As a preface, however, and to not seem like I'm stepping on toes, I thoroughly enjoyed both songs. My musical tastes jump from Tom Waits to Ben Folds to basically anything, so I'm not saying a single word against what I've heard today. All four of these men are incredibly different and gifted individuals who have truly found their callings and I will buy everything they put out. Music is more important than food or making my car run or new lenses or discount fabric, so thank you to the ones who can supply my fix. But ok.
"New Perspective" has some wonderfully layered guitar lines and a twinkly piano bit complete with poppy "woo-hoos" and a super catchy melody, I was sold pretty quickly. It nearly has a nineties pop sound, but it's cleaner and better produced, complete with some fabulous lyrics; Brendon somehow managing to sing "Can we fast forward to go down on me?" while still sounding completely sweet yet completely serious about it. It's almost a la, "Let's get these teen hearts beating faster," but more grown-up and straight forward.
There's a bit of a Jellyfish-esque build up and break and when the music drops you can appreciate just how talented a vocalist this band truly has. There's pieces about moving forward, new passions, and inching through beds that, if you know anything about the current situation, might prompt a raised eyebrow or smirk if you're that way inclined. He sings that he wants to be praised from a new perspective and how getting out now would be a good idea, both thoughts being highly applicable to what's been going on and far less cryptic than some of the lyrics Panic! fans have been used to in the past. The words sound like they're directed at the now-absent Mr. Ross, but who am I to judge? This is purely speculation since I, unfortunately, don't know any of these men. I'm sure any of them could set me straight.
On a different note, Spencer Smith is a seriously underrated drummer. He's complex without being overshadowing or unseemingly flashy and if you go back to the previous albums and actually pay attention, he's so beyond merely solid. Props. The song seems to be a nice blend between the first "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" album and the more recent "Pretty. Odd" while still managing to be something completely new. The chorus has been stuck in my head all day, I definitely recommend giving it a couple listens.
The Young Veins respond with "Change." Ryan has clearly gone back to roots he's too young to actually have and created something straight out of the sixties PopRockFolk era. I definitely don't mind, however, and have no room to talk since I'm the biggest Bowie fan you'll ever meet under the age of about fifty. The song has a pleasant, bouncy rhyme and I was totally sold at the hand claps and tambourines. It's stripped-down without being sparse and complex enough that it's nothing to scoff at. The harmony lines are rather distinctly Beatlesy at times, but you can tell they've probably been listening to The Kinks, The Move, The Monkees, and maybe a dash of Harry Nilsson. And The Small Faces. A lot. If Ryan decided to adopt a British accent, I think it'd fit in just fine.
The song opens with a "Hard Day's Night" kind of hit before the lead in really starts, but there's no complaints here. The guitar tone has a nice vintage crunch on it and while Ryan has a very solid couple of solo measures, Jon's written a nice bass line that stands out enough to be really appreciated - there's a chromatic walkdown in there that you can feel in your chest, it's pretty wicked. The new lead singer avows that "some people never change, they just stay the same way" and I'd be lying if I said I thought this wasn't directed back at his old bandmates sliding into their harder sound as opposed to continuing to trip down the hippie path he helped pave in "Pretty. Odd." The end cries of "Change, change, change" might not have you jumping up and down or pumping your fist, but they'll definitely have you hitting your steering wheel or cafe table for emphasis.
Musically, there's not a whole lot alike about these songs. Both are by musicians I admire, both have quite good production, and both will have you singing along, and that's about the extent of it. Both lyricists are saying they want what's new and times are a-changing, but that'll never be a new idea or a too tired thought. I don't know what the guys are gonna pull out next, but suffice it to say that I'll be investing in both albums. Good work on both ends, teams!
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