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 Not as good as the first but not by much Nov 03, 2009
I thought this was a really good album. It does sound alot like the Beatles for some songs but what's wrong with that?
I love retro-rock music and this was an awesome break from the normal, made for radio rock.
Worth the buy.
 Pretty Odd 5 stars Amazing! Sep 18, 2009
When i first heard "Nine in the afternoon" i loved it. Then a fan of both panic and the beatles recomened i buy the album. i was hesitant at first but after listening to the album i became an instant fan. The songs are genious, catchy and very easy to sing along with. I love this band with such a great name. Sonically the album is nearly perfect. As both a fan of Panic at the disco and the beatles i highly recommend you give the album a good listening to before bashing the band about ripping off Stg peppers. The band members clearly state that the beatles are a major influence and it shows but they did NOT rip off sgt peppers. Great 5 star album!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Something you don't hear anymore Sep 08, 2009
Panic at the Disco's Pretty. Odd. was what validated the band for me. While Panic's previous album, their debut A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, alluded to some actual talent and skill in terms of interesting and profound lyrics and musical compositions, their musical ability has been proven by ditching Fever's techno vibes, Palahniukian themes, and angst-driven lyrics, and replacing them with baroque Beatle's homage of brass and string that encompasses the wider range of musical excursions in Pretty. Odd.
The much more sophisticated album has proven Panic at the Disco to be, as my dad says, `music you don't hear anymore'. Which I take to mean good music. Showcasing their musical range with songs that could fit into a myriad of different genre's including Pas De Cheval's edgier rock feel, to the nearly bluegrass Folkin' Around, Panic! showcases an abundance of ability to draw inspiration from and create fun, original songs.
The album starts off with We're So Starving, a brief minute-long song that the band felt to be a fun way to say, quote; `we're so sorry we've been gone.' Referring to the two year gap between A Fever and Pretty. Odd. It's a short, catchy little number that eases you into the more upbeat vibe.
Following We're So Starving is their first single, the hit Nine In The Afternoon. Singer Brendon Urie's vocals are, as always, impressively smooth in this 60's inspired ode to psychedelics. With a catchy chorus, and interesting melody of horns, strings, and piano, it's no wonder why Nine In The Afternoon was such a hit.
The third song is a personal favorite of mine, She's A Handsome Woman. In what I think is some of guitarist/lyricist's Ryan Ross' best work, a non-sequiturs and very poetic song littered with wonderful imagery tells of `sheepish wolves', `beat-back bones', and `jealous orchard's. The song is accentuated with a very sensual drum beat, and addictive guitar riff.
Do You Know What I'm Seeing? is the Pretty. Odd.'s fourth song, and one of the more `Odd.' songs of the album. Written by bassist Jon Walker and front man Brendon Urie, the lyrics noticeably lack the articulate touch of Ross' writing, but the song doesn't suffer much because of it. Swaying you in with a slow and slightly skewed string intro, the ambivalent theme of the simplistic lyrics fits perfectly with the slow, simple, and slightly-off ballad.
That Green Gentleman [Things Have Changed.] was the second single off the album, and a very popular one at that. An upbeat, very lively song represents an overall theme of the album, singing of coming to terms with change. It's sung in a lyrically intricate way, Urie's vocals perfectly accenting Ross' amusing lyrics. The easy and unpretentious song is definitely one you'll find yourself bobbing your head too, and in fair time singing along to once you hear the very first note.
I Have Friends In Holy Spaces is definitely one of the less serious of the album. One of the few songs written by Brendon Urie, the lyrics are boring and repetitive. The saving grace is that the song is only a minute long, and the music behind the lyrics is very retro-themed, giving the song an overall `good' feeling to it. Brief and fun, Panic has even referred to it as just `a little ditty'.
Northern Downpour, a sweet, gentle, `intimate' song is a beautifully written piece of poetic genius. The bass is particularly powerful in this song that proves to be a complete one-eighty from A Fever. The lyrics graciously flow in this light and easy song, and less pretentiously than their previous album`s showy, over the top elements of teenage angst and self-centeredness. Memorable lines including `then we should feed our jewelry to the sea, for diamonds do appear to be just like broken glass to me.', and `I know the world's a broken bone, but melt your headaches call it home.'.
When The Day Met The Night is a song you won't soon forget. Beginning with a powerful string intro, you're taken into a delightful piece with an amazing orchestral and brass composition. The lyrics are less profound and more of a `fun' nature, and fittingly so. One of the few love songs Panic has done, it's truly one of the most beautiful.
