is the beat of my heart’ suggesting that the track is what is keeping Urie going.
To go from such an empowering track to the album’s first single ‘Miss Jackson’ is an unexpected disappointment. Sure, it’s a great song, but it has a strong sense of déjà vu attached to it – I personally feel like Panic! lose themselves slightly here, almost as though they’re trapped under the influence of the returned Fall Out Boy; upon listening to ‘Miss Jackson,’ all I can think of is FOB’s brilliant comeback single ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark.’ The song fails to satisfy lyrically too – the words run like a broken record, looping the same lines for 3 minutes and 12 seconds, and so I can’t help but think that since ex-guitarist Ryan Ross parted ways with the band after 2008’s Pretty. Odd, Panic! have gone downhill lyrically.
The third track ‘Vegas Lights’ has a closer sound to the band’s debut album than most songs on the fourth album, ringing almost reminiscent of ‘But It’s Better If You Do,’ yet crossing over somewhat with the overall sound of their third album, Vices & Virtues. It returns to the spectacle image that Panic! At The Disco often employ and it’s a good song, but still, it’s nothing special and I find myself yearning for more. This feeling carries on into the next song on the album, ‘Girl That You Love,’ a song so insignificant compared to the splendour of the band’s back catalogue that I feel no need to comment on any part of it.
Halfway through the album, we are met with ‘Nicotine,’ an infectious and catchy track which has an entirely suitable title. If Panic! were to record another album in the style of ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,’ this song would be perfect for it. It’s almost as though the band have regressed back to 2005, but not quite as their sound has certainly developed in the eight years that have passed since the release of their debut. I’m impressed with ‘Girls / Girls/ Boys’ too, which carries on the ultimate sound of Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! and is undoubtedly one of the album’s highs, though not one of the strongest, especially not in the lyrical sense. ‘Casual Affair’ is another of the album’s highest points, a slightly toned down song that somehow still manages to capture the record’s overall sound. It’s not a significant song on Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! but it makes just the right amount of impact to ensure that it’s not overlooked either.
The album’s eighth track, ‘Far Too Young To Die,’ is one of two truly incredible songs on the album. From my first listen to the record, this song has always stood out to me and for no obvious reason either. It sounds highly similar to plenty of the remainder of Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!, but there’s something noticeably different about the energy of the track and the general feeling of it that’s impactful and somewhat electrifying. The penultimate track, ‘Collar Full’ is bright and happy and should really make as much impact as the previous song, yet actually comes up short. It sounds similar to the bonus tracks of Vices & Virtues and for me, that is exactly where this song belongs. It’s lost on this current album, out of place, a notion which echoes my current feelings on Panic! At The Disco as a band.
The final track of Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! is another of the album’s two truly incredible songs. ‘The End Of All Things ‘ is an orchestration of stunning simplicity, completely unlike any other track done by Panic! At The Disco, and completely unlike anything else on the album itself. I’m in awe of this track, its impact and its inspiration. It’s saddening to think of the extent to which such a pure, beautiful, romantic and honest song is undermined by the album’s previous songs.
And that captures the overall feeling of Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! It’s truly saddening that such obvious talents seem to be worsening with each release because although their fourth release is still quite brilliant, there are just as many hits on the album as there are misses. And in comparison to the amazing albums that are A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out and Pretty. Odd, it’s clear to see that Panic! At The Disco are losing both their direction and their authenticity.
