Vices & Virtues
Encyclopedia
Vices & Virtues is the third studio album by American rock
band Panic! at the Disco
, released on March 22, 2011 on Fueled by Ramen
. Produced by John Feldmann
and Butch Walker
, the album marks the debut of the band's two-man lineup, featuring vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie
and drummer Spencer Smith, following the departure of primary lyricist and guitarist Ryan Ross
and bassist Jon Walker in July 2009.
While Walker and Ross' exit left a hole in the Panic! songwriting regime, the experience became the catalyst for Urie finding his own voice and the confidence to take over as the band's principal songsmith. The lyrics, billed as a "study in human behavior", touch on themes of manipulation and confusion. Vices & Virtues took over two years to create, and the increased time in the studio brought forth new musical experimentation.
Upon release, the album received generally mixed to positive reviews. Critics praised the album's wide variety of musical stylings, while citing compositional simplicity and Urie's verbose lyricism as detractors. Preceded by lead single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa
", the album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200
selling 56,000 copies within its first week.
the band had "nine or ten new songs going right now," which picked up in the same direction of Pretty. Odd. In August, the band once again announced they were writing again to MTV News
. "It was pretty much the same with the last record," bassist Jon Walker said. "We haven't stopped writing songs since we stopped recording Pretty. Odd.
, because we have a lot to write about [...] It's sounding 'pretty awesome,' which is probably what we're going to call the next record," Ross joked. "We've got quite a few new ideas and songs we've been working on, and we're hoping to record some of that stuff by the end of the year." The article explains that Walker said the band would be taking time off for the holidays and then re-entering the studio to record new music. In June 2009, singer Brendon Urie revealed the band had been writing for "roughly half a year now" at Ross' Topanga Canyon, California
home, and continued to take the band "further down the sun-dappled, retro-pop path [they] began exploring on Pretty. Odd.": "We've always been a pop band. We've always been fans of pop music, whether it's The Beatles
— which is, like, the beginning of pop music — we've always been fans of good catchy melodies and lighthearted music." Spencer Smith, drummer, added, "We moved to California since the last record, so that's inspiration. We started surfing, too, so maybe we'll get a little Beach Boys vibe on this one." During this time, Smith moved in with Urie, while Ross began writing his own material with Walker at his home.
On July 6, 2009, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker announced via the band's official website that the two were leaving the band. The statement, in part, read: "Ryan Ross and Jon Walker will be leaving Panic at the Disco to embark on a musical excursion of their own. Though the four of us have made music together in the past, we’ve creatively evolved in different directions which has compromised what each of us want to personally achieve. Over the years, we have remained close and honest with each other, which helped us to realize that our goals were different and that parting ways is truly what is best for each of us." In an interview following the split, Ross explained that he first brought the idea to Smith in late June 2009 over lunch: "Spencer and I had lunch and caught up for a while, and then the big question came up, like, 'Well, what do you want to do?' and I said, 'Well, I think it might be best if we kind of do our own thing for a while,' and he said, 'I'm glad you said that, because I was going to say the same thing,' " Ross recalled. "And there was really no argument, which is really the best way that could've worked out." Ross said the split was largely due to creative differences between him and Urie. Urie wanted the band to explore a more polished pop sound, while Ross — and, by extension, Walker — was interested in making retro-inspired rock.
The news asserted that both tour plans with Blink-182
in August 2009 and new album production "will continue as previously announced," and the announcement ended with the teaser for a "surprise" soon to come. The following day, Alternative Press broke the news that "New Perspective
", the first song recorded without Ross and Walker, would debut the following month on radio and as a part of the soundtrack to the film Jennifer's Body
. "New Perspective" was recorded in spring 2009, when the band had just moved out to Topanga. Smith explained the song was inspired by the band's new experiences when there: "We're living near the ocean and going surfing every day, which we've never done before. We tried to get that out in the song, I guess." The band reinserted the exclamation mark into its name a few days after the departure of Ross and Walker.
. "These songs are just Brendon and I having fun, because that's what we want to do," Smith told MTV News. Shortly after the departure of Ross and Walker, Smith revealed the band was recording: "We're working on an album now that, hopefully, takes the best parts from both of our records ... because we love them both and are really proud of them." While on the Blink-182 Reunion Tour
, Smith showed Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus
several demos for the album, in hopes that he would produce a song or two. Hoppus confirmed in August 2009 that he was committed to producing one "really strong" track on the record, as well as possible others if allowed. During this time, Urie told news outlets the band had "about 10 songs" ready to consider for the band's third album. In the beginning stages, a song featuring Rivers Cuomo
of Weezer
, whom Urie later described as "super nice," was set to appear on the new album, but the song is absent from the final track listing. The band initially planned to record the album in fall 2009, to be released the beginning of 2010.