The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know is a very mature piece of music. It begins with a flute intro that goes into a slow and attention-commanding stanza that breaks into a lively baroque rock riff. The lyrics are deep in a very amusing fashion, they're very witty and manage to drive a lot into a three-minute song. It really creates its own sound, a very different type of music structurally than you would expect from Panic at the Disco. It's interesting and refreshing.
Behind The Sea is a Beatles-esque acoustic song. For a rare occasion, Ryan Ross sings this one. Chock full of melodic imagery, the song offers a voice with a bit of a rawer sound than Urie's, giving the song a more personal touch. The percussion fuels this song that sings of marching drums behind the sea. The natural sound and thoughtful lyrics give the song a lot of personality.
Folkin' Around is another song written by Urie, and again, the lyrics don't hold much light in comparison to the rest of the songs on the album. However, it is again a very short and fun song. The sound completely adapts to the folk aspect, with a great fiddle and banjo. The song itself is ironic and intentionally exaggerated, and you can really feel a sense of pride and particular attachment in Urie's singing of it.
She Had The World is the thirteenth track of the album. The overwhelming sense of delicacy from the orchestra and whimsical sense from the harpsichord, sets up this romantic piece. An interesting assortment of Urie and Ross' respectively unique voices truly gives shape to the song. The bridge is a wonderful melody that has a tranquil mood to it.
From The Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins is another one of my personal favorites. The song has a very retro feel to it, as if you were playing a record. The beat is absolutely amazing in it's simplicity and in combination with the powerful horns and subservient strings, it's the perfect harmonious backdrop for Urie's spot-on vocals working Ross' lyrics, in which the imagery and theme are beautiful and not disappointing in the least. The song's bridge includes whistling, which adds a great deal of personality and charm. The song leaves you with a great feeling of being carefree.
Mad As Rabbits ends the album with a fun and quirky song. A fast paced song with a solid beat, Mad As Rabbits again combines the unique combination of Urie and Ross' voices. The lyrics are entertaining, quick and witty. The chorus is a melodic little piece that let's the horns carry it out into the more rhythmic verses. The very last line of the song says `We must reinvent love', a line famously attached to the band.
I give Panic at the Disco's Pretty. Odd. a 5/5 because it delivered on every promise of talent and thought that their first album hinted at. Pretty. Odd.'s musical diversity is a brilliant testament to Panic's growth as a band. It's mature, thoughtful, beautiful, unique and inspired. All in all, it's simply a very good album.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Panic! fans really like this? Really?? Aug 29, 2009
Panic! at the Disco ..turned Easy Listening? Can't say that I like it. The over-the-top energy in the first album is what made it great. Pretty.Odd is a very skillfully done album but its a big departure from Fever. Some people like when a band shows that sort of range but in this case Panic dropped the exclamation point and jumped into a genre that I don't care for. In effect, I just don't like the album. Its very drone and similar while being far too heavily influenced. On top of it all, most of this album is very forgettable (no distinction). While I can throw in 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' and get the whole car singing along and bouncing off the windows... if I played Pretty.Odd, the car would either be in a daze or asleep by the time the trip was over. Again, the reason I like(d) Panic! at the Disco is for the energy and wacky style that really worked well in their debut.
To each their own but I don't see how fans of the first album could be excited about Pretty.Odd. Panic's two releases are just such a departure that nothing but blind loyalty should put these two efforts in the same album collection. Well, unless said fan had an extremely broad range of musical taste. Guess thats not me.
Pretty. Amazing. Aug 24, 2009
when i first got this cd, i expected it to be the normal emo crap that all teens listen to(including me), but i discovered that none of the songs on here were close to that. i had already downloaded the whole album onto my ipod, so i decided that i might as well give the songs another listen. after listening to every song on the album until my ipod needed to be recharged, i began to adore these wonderful songs. they are just perfect for summertime. it reminds me sitting on a porch in the middle of summer in the early 1900's. it's simply that amazing. it became one of my all time favorite bands, and i've incorporated at least 1 Panic at The Disco song into my day, to put a little spring in my step. this album is good for all ages and occasions. my favorite songs from the album are: Nine in the Afternoon, Northern Downpour, When the Day Met the Night, She Had the World, and From a Mountain in the Middle of the Cabins. i think that everybody needs a little Panic!
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