Miss Jackson

       I did not even bother listening to the sample before buying this song. That's the wonder of putting on a great show; you will forever have me hooked. I've only seen some fifty shows live, but Panic! still beats them all. Inexplicably, Brendon Urie's stage presence and theatrical tendencies beat Isaac Slade climbing up that light pole, talking to Franti, and getting pictures with Lady Danville. Also, I'm kind of glad that I didn't get to meet Urie; he was my celebrity crush for pretty much the entire time I was in high school (I blame it on the fact that he looks a little like the tenth doctor, except better because he's not British) and I am positive I would have said something that would make me want to hit my head against a wall (like meeting the guitarist from Making Faces except for twenty times worse).

       While I don't think the newest single has the best lyrics (that would be "Oh Glory" or "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" or basically any song from Vices & Virtues) or is the best collaboration (that's most definitely "C'mon" which was indescribably amazing live and ruined me for all future on stage collabos, including this one), or that it even shows off the best of the bands talent (as it seems suspiciously reminiscent of Fall Out Boy's most recent hit [the two bands are touring together again and it only makes sense that their music would mirror one another's]), but it does show off the band's everlasting ability to create an easy hit with a great beat, awesome lyrics, gorgeous melodies, and more than perfect hooks as they continue to let their sound grow and evolve (they effortlessly change their sound from one album to the next, and it always turns out great).

       I wrote my final term paper for one of my musicology courses on this band so I could talk about them forever, but I need to stanch the flow of enthusiasm and just point out that Panic! is awesome, always. They came to fame at a ridiculously quick pace without skipping a beat and have yet to put out a bad album; I can't wait to hear the sound they've created for their fourth album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, out October 8.

       "Miss Jackson" Panic! At the Disco featuring Lolo

- E