However, recording did not begin until April 2010. Friend and Pretty. Odd. producer Rob Mathes
was "like family" to Smith and Urie, inspiring them to be excited to record despite the duo's nervousness in the beginning. He encouraged them to love the work they do, and "... Just get out of bed in the morning, don’t loathe the things that you actually love doing, because it’s just going to keep you down," for which Urie recalled the band "owed a lot" for. After working with the demos produced during the summer with Feldmann for several months afterward, the duo decided they weren't satisfactory, so the band started over with new material. The biggest difference for the band was that it was now half the previous band, with Urie and Smith writing everything. The album was produced by Feldmann and Butch Walker
. Urie recalled that they were initially nervous to experiment with new producers, but instead regarded Feldmann and Walker's input positively, regarding their help as "Hey, this is your record, I want to help you with your ideas. So you bring me the ideas, and we’ll help you do that. I don’t want to write anything for you, this is your record, it has to be your voice." The band continued working with Feldmann for four months in early 2010, later going to Walker to finalize and improve the songs.
On May 7, 2010, the band posted a batch of photos during recording sessions for Vices & Virtues. All guitars and bass for the album were completed by early July, and, by the end of the month, Urie confirmed that recording of the album was complete and mixing would follow soon. Near the end of the writing process, the band looked back upon the lyrics and noticed that "some of the motion was pining for something, or some of it was vanity, or some of it touched on subversion or overthrowing of somebody or manipulation." Urie likened it to the seven deadly sins
, and, after research, settled on the title Vices & Virtues. "In the Biblical sense, there's all that stuff and then there’s just morals that we live by every day and human behavior", Urie said. "I guess this record was really a study in human behavior—mostly for us personally what we had been going through, and noticing all of that."
to record synthesizer
on the record. The band got to work with French band The Plastiscines
, and a children's choir on the track "Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met...)".
A majority of the band's previous material was written by former guitarist Ryan Ross. For Vices & Virtues, Urie had "to step up and take the reins lyrically," which he regarded as having not much experience in prior. The biggest inspiration for lyricism was keeping busy and going out, instead of locking themselves in and writing. Urie has regarded the lyrics as very honest and straightforward, as well as very fantastical with elements of storytelling. Urie explained "We were so self-conscious about everything, hyper-aware of what we’re doing, that when we’re writing I go, “Okay, I don’t want this to be Barry Manilow
’s "Mandy
," but I want it to be as romantic and cute…’ There’s a lot of that fighting within yourself. But it ended up being great, and I’m glad that we were able to figure out what we wanted to write about." The lyrics also reflect the confusion after the departure of Ross and Walker. The sessions with Feldmann at his home studio led to experimentation with new sounds. "We really loved Paul Simon
and got into using marimbas and string instruments," explains Urie. "We ended up buying some synths and messing around with them. It was two kids in a candy store… and we listened to Arcade Fire's The Suburbs
on repeat for me for the past… well, since it came out [laughs]."
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa
" has been described by Alternative Press as "[having] the upbeat pop energy of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
, with the focus and clarity of Pretty. Odd." Urie has explained that he and Smith desired to achieve a sound that is more similar to the former: "We missed a couple things from our first record in terms of sonically, with these little instruments that we hadn’t really used on our second record. There [were] a lot of organic instruments and not a lot of electronics or synthesizers. So we wanted to get back to some of that." Smith agreed, and stated "I think there's stuff from the first album that we kind of got away from on the second record that people who were fans of the first one will enjoy." "The Calendar", originally written about an intimate relationship
between a male and a female, soon began to resemble the friendships in former members Ross and Walker; the song was finished as a direct response to their departure from the group. "Sarah Smiles" was written for Urie's girlfriend. "'Sarah Smiles" is about my girlfriend, actually, as sappy as that is," he told Spin in 2011. "When I met her I wrote this song to try and impress her. I was infatuated with her. I played it for her and we've been dating ever since. That was a huge step for me, personally."
