Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!
| Panic! at the Disco
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is the fourth studio album by American rock band Panic! at the Disco. The album was released on October 8, 2013 on Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. Recorded as a three-piece, the album was produced by Butch Walker, and is the first album to feature bassist Dallon Weekes since he officially joined the band in 2010 (though he would return to his original role of touring bassist in 2015).-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Rolling Stone
Brendon Urie sings about endless bed-hopping (faux-rap "Miss Jackson"), troubled love (disco dirge "Girl That You Love") and joyless smoking ("Nicotine") to catchy synth-rock nuggets adorned with drah-mah-tic flourishes.
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sputnik music
This album is trying to escape the toxic culture of Las Vegas and what it does to relationships. This Panic's most personal, most human album yet, even though it is their most synthetic.
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The Washington Post
Panic! at the Disco certainly shows some of its pop songwriting chops, but ultimately the album suffers the same problem as its inspiring city: too much shimmer and not enough substance.
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ALTPRESS
After three albums, disparate directions and more lineup changes than the cabinet of a Republican presidency, Panic! At The Disco have completely hung up their steampunk wardrobes to deliver one of the year’s finest modern-pop works.
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Newsday
However, the band's fourth album, "Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die" (Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen), solidifies that standing, as Brendon Urie and friends take elements of '80s synth-pop, '90s indie-rock and emo from the Aughts to build a sound that is both comfortably familiar and uniquely theirs.
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THE YOUNG FOLKS
Overall, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! starts out strong, holds through the middle, and kind of drifts at the end. However, all of the pieces seem like they connect to create a whole, cohesive album heavy on the synth and ominous themes.
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UNDER THE GUN
With their latest release, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!, the Las Vegas group has once again revamped their sound, this time opting for synth-laden, radio-ready pop rock that feels right at home in the Top 40.
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ALL MUSIC
. . .Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! paints an exciting picture of Panic! At the Disco's genre-bending career trajectory to come.
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GIGWISE
Taking strong influences from 80s music and Las Vegas, the town where the band spent most of their teen years, Panic's latest offering is most definitely one to enjoy turned up loud with plenty of room to dance.
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POP MATTERS
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is cold and computerized, celebrating an aesthetic that proudly values overbearing, repetitious style over creative substance and varied timbres.
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RED DIRT REPORT
The band Panic! at the Disco has offered up a new testament to save their subgenre, popcore - a sound comprising infectious rhythms and pop voice qualities that speak to angsty teens looking for a poetic escape from standard raps and screams.
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brent music reviews
Panic’s latest effort packs a sizable punch despite its brevity
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The New Fury
Overall, this album is solid. Panic! still delivers after almost 10 years in the industry, even though their playing style is different in almost every album they release.
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American Songwriter
Teeming with melodic hooks and reflective lyrics, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is both hypnotic (the lingering closer “The End of All Things”) and beguiling (Far Too Young to Die” and second single “This Is Gospel”).
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Emertainment MONTHLY
This is everything a Panic! fan dreams of, a culmination of all of their sounds into one glorious ten-song masterpiece.
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THE SOUND OF VINYL
Simultaneously celebratory and cathartic, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die is Panic! At the Disco at their distinctive best -personal, potent, and utterly irresistible.
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DIY Magazine
This is the sound of a band who have re-discovered the party (the good bits, the bad bits, the seedy bits) and the result is that ‘Too Weird…’ is an album that pops and fizzes with excitement, vim and intent.
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IOWA STATE DAILY
Even though most of the album was a disappointment, it was nice to hear it at least begin and end strongly.
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Awards Watch
A lot of Too Weird to Live, Too Rare To Die! comes off as fairly unoriginal – it wears its inspirations on its sleeve, and while it’s certainly not terrible or unpleasant to listen to, it’s not particularly innovative or ear-catching, either
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Time Out London
The lyrics are punchy and anthemic and, aside from some more sober moments – like the simmering Depeche Mode-esque title track and the mournful piano ballad closer ‘The End of Things’ – the album struts along with four-on-the-floor verve. It all makes for an unlikely pop gem.
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GOD IS IN THE TV
Lots of pretty pretty songs, with more of a jolt than a thump to them and you find yourself listening to a boy band I’m afraid. Sad to say, Bummer Album of the Week.
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Mount Messenger
In full, the album does not cease to impress. From the opening song, the listener is taken on a melodic expedition through narrative and emotion.
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GoldenPlec
‘Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die’ depicts a band in transit from the past to envisioned future. They have neither managed to shake off the spectre of the past or fully embrace change but, they are heading in the right direction.
