Panic! at the Disco debuted in 2004, and since then, lead singer Brendon Urie has slowly but surely divested himself of bandmates, leaving him the sole remaining founder of the group’s original four. Panic! at the Disco currently acts more as a pen name for Urie, with the latest album, The Death of a Bachelor, being his first solo album.

As expected from the whimsical and energetic front-man, “Bachelor” is exceptionally interesting. Urie himself described the album as “a mix between Frank Sinatra and Queen” in an interview with alt. 98.7.  After briefly listening to it, I agreed, and I felt the marriage of these two genres could not be more beautiful.

I am a long-term fan of Panic! at the Disco’s music. The band’s creativity and style always drags me in while maintaining a catchy tune. Considering this album was produced almost solely by Urie, I was worried the album would crumble under its potential and generally not live up to the name, but after just a brief listening period, all my doubts were dispelled.

Right off the bat with the first track on the album, “Victorious,” I was met with an energetic, exciting, easy-to-dance-to vibe. The clever lyrics painted a perplexing picture of what it is like to be truly “Victorious.”

The album varies from song to song in style, speed and energy. It is a musical jambalaya of Sinatra-esque vocals atop a modernized, digital beat with the incorporation of a big brass band in the background of almost every song. Urie often talks about Sinatra and the influence he had on Urie’s music, and his love of Sinatra is most clearly present in songs like “The Death of a Bachelor,” “Impossible Year” and “House of Memories.”

These jazzy undertones are most present in the title track itself, “Death of a Bachelor.” In this song, Urie describes the loneliness he experienced as the years have passed, and alludes to how his original band has slowly left him alone. At the same time, he largely incorporates his lounge lizard-like crooning style voice most popularized by Sinatra throughout the 50s and 60s.

The album is chock-full of cultural, lyrical and musical references paying respects to many of the older artists, actors and public figures popular throughout the 20th century, including shout outs to members of The Beach Boys, the lyrical use of a hairstyle popularized by actress Farrah Fawcett, and even a musical sampling of “Rock Lobster,” a song popularized in 1979 by The B-52s.

The entire album shares much in common with the band’s previous albums, but varies largely in its style and lyrics. “Death of a Bachelor” is completely different from any of the band’s previous work in the sense it has a more raw and honest sound, and harbors enough of the same powerful, energetic music with clever lyrics to satisfy Panic! at the Disco fans.

The album is well put together and unique to say the least, and although the original Panic! at the Disco is no more, there is a sense of nostalgia present Panic! at the Disco fans will appreciate. The album is well worth the money and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play Music or as a CD for $9.99. I am looking forward to finding out what else there is in store for Panic! at the Disco and the fans, and while Urie may consider this album to be “the end of an era,” it seems to be a new beginning as well.