Panic! At The Disco’s latest single “LA Devotee” is—if you didn’t guess—an upbeat homage to the city of Los Angeles. The track is the fourth single to be released from their upcoming album Death of a Bachelor, following “Hallelujah”, “Victorious”, and “Emperor’s New Clothes.” Panic! At The Disco’s fifth album is due for release on January 15, 2016.
Alike to “Vegas Lights” from their previous record Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, “LA Devotee” is vocalist Brendon Urie’s tribute to a city he clearly knows inside and out. “The black magic on Mulholland Drive / Swimming pools under desert skies / Drinking white wine in the blushing light / Just another LA devotee” sings Urie in a characteristically addictive chorus. The track is an example of Panic! At The Disco glancing back at their past, but it’s far from the only one: all four Death of a Bachelor singles could easily have fallen straight from their 2011 release Vices & Virtues.
It might be that Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! was just a blip in Panic! At The Disco’s techno-coloured, theatrical career, but it’s definitely a relief to see Urie’s music return to the place that gave us “The Ballad of Mona Lisa.” It seems the band has decided to drop the synth-heavy and electronic vibe they adopted with their last album, and focus on the baroque, high-energy sound they know they do well.
Death of a Bachelor has seen Panic! produce some insane singles, but their latest release is arguably the best of the bunch. “LA Devotee” has that classic Panic! At The Disco feel to it: a polished, loud, feel good alternative rock belter.
The track is driven by a quick drum beat, layered vocals, and a healthy dose of brass. Of course, it wouldn’t be Panic! At The Disco without some electronic vibes, but these are nowhere near as heavy as we saw from their 2013 release.