Panic! At The Disco - The Ballad Of Mona Lisa (Single Review)
Monday, 14 February 2011
Written by Sophie Monk
Panic! at the disco are back! Well, two of them are anyway. But that didn't stop the two remaining members, Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith, from creating yet another power rock masterpiece; which is bound to become an instant favourite of all panic fans around the world.
Now whether you're a die hard 'loved them since I write sins' fan, or a panic virgin who just luckily happened to stumble upon this song... there is no denying that this is one very catchy, very well written comeback track.
Although the bands second album 'Pretty. Odd' managed to receive mostly positive feedback way back in 2008, there was a sense of dissapointment from fans who were expecting another dose of the dark, electro-loving emo's they knew and loved. After the release of 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out', way, way back in 2005, fans thought that the band would never lose their quirky style and deeply personal songs; but, 'Pretty. Odd' brought something completely different, which a lot of fans simply thought was... pretty odd. This album was more of a chance for the band to show how far their talents could stretch, and to show the critics that they weren't just a bunch of circus loving, eyeliner wearing kids. A good, fun, upbeat album, but it seemed as if the band had grown up too soon; leaving behind the spark which had made them so famous and so loved in the first place.
And then came the real bombshell. The Beatle-sounding singer and song writer extraordinaire, Ryan Ross, was leaving the band, along with the bearded bassist, Jon Walker. I'm sure, upon hearing this news, I wasn't the only one who was almost convinced that the band were dead and gone.
That was until, 'The Ballad of Mona Lisa' or, 'Mona Lisa' for short, was released onto youtube. Finally, panic are back! And even better, they're back to their old, dark 'camisado' days. It must be said, 'Mona Lisa' is the catchiest thing since the likes of 'Barbara Striesand', or Rihanna's annoyingly catchy Ooh na na, 'What's My Name?' The intro uses the same sweet, jangly sounds as heard on 'I Write Sins, Not Tragedies' from the bands first album. This, combined with the very ghostly sounding middle 8 and flawlessly sung choruses makes, pretty much the best comeback track from an old band, who many teens, such as myself, grew up listening to.
Brendon Urie, lead singer and now lead song writer, was the genius behind this track. "On the surface it can seem like just the story of a drama between a guy and a girl..." (Like most bands now-a-days are only capable of writing about) "But it's really about what I've been going through, an inner-struggle within myself. It's all growing pains." Honest, meaningful and inspiring; it's good to have the old panic back.
"Give me a sign, I wanna believe". I'd like to believe that this track is a sign of what we should expect from the long awaited, new album, 'Vices & Virtues'. More soulful, upbeat, and just plain genius tunes.
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