The first single is "The Ballad of Mona Lisa
", released February 1, 2011. The music video for the single was released February 8, 2011 and entered heavy rotation across the MTV Networks
. The single received positive reviews, many noting the similarity in sound to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
The deluxe edition of the album includes the demo
"Oh Glory", which was initially released via the band's official website in July 2009 as a 30-second sample. Like Pretty. Odd., Vices & Virtues has been receiving heavy popularity through online music stores; by February 2011, the record was already up to the top five overall on the "Top Albums" chart. Promotion for Vices & Virtues included an appearance on Conan a week after the record's release on March 28, and Lopez Tonight
a week after that on April 4, 2011.
In promotion of the record, Smith and Urie filmed a short film to accompany the album, titled The Overture. Directed by Shane Drake, the film was released on March 9, 2011 and contains several musical snippets from the record. The nearly seven-minute mini-film, features Urie and Smith with a score of actors ranging from identical twins to a little people
couple. The film is filled with symbolism regarding the departure of Ross and Walker, and the process of moving on without them.
On Monday, March 14, 2011, the band began streaming the album in its entirety (with the exception of bonus tracks) from the official Panic! at the Disco Facebook page, along with an accompanying introductory video from Urie and Smith.
chart, with first-week sales of 56,000 copies in the United States. This is in stark contrast to the group's previous effort, Pretty. Odd., which debuted with underwhelming commercial attention in 2008 with first-week sales of 139,000. The album also came in at #2 on SoundScan
's Alternative Albums chart and #5 on the Digital Albums ranking.
called the record "one of 2011's best and most captivating albums," calling "Sarah Smiles" the "stand-out" and noting the wise change in tone to high-energy with the second track, "Let's Kill Tonight". Alternative Press also welcomed the new version of Panic! at the Disco. "Perhaps Smith and Urie's biggest success on Vices is their disinterest in simply recreating either of their previous albums, instead choosing to meld the youthful exuberance of their debut with the restraint and maturity of 2008's Pretty. Odd.," wrote critic Evan Lucy. "The duo sound absolutely recharged, likely a result of the lineup shuffling, but also perhaps a realization that the '70s were a nice place to visit for a couple years, but life in the 21st century is much more fun." He went on to praise the "Elfman
-esque string arrangements, creepy undertones and twinkling pianos" on several tracks and enjoy the "scaled-back," more personal tracks, such as "The Calendar" and "Memories". James Montgomery of MTV News
said of the album, "Vices is at its very core a studio album, one stuffed with ideas and instrumentation, which not only positions Panic! as perhaps this generation's Brian-Wilsons
-on-a-budget, but serves as a solid starting point for wherever Urie and Smith choose to go from here." He complimented the new sound of the band: "It's not exactly new, not exactly old, but it's definitely something. Call it a fresh start, a return to form, a re-imaging of the past, just don't call it Pretty. Odd. because that ship has sailed. Panic! are back to their old tricks, exclamation point and all ... and perhaps that was the secret ingredient all along."
Negative criticism for the album mostly came regarding the inexperienced lyrcism of Urie. William Goodman of Spin
criticized Urie's lyrics of the album ("the result is verbose and generic diary-entry romance") but praised the musical experimentation, remarking, "Vices & Virtuess saving grace, though, is the varied instrumentation — marimba
s, xylophone
s, accordion
, synths
, and digital atmospherics." Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone concurred with Goodman and also focused positive opinion upon the arrangements of the album, recommending "Nearly Witches" and calling the album "emo retropop", commenting, "It's the closest emo has come to the sound of old-school pop and rock, with Beach Boys harmonies and even gypsy-style swing flavoring the usual hopped-up confessions." Entertainment Weekly agreed with these sentiments, giving the album a B- and recommending "The Ballad of Mona-Lisa" and the "harmony-drenched" "Sarah Smiles".
, with Foxy Shazam
and Funeral Party
splitting duties as the third act on the bill.
The tour has sported the same electric, over-the-top theatricality the band was known for during the Fever era. "I really miss wearing costumes and makeup," Urie told Spin. "I love throwing a big production. I've recently been reading about Tesla coils and I'm trying to figure out how I can get one that sits on the stage and shoots sparks without hurting anybody."
, Spencer Smith
and John Feldmann
except where noted.
. It is also featured in three Diet Coke commercials in 2011.
