The Singles Jukebox

No Beebos were harmed in the making of this blurb.

[Video]
[4.71]

Claire Biddles: Maybe it’s because I’ve been obsessing over the latest season of American Crime Story, but I’ve been working on a theory that Panic! at the Disco is the Ryan Murphy-verse of pop: slick and sexy, with its violence and dirt shrouded in gloss, hitting the same four or five narrative beats in slightly changed-up costumes every time — all starring an extremely handsome straight boy with perfect hair, playing just camp enough to titillate the boys and the girls and everyone else. The formula is polished to within an inch of its life, but if you love it already then that doesn’t matter — you’re weak for every new iteration. I love it already, and when Brendon Urie begs “Mama can I get another amen?” I know it’s empty cultural calories but I’m still going to eat it up and lick my plate clean.
[8]

Micha Cavaseno: Antics. Sensationalism. Vibrant melodrama. Vibrato. No notes! Just vibrato and melisma and histrionics to the point of hernia. Urie remains one of the least charming singers of all time, but utterly satisfied with his helium-engorged prancing. Any real joy burst out of this band in a foul sputter a long time ago, yet still it endures.
[2]

Katherine St Asaph: Let’s see what’s bubbling up here: “Dream On”; Kanye West but mostly “Power,” country music but mostly just the titles, I’d say Fall Out Boy if doing so wouldn’t murder my inbox, “Potential Breakup Song” improbably. This all adds up to a certain something I can’t take seriously.
[4]

Julian Axelrod: On one hand, Urie’s crafted a more effective sports arena anthem than his contemporaries Fall Out Boy. The chopped-up vocals, cavernous drums, and marching band horns are more Monday Night Football than Saturday Night Fever, but hey, I can’t begrudge a band for chasing that sweet syndication money. On the other hand, if fucking “Young And Menace” is the new benchmark for jock jams, we’ve gotta raise our standards.
[4]

Stephen Eisermann: Brendon Urie’s attempt to reconcile his Mormon past with his musical output makes for an interesting premise, sure, but the song doesn’t make enough sense for it to really work.
[6]

Alex Clifton: “Say Amen” is more of the same from Panic! at the Disco–thrilling, theatrical, never quite comes together as much as I want it to–but something about Brendon Urie’s voice always sells me on his music. He’s got one of the most glorious voices in modern pop, with a huge range that’s deeply expressive and makes it all sound so damn easy.
[5]

Alfred Soto: It’s not as if we couldn’t listen to another band besides The 1975 doing histrionic post-post-post punk jive, and Panic! got there first. But “Say Amen” plays like wannabe Sia.
[4]