I can sum up this album in one word: irresistible. Every song seems formulated for maximum infectiousness and ability to worm its way into listeners' brains. Once the music has started, it can be hard to stop. Frontman and force behind the band, Brendon Urie, has said that this album sprung from a desire to figure out just what makes today's music tick, and the finesse of the finished product indicates that he has done so. He has taken what he has learned and expertly applied it. This album firmly cements Panic! At The Disco as a master of the art of the pop song.

Readers will probably know this latest record from the band best by its hit single, "High Hopes." The track was released in May 2018 and has been riding the airwaves ever since. This particular song has become the most popular from the album, but it is not the best one. Actually, it is mainly the non-single tracks that are the most captivating. "Old Fashioned" grabs the listener almost immediately with a gritty riff that returns throughout the song. Its bridge, with jazzy, syncopated harmonies, is fluid and refreshing on an album where several songs have no bridges. Another "underdog" number, "Roaring 20s," is probably the most intricate on the record. It uses constant lyrical juxtaposition to vividly express the narrator's confusion about his true status in life. The engaging imagery, coupled with bombastic, brassy instrumentation, is what makes the song stand out.

Unfortunately, not all songs here are so compelling. Even though it features expressive vocals that sound different from any others Urie has produced, "One of the Drunks" can feel stale and drab. This is a shame, as the song has a valuable lesson to impart. Similarly, "The Overpass" paints an intriguing picture but lacks originality. Any danceability present in the number vanishes when the incongruous, sloppy bridge arrives. Listeners are left standing on the dance floor scratching their heads, even when the peppy chorus returns.

These two tracks are, thankfully, the exception, not the rule. The rest of the effort is jam-packed with strong numbers like "Old Fashioned," "Roaring 20s," and others. But the album can still be a conflicting experience. On one hand, some lyrics can strike listeners as insincere and cliché, sometimes even hypocritical. The potential use of the expression "selling out" is understandable. However, many tracks explore meaningful and eclectic topics such as substance abuse, the true definition of success, and the way nostalgia warps the past. The truth is simply that different songs on the album will resonate with different people. It is possible that Panic! may still be figuring out exactly what they want to say. However listeners interpret the apparent contradictions, they are bound to find themselves shimmying in their seats to the brilliant beats. And there is nothing wrong with a little fun! As one track reminds music lovers everywhere, "Whatever they tell you, dancing's not a crime."