Additional musicians
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, released on March 22, 2011 on Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
. Produced by John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
and Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
, the album marks the debut of the band's two-man lineup, featuring vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie
Brendon Urie
Brendon Boyd Urie is an American musician and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist and singer-songwriter of Panic! at the Disco. He also plays drums, bass guitar, accordion, organ, cello, violin, and trumpet.-Early life:...
and drummer Spencer Smith, following the departure of primary lyricist and guitarist Ryan Ross
Ryan Ross
George Ryan Ross III is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter most known for his work as the lead guitarist, backup vocalist and main songwriter for the band Panic! at the Disco, before his departure from the band in 2009...
and bassist Jon Walker in July 2009.
While Walker and Ross' exit left a hole in the Panic! songwriting regime, the experience became the catalyst for Urie finding his own voice and the confidence to take over as the band's principal songsmith. The lyrics, billed as a "study in human behavior", touch on themes of manipulation and confusion. Vices & Virtues took over two years to create, and the increased time in the studio brought forth new musical experimentation.
Upon release, the album received generally mixed to positive reviews. Critics praised the album's wide variety of musical stylings, while citing compositional simplicity and Urie's verbose lyricism as detractors. Preceded by lead single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa
The Ballad of Mona Lisa
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released February 1, 2011 as the first single from the group's third studio album, Vices & Virtues...
", the album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
selling 56,000 copies within its first week.
Background
Material for a follow-up to Pretty. Odd. dates back to at least April 2008, just one month after the release of the record. Former guitarist and primary songwriter Ryan Ross told NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
the band had "nine or ten new songs going right now," which picked up in the same direction of Pretty. Odd. In August, the band once again announced they were writing again to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
. "It was pretty much the same with the last record," bassist Jon Walker said. "We haven't stopped writing songs since we stopped recording Pretty. Odd.
Pretty. Odd.
Pretty. Odd. is the second studio album by the American rock band Panic! at the Disco. Recorded at the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas with additional production at Abbey Road Studios in London with producer Rob Mathes, the album was released March 21, 2008 on Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen Records...
, because we have a lot to write about [...] It's sounding 'pretty awesome,' which is probably what we're going to call the next record," Ross joked. "We've got quite a few new ideas and songs we've been working on, and we're hoping to record some of that stuff by the end of the year." The article explains that Walker said the band would be taking time off for the holidays and then re-entering the studio to record new music. In June 2009, singer Brendon Urie revealed the band had been writing for "roughly half a year now" at Ross' Topanga Canyon, California
Topanga, California
Topanga is a census-designated place in western Los Angeles County, California, USA. It is located in the Santa Monica Mountains. Occupying Topanga Canyon, it is often referred to by that name. Topanga is bounded on three sides by State Park or conservancy lands, and on the south by the Pacific...
home, and continued to take the band "further down the sun-dappled, retro-pop path [they] began exploring on Pretty. Odd.": "We've always been a pop band. We've always been fans of pop music, whether it's The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
— which is, like, the beginning of pop music — we've always been fans of good catchy melodies and lighthearted music." Spencer Smith, drummer, added, "We moved to California since the last record, so that's inspiration. We started surfing, too, so maybe we'll get a little Beach Boys vibe on this one." During this time, Smith moved in with Urie, while Ross began writing his own material with Walker at his home.
On July 6, 2009, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker announced via the band's official website that the two were leaving the band. The statement, in part, read: "Ryan Ross and Jon Walker will be leaving Panic at the Disco to embark on a musical excursion of their own. Though the four of us have made music together in the past, we’ve creatively evolved in different directions which has compromised what each of us want to personally achieve. Over the years, we have remained close and honest with each other, which helped us to realize that our goals were different and that parting ways is truly what is best for each of us." In an interview following the split, Ross explained that he first brought the idea to Smith in late June 2009 over lunch: "Spencer and I had lunch and caught up for a while, and then the big question came up, like, 'Well, what do you want to do?' and I said, 'Well, I think it might be best if we kind of do our own thing for a while,' and he said, 'I'm glad you said that, because I was going to say the same thing,' " Ross recalled. "And there was really no argument, which is really the best way that could've worked out." Ross said the split was largely due to creative differences between him and Urie. Urie wanted the band to explore a more polished pop sound, while Ross — and, by extension, Walker — was interested in making retro-inspired rock.
The news asserted that both tour plans with Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
in August 2009 and new album production "will continue as previously announced," and the announcement ended with the teaser for a "surprise" soon to come. The following day, Alternative Press broke the news that "New Perspective
New Perspective (song)
-Charts:...
