The Singles Jukebox

Vengeance is what we took on these poor fools.

[Video]
[4.12]

Katie Gill: It says a lot about the state of P!atD that I spent the whole song going ‘this reminds me of a much better song, what the fuck IS it.’ The band itself has gone through so many different styles and so many different shades of Hot Topic chic that if you scroll down to the comments, you will inevitably see someone say “ah yes, this reminds me entirely of Album That Is Obviously My Fave.” But I can’t see this attracting anybody who’s new to the group. We’ve got brattier emo out there, more rocking rock, and more solid alternative pop. This a song from a band that has cultivated it’s fanbase and is perfectly fine coasting for just a little bit longer.
[5]

Al Varela: As a staunch defender of Panic’s “Brendon Urie Solo Project Era” (mostly), I was pretty much set to love this song from the beginning. I’m relieved to see that instead of trying to remake the unexpected success of “High Hopes”, Urie went back to making the Vegas-core chaos that worked so well on “Death of a Bachelor”. A sticky guitar riff, a choir of backing vocalists, and a feverish rush in the percussion come together to soundtrack Urie’s descent back into debauchery and overindulgence, try as he might to escape the never-ending cycle. Urie, of course, delivers in his manic performance as the song builds and builds into a more chaotic spiral of nightmares, and though the excitement in this song is a thrill, the danger is just as pronounced swallowing Urie whole. It’s SUCH a fun song! Can’t say it’ll work for you if you don’t like anything Panic has made since “Pretty, Odd”, but I adore it.
[9]

Aaron Bergstrom: Okay, honestly: How was this not already the title of a Panic! at the Disco song? Part of me hoped “Viva Las Vengeance” would be embarrassingly bad since we’re all working through so much “High Hopes” and “ME!”-related trauma, and the chance to collectively roast a terrible new single would have been cathartic, but alas, it’s just resolutely underwhelming.
[4]

Edward Okulicz: I’m sorry, my notes just say “Hot Hot Heat if they were produced by Jeff Lynne, only terrible” and that’s all you’re getting.
[0]

Thomas Inskeep: The “groovy” ’60s pop-isms of this record make my teeth itch, and Brendon Urie’s vocals, which hit “shrill” more than once, sound like he’s auditioning for a musical version of The Assassination of Gianni Versace. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss when PATD was emo.
[3]

Oliver Maier: I will take anyone else trying to be Elvis Costello, thanks. Can someone just give this idiot a Broadway role already so that he can leave us alone.
[2]

Nortey Dowuona: The song was fine enough but there was really no need for it anymore. And the song currently plays in a loop in Brandon’s head so how better to hate on him by plugging in a much better band? Besides, this is you daily reminder that Pete Wentz is in fact black.
[5]

Alfred Soto: Too shrill for power pop, too thin for Broadway, Brandon Urie is twice fucked. “Viva Las Vengeance” flirts with the insufferable, but the piano solo and the hysterically mixed bass sand down Urie’s pyrotechnics.
[5]