Viva Las Vengeance: Writing A Farewell Album

Hey look, I did a soft reboot of my blog! I decided that trying this weekly thing where I have to try to come up with a topic and then try to remember to write it on a certain day just isn't for me anymore. I much prefer the looser, more free format that I was doing with the extracurriculars and now the From the Desk of Mr. Hardys. I like just getting to write fun little blogs when I get the inspiration, so now From the Desk of Mr. Hardys has evolved from side project to the project itself.

   When Brendon Urie wrote what ended up being Panic! At The Disco's last album, Viva Las Vengeance, did he write it with the intent of it being his last album, or did the decision come later? I don't think we know for sure, but I think he did write it as a farewell album. There are some indicators that point that Viva Las Vengeance was indeed written to be a farewell album.

   In "High Hopes" from the previous album, Urie sings, "I got one more run and it's gonna be a sight to see." People didn't may much attention to that lyric at the time, but his next album did truly end up being his "one more run". 

  The closing song on Viva Las Vengeance is "Do It Death", which appears to be about constantly straining yourself to give people what they want and feeling burnout because of it. The song ends with a soft reprise of the motif from the title track: "shut up and go to bed." The song ends with static which blends perfectly into the beginning of the first song on Panic's debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out. So there we go. The last Panic! At The Disco lyric was "shut up and go to bed" and the end of the last album makes their discography a full seven-album circle.

   I think these things make it pretty apparent that Viva Las Vengeance was indeed written to be a farewell album.

   But was it a good farewell? I think so, but the album is kinda controversial among the fanbase. I lot of people don't like its unique recording style and the fact that it's very much a tribute to classic rock, especially bands like Queen. Some people also say that Urie's voice doesn't sound as good, or that he's pushing it too hard, which I don't understand. I think he sounds just as good here as he does in previous albums, if not better.

   I believe this album even contains some of Panic's best work - the title track, "Local God", "Say It Louder", and "Sad Clown" being good examples.

    All that being said, farewell albums don't have to be epic or sad or really feel like a conclusion. I like what Panic did here, the incorporating little things that make it feel kinda like a conclusion while also making the album normal enough to feel like a regular addition to the discography.

   Anyway, I guess that's it. I like Viva Las Vengeance. Give it a listen.

   And will Panic! At The Disco come back someday? I certainly think it's possible. I may even say it's likely, and I'm not alone in thinking that. If Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance can come back from break-ups, Panic! At The Disco can, too.