", the first song recorded without Ross and Walker, would debut the following month on radio and as a part of the soundtrack to the film Jennifer's Body
Jennifer's Body
Jennifer's Body is a 2009 black comedy horror film written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama. The film stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, and Adam Brody. Fox portrays a newly-possessed teenage serial killer specializing in killing her male classmates as her best friend...
. "New Perspective" was recorded in spring 2009, when the band had just moved out to Topanga. Smith explained the song was inspired by the band's new experiences when there: "We're living near the ocean and going surfing every day, which we've never done before. We tried to get that out in the song, I guess." The band reinserted the exclamation mark into its name a few days after the departure of Ross and Walker.
Recording and production
The writing and recording process for Vices & Virtues took much longer than the band intended. The band was "very confused" after the split from Ross and Walker, desiring instead to go on tour instead to understand better. As evidenced above, "Oh Glory" and "New Perspective" were largely recorded during the summer of 2009 with producer John FeldmannJohn Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
. "These songs are just Brendon and I having fun, because that's what we want to do," Smith told MTV News. Shortly after the departure of Ross and Walker, Smith revealed the band was recording: "We're working on an album now that, hopefully, takes the best parts from both of our records ... because we love them both and are really proud of them." While on the Blink-182 Reunion Tour
Blink-182 Reunion Tour
Blink-182 in Concert was the tenth concert tour by American pop punk band Blink-182. It is the band's first tour since their hiatus in 2004. Bandmember Mark Hoppus jokingly referred to the tour as One Way Ticket to Boneville, a name they got from a fan on a KROQ interview...
, Smith showed Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus
Mark Hoppus
Mark Allan Hoppus is an American musician, record producer, and television host. He is the bass guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists of the pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of the alternative rock band +44. He is a co-founder of both bands...
several demos for the album, in hopes that he would produce a song or two. Hoppus confirmed in August 2009 that he was committed to producing one "really strong" track on the record, as well as possible others if allowed. During this time, Urie told news outlets the band had "about 10 songs" ready to consider for the band's third album. In the beginning stages, a song featuring Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of the alternative rock band Weezer. Raised in an Ashram in Connecticut, Cuomo moved to Los Angeles at age 19, where he participated in a number of rock bands before founding Weezer in 1992...
of Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, whom Urie later described as "super nice," was set to appear on the new album, but the song is absent from the final track listing. The band initially planned to record the album in fall 2009, to be released the beginning of 2010.
However, recording did not begin until April 2010. Friend and Pretty. Odd. producer Rob Mathes
Rob Mathes
Rob Mathes is an American record producer, music arranger, composer, songwriter, and performer. He also writes bluesy spiritual-pop music.-Background:Born in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, Mathes showed interest and skill in music at a very early age...
was "like family" to Smith and Urie, inspiring them to be excited to record despite the duo's nervousness in the beginning. He encouraged them to love the work they do, and "... Just get out of bed in the morning, don’t loathe the things that you actually love doing, because it’s just going to keep you down," for which Urie recalled the band "owed a lot" for. After working with the demos produced during the summer with Feldmann for several months afterward, the duo decided they weren't satisfactory, so the band started over with new material. The biggest difference for the band was that it was now half the previous band, with Urie and Smith writing everything. The album was produced by Feldmann and Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
. Urie recalled that they were initially nervous to experiment with new producers, but instead regarded Feldmann and Walker's input positively, regarding their help as "Hey, this is your record, I want to help you with your ideas. So you bring me the ideas, and we’ll help you do that. I don’t want to write anything for you, this is your record, it has to be your voice." The band continued working with Feldmann for four months in early 2010, later going to Walker to finalize and improve the songs.
On May 7, 2010, the band posted a batch of photos during recording sessions for Vices & Virtues. All guitars and bass for the album were completed by early July, and, by the end of the month, Urie confirmed that recording of the album was complete and mixing would follow soon. Near the end of the writing process, the band looked back upon the lyrics and noticed that "some of the motion was pining for something, or some of it was vanity, or some of it touched on subversion or overthrowing of somebody or manipulation." Urie likened it to the seven deadly sins
Seven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
, and, after research, settled on the title Vices & Virtues. "In the Biblical sense, there's all that stuff and then there’s just morals that we live by every day and human behavior", Urie said. "I guess this record was really a study in human behavior—mostly for us personally what we had been going through, and noticing all of that."
