Среда 12 Июл 2006, 8:23

PANIC! at the disco
They are fun, catchy, ironic… what's not to like? Sure, they are hyped up - can't deny that - but are they overrated? I wouldn't say so. This is not the time to be elitist, eventually you can't escape their accordionaccompanied tunes and clever lyrics, so do yourself a favor and surrender at once.
PANIC!'s debut album is nothing short of amazing, no matter how many times I've listened to it I never skip a single track because they are all worth listening to over and over again.
Some might consider them a nice break from everything angsty and "emo", I first thought so as well, but when I listened closer, I realized that they were just taking it further. I guess you could call it post-stereotypical-emo - they have gotten over it and are slamming phrases like "I'm the new cancer, never looked better and you can't stand it" in the faces of the past, claiming to have more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch and a better fuck than anyone else.
There's a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Thought of It Yet is the definite masterpiece according to me. The fun, dance-y and almost circus-like sound is PANIC! in a nutshell and, I mean, you can’t go wrong with a line like “when you’re in black slacks with accentuating off-white pinstripes, everything goes according to plan”.
Fav album: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
Fav songs: There's a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Thought of It Yet, The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage, Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off

Mando Diao
Mando Diao is one of the best live-bands out there, I cannot stress that enough. Their performance is an explosion of pure energy, mixed with a sexy voice that leaves you wanting more. Having that said, the recorded version is far from bad. In fact, Bring 'em In] is one of my all-time favorite albums. It has you at its first song, enchants you with a catchy melody and never lets go. These guys are brilliant at concealing the lovey-dovey parts of their music, which make them even more interesting. It never gets truly heart-breaking but they write plenty of simple and honest lines like “don’t let them closer to this secret, that I may love you” that make me smile.
At first, a lot of the lyrics may sound like nonsense but when you think about them, you can interpret them in so many ways and make them mean something that you can relate to. A good example (at least for me) is “lonely stands the butcher on the ground”. But even though the lyrics are worth a listen, Mando Diao are all about the music – focusing on magical guitar-riffs. If you have heard Mr Moon, you probably know what I mean.
Their two singers are a definite strength. With different voices and different personalities, Mando Diao deliver a much more varied material than most other bands of this 60s-inspired type of indie. Gustaf equals powerful and raw songs with a slightly bitter tone while my personal favorite, Björn, tends to give his songs a somewhat softer and more romantic touch. But one thing is certain, no matter who’s singing, they sure as hell have got Motown Blood in their veins.
Fav album: Bring 'em In
Fav songs: Sheepdog, Mr Moon, Sweet Ride, To China With Love, Jeanette

The Juliana Theory
Most of their songs are fairly simple and generic when it comes to the music, which is why I can’t understand why I like them so much? Is it the catchy yet deep and thoughtful lyrics, or is it because they should be just another band but somehow manages to do everything so much better than most other bands of the genre? Maybe it’s because it took me so long to really appreciate their music, even though the first song I heard, Piano Song, is supposed to be one of their best.
Emotion is Dead] has been called a masterpiece, one of the best albums ever, and even though none of their albums have made a bigger impact on me, I can’t really disagree. Emotion is Dead isn’t just an album with the band’s best songs, they work so well together! So, naturally, after songs like Into the Dark, Don't Push Love Away and You Always Say Goodnight, Goodnight, Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat was a big letdown. I was disappointed to see that they had given in to the romanticising weapons-trend, just as so many other bands. But, at least they are capable of turning it into catchy songs instead of the never-ending whining that we all have heard countless times.
Fav album: Emotion is Dead
Fav songs: Into the Dark, Don't Push Love Away, Piano Song, Shotgun Serenade

Mae
I guess you could call them my latest obsession, or rather my latest addiction. I just can’t get enough, I never seem to grow tired of them - their songs have been stuck in my head for several months in a row now. The first song I heard was We're So Far Away, and it was love at first sight. Never before had I heard a song that described my life so well, so simple yet so true. “It’s so close but we’re so far away.”
When I got the album, the voice in the prologue told me that I was “now ready to experience The Everglow by Mae”. How wrong it was. I don’t think it’s possible to ever be ready to be as blown away and enchanted as I was. They must have put some special magic in their songs because their music fill me with a new kind of hope, a certainty that no matter how bad things might seem at the moment, it will be allright. There is something in the piano, something in the lyrics, something that I just can’t get enough of. Each song seems to me a lyrical masterpiece because they all have those beautiful lines that just get to me, like “it seems we’re better off breaking hearts”, “say anything but say what you mean”, “do care what you wish for, it may come true”, “so be here by my side and watch the stars, they’re ours”, “I think that we’ve got what it takes to get this heart start beating again”. There are countless examples.
Oh, and they are also very catchy and talented and I’m a sucker for the piano.
Fav album: The Everglow
Fav songs: We're So Far Away, Suspension, Breakdown, The Everglow, Anything

From First To Last
I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of screaming/growling/etc but I can’t help but to love Sonny’s voice. There’s something special about the way he’s singing yet screaming, and it works just as well in faster and “harder” songs like ...And We All Have A Hell as in the soft and beautiful Emily.
For a band like this, they have surprisingly few bad songs, which is why I wasn’t at all worried when they released their latest album. I was surprised to find it much less.. catchy than their previous releases and there was also a new tone in their music. It felt like they had thought “hey, what do our fans want to hear?” and figured they want to hear things like Waltz Moore. I might be spoiled, listening to Conor Oberst's honest voice all the time, but there is something about From First To Last that seems very fake. If you manage to look past that, they’re a damn good band with countless good songs.
Fav album: Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Bodycount
Fav songs: Failure By Designer Jeans, Emily, The One Armed Boxer Vs. The Flying Guillotine

Once again, to be continued.