In the new music economy there is one rule: An audience that pays attention. As a parent I also believe that rule is imperative, we should pay attention to who and what our children pay attention to. Several months ago I became aware that my daughter had become a big fan of Panic! At The Disco I must admit that at the time I was not too familiar with the music or the history of the band etc., That would all change as I had now become interested in what my child was interested in.
Then yesterday happened. My daughter could not wait to share a link to the latest release “Death of a Bachelor” which is the lead single for the new album from Panic! At The Disco which is set to be released in October. Yesterday when I clicked on the link to “Death of a Bachelor” I played the song several times in a row because it’s just that good. We receive a lot of music here at GFM. A lot of the music we receive has the accompanying press releases that are full of a lot of hype. Some of these tracks make it here to this page and a lot don’t. My point being is that I’m posting “Death of a Bachelor” based on an experience, based on a recommendation(a sharing if you will)with a more than trusted source… someone whom I dearly love and with that love and trust I pressed play. What happened next???
I shared this track with my GFM Fam and yep you guessed it… the same reaction. Why??? Again, because it’s that good. Brendon Urie is a helluva songwriter and for me that’s what it boils down to: How good is the underlying song? I like tools and production, bells, whistles the whole nine but when the terra firma(the song) is not up to par none of that matters. But “Death of a Bachelor” comes with the total package in my estimation. As someone mentioned this song is at the intersection of Sinatra, Beyonce, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Electronic and some Soul thrown in for good measure.
Horns? Did someone say horns? Yes they’re in there like Prego. I even heard my beloved Bari Sax peek out in a few places and it was great to hear a horn soli section over the chorus changes before the song wraps up. No time is wasted getting down to business as the song opens right up with the verse and we are treated to a nice build up in the pre-chorus before it’s hook, line and sinker on the chorus. This is the music I and many like myself look for: thoughtful, melodic, progressive and well-crafted you know, how music should be?
What we do here at Grown Folks Music is look for ways that we can #BridgeTheGap musically and my daughter was able to do that for me. So before you tell your little ones to turn off that racket, make sure you listen to it for yourself first, there may be a gem or two or three that you like and what better way to #BridgeTheGap then by finding some common ground and conversation over some great music!
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