Music
Vices & Virtues features a variety of different musical styles in its tracks. As a testament to the amount of time of production, each song "sounds different from the next," according to Urie. In the beginning, the band had no direction for music or lyrics. However, after returning to the studio and re-starting production, the band became excited to start anew with a second chance. "We've been working on music for about a year and a half, so I think that partly adds to why some of the songs have some varying styles," Smith said. "Part of it was us, at the beginning, trying to figure out what we wanted to do — we had a new opportunity with just the two of us — and as we sort of got a better hold on what that was, just kind of went from there." The duo picked the best songs out of 30 written as time went on. Urie said the most exciting part of the recording process was "...You get all the work done, record the song, arrange it and then you can add the fun little stuff, little pieces of voices and talking and weird instruments you hadn’t used before." The band's musical experimentation stretched as far as employing an iPadIPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
to record synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
on the record. The band got to work with French band The Plastiscines
Plastiscines
The Plastiscines are an all-female French rock band who perform mostly in English. Their song "Barcelona" was featured on the NYLON Summer Playlist.-Formation and discovery:...
, and a children's choir on the track "Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met...)".
A majority of the band's previous material was written by former guitarist Ryan Ross. For Vices & Virtues, Urie had "to step up and take the reins lyrically," which he regarded as having not much experience in prior. The biggest inspiration for lyricism was keeping busy and going out, instead of locking themselves in and writing. Urie has regarded the lyrics as very honest and straightforward, as well as very fantastical with elements of storytelling. Urie explained "We were so self-conscious about everything, hyper-aware of what we’re doing, that when we’re writing I go, “Okay, I don’t want this to be Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
’s "Mandy
Mandy (song)
"Mandy", originally titled "Brandy", is a song jointly written and composed by Scott English and Richard Kerr."Brandy" had been a hit in 1971 for Scott English in the UK and in 1972 for Bunny Walters in New Zealand...
," but I want it to be as romantic and cute…’ There’s a lot of that fighting within yourself. But it ended up being great, and I’m glad that we were able to figure out what we wanted to write about." The lyrics also reflect the confusion after the departure of Ross and Walker. The sessions with Feldmann at his home studio led to experimentation with new sounds. "We really loved Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
and got into using marimbas and string instruments," explains Urie. "We ended up buying some synths and messing around with them. It was two kids in a candy store… and we listened to Arcade Fire's The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Arcade Fire album)
The Suburbs is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released in August 2010. Coinciding with the announcement the band released a limited edition 12-inch single containing two tracks from the album, “The Suburbs” and “Month of May”. The album debuted at #1 on the Irish...
on repeat for me for the past… well, since it came out [laughs]."
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa
The Ballad of Mona Lisa
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released February 1, 2011 as the first single from the group's third studio album, Vices & Virtues...
" has been described by Alternative Press as "[having] the upbeat pop energy of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Panic! at the Disco. Recorded primarily at SOMD! Studios in College Park, Maryland with producer Matt Squire, the album was released September 27, 2005 on Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen Records.Written and...
, with the focus and clarity of Pretty. Odd." Urie has explained that he and Smith desired to achieve a sound that is more similar to the former: "We missed a couple things from our first record in terms of sonically, with these little instruments that we hadn’t really used on our second record. There [were] a lot of organic instruments and not a lot of electronics or synthesizers. So we wanted to get back to some of that." Smith agreed, and stated "I think there's stuff from the first album that we kind of got away from on the second record that people who were fans of the first one will enjoy." "The Calendar", originally written about an intimate relationship
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
between a male and a female, soon began to resemble the friendships in former members Ross and Walker; the song was finished as a direct response to their departure from the group. "Sarah Smiles" was written for Urie's girlfriend. "'Sarah Smiles" is about my girlfriend, actually, as sappy as that is," he told Spin in 2011. "When I met her I wrote this song to try and impress her. I was infatuated with her. I played it for her and we've been dating ever since. That was a huge step for me, personally."
Promotion
The album's title and more early information was announced in Alternative Press in its December 2010 issue: it set the album for a March 2011 release, "with the first single tentatively titled 'Mona Lisa' due out in January of 2011." The band did a promotional Vices & Virtues photoshoot with designer Anthony Franco on the January 8, 2011. On January 18, the band revealed via a post on their website that Vices and Virtues would be released on March 29, 2011, and on January 25, the cover art was revealed. On February 15, 2011, responding to eager public demand, the release date for Vices & Virtues was moved up to March 22 by the band.The first single is "The Ballad of Mona Lisa
The Ballad of Mona Lisa
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released February 1, 2011 as the first single from the group's third studio album, Vices & Virtues...
", released February 1, 2011. The music