Panic! at the Disco earned their first number one album with their fifth studio album, Death Of A Bachelor, which debuted on the top of the iTunes chart.

Written and recorded exclusively by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Brendan Urie, the album provides an upbeat, anthemic sound. The 180 degree turn Death Of A Bachelor takes from the dark and somber tone of their previous album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, is refreshing. The catchy choruses and pop synths mesh with Urie’s ingenious lyrics to create an album that is easy to listen to, yet not meaningless. The album contains the perfect mix of explosive, in-your-face songs combined with more relaxed tracks. Panic’s highest ranking songs ever, “Victorious,” “Hallelujah” and “Emperor’s New Clothes,” all come from Death Of A Bachelor. With three other songs from the album landing in the top 50, it’s fair to say that the departure of the other Panic! members did not hurt the music’s quality.

Death Of A Bachelor is easily Brendan Urie’s best vocal performance to date. Urie is an artist who isn’t pinned down to one particular style because he knows how to use his voice well. In the verses of “Emperor’s New Clothes,” his voice is dark and almost intimidating. In contrast, in “Death Of A Bachelor,” his vocals are airy and content in the verses, then full and booming in the chorus. However, the most impressive vocals appear on “Impossible Year.” With the simple piano instrumentation, there is nothing for Urie to hide behind, and he has no need to. The rich sincerity of his voice in this sad love song highlights his raw talent. It’s a nice surprise to hear his voice so exposed compared to the busy and full tracks Panic! typically produces.

Each of Panic’s albums has had a very different sound from its predecessor. Death Of A Bachelor is no exception, but the lyrical style of Death Of A Bachelor harkens back to the first album more than any other. Tracks such as “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time” and “The Good, The Bad And The Dirty” bring back darker themes and the story-like quality of Urie’s writing. Keeping with the idea of telling a story, Death Of A Bachelor is a loose concept album depicting Urie’s transition from his Las Vegas partying single life to a more settled and stable married life in Los Angeles, thus the “death of a bachelor.”

One of the most blatantly obvious inspirations for this album is Frank Sinatra. “Death Of A Bachelor” and “Crazy=Genius” sound like they’re straight out of the 1940s swing era and are reminiscent of Sinatra’s famous style. However old school these songs might sound, Urie adds in Panic’s signature stylings by layering pop synths in the chorus and incorporating his complex lyrics.

Following up a string of four successful albums with Death Of A Bachelor leaves me wondering if Panic! at the Disco will ever run out of momentum (I certainly hope they don’t). With the energy and emotion invested in every track on this album, I am very excited to see what Panic! at the Disco will produce next.

Favorite track: “Emperor’s New Clothes”

Least favorite track: “Crazy=Genius”

Rating: 9/10