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34TH STREET
The exclamation mark may be back, but Panic! at the Disco isn’t nearly as exciting as usual on its fourth album “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!”
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MIND EQUALS BLOWN
At the end of the day, Panic! at the Disco’s unique style has been tarnished and this album is just not memorable.
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The Horizon
While this album does not supply nearly as many good sing-a-long songs as “Vices and Virtues,” it is still a good album to drive to.
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IDOBI
This record isn’t terrible or unlistenable, just disappointing.
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The Verbal Thing
At any rate, this album is really, really good.
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Student Life
“Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!” might be Panic! At The Disco’s most sincere album to date, but unfortunately, fans of the band’s previous records might have a hard time getting behind its darker, more retro sound
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Nouse
‘Too Weird’ is reminiscent of ‘Virtues and Vices’. However, the album proffers a much lighter tone. This is the return of the Panic we knew from their beginnings: songs with serious lyrics, but on top of music which just wants to make you and get up and dance.
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Arena
If you like their current version of Panic! at the Disco, or have enjoyed any of their previous musical escapades, check out Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! The band is growing in some really interesting directions, and all of them are worth hearing.
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The Concordian
Panic! At The Disco (P!ATD) did it again. They’ve made another great album. They’ve transformed their fourth album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die, into a fantastic modern-pop album that actually sounds good.
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The Red & Black
Panic! At The Disco looks to recreate old sound in 'Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die'.
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Redbrick
While it doesn’t appear to be the strongest album to date, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die may just require some adjustment time to grow accustomed to this new sounding Panic! at the Disco.
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MEDIA MIKES
I would say if you haven’t been big on this band or are just finding this, this album is definitely worth taking a look at.
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ROCK ON PHILLY
The variety of styles incorporated into this album is a great compilation of the out-of-the-box rock and roll style that Panic! has built on in less than a decade and Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is definitely worth recognition.
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FAITH IN LOVE AND MUSIC
What surprised me about this album was that it was completely rounded and solid.
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Love is Pop
All of the songs on Panic!’s debut were under four minutes long and that is also the case here, which simply means that these tunes are all fine, polished jewels that waste no time getting where they’re going, which should be directly into your ears, where they’re sure to linger in the most pleasant fashion for a long, long time.
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SOUNDSCAPE
Overall the album probably won’t top many lists towards the end of the year, but it will probably stand the test of time.
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LIVICATION MEDIA
Overall this a nearly flawless album for Panic. The only complaint I have is that it is a very short.
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RENOWNED FOR SOUND
The album is full of perky tunes perfect for the dance floor or just when you need a lift. Incorporating 80’s style synth and auto tuning to their theatrical pop-punk-rock style, it is an enthusiastic record which will fit right in any fan’s collection.
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ALTER THE PRESS
Panic! have done well here to produce such a multi-faceted offering, but at times, the individual clusters of each genre represented, can, upon first listening, appear a little samey
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ENTERTAINMENT TIMES
This is an album that experiments with the lesser-identified dark dance pop genre, which takes a while to sink your teeth into but will leave you fresher.
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MELODIC NET
Even if Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! might not be as good as its predecessor Vice & Virtues, which is a minor masterpiece, it’s still a very cool album.
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A Lot Like Dreaming
Honestly, I grew up with this band and I have been listening to them ever since their music video for I Write Sings, Not Tragedies came out so believe me when I say that I am extremely disappointed with this. Extremely disappointed.
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EVIGSHED MAG
All in All, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die is as impressive than ever and still original.
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INTO THE CROWD MAGAZINE
Despite minor technicalities, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! is still infectious and energetic enough to take to the airwaves and feature on road trip mixed CDs and high school dance playlists everywhere.
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bury me in rock and roll
Each song has it’s own flavor, but they’re all equally drenched in that modern 80’s synth. But while each album is completely different from the last, they’re all quintessentially Panic!
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SPECTRUM PULSE
So, in the end, I definitely do recommend Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! by Panic! At The Disco. If you're looking for a fun, modern, raucous dance record and don't care about the lyrics, you're going to love the high-energy bombast and great hooks, particularly of the second half of this album (starting with 'Nicotine' and pretty much for the next four songs).
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The CD Critic
I find in this reviewer’s opinion that although Panic! At The Disco have managed to achieve something that is at least new for them, it hasn’t come across in a genuine way, and with that, it seems rather weak of the band.
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ALTWiRE
The album is of course not perfect, and some problems do exist along the way (most notably the mixing being an issue on some of the later and busier tracks), but they are only minor imperfections in an otherwise decent record that won’t disappoint longtime fans of the band
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