Panic at the Disco on Rock Revival II ? Who Would Have Thought ! One of the Best Albums of 2008 So Far ?

Well, I have now finished lisrening to Panic at the Disco's new album, Pretty.Odd, in full, and I have to say it's a massive surprise.

No sign of emo, so sign of that whining american accent (except on the one radio track "Nine in the Afternoon)

The rest (and I cant believe this is true) is pure magic; sophisticated pop psychedelia ala Beatles, abit of the Kinks and Brian Wilson (even the Smiths at one point)

As NME put it: "a new direction that owed more to the eccentric English psychedelic rock of the ’60s than turn-of the-century, kohl-rimmed rebellion. Who would have thought that the War On Emo would eventually be won by Sgt Pepper?"

and

"Pretty. Odd.’ is a victory for artistic ambition over cynical careerism, and we should all rejoice in their decision to follow their instincts as opposed to their instructions and actually do something different."

At the end of this year it's going to be tough to decide the best new album of 2008, given there have already been some great albums:

Mars Volta, Vampire Weekend, Tokyo Police Club, Ayreon, Airbourne, Black Crowes,
The Kooks..................................................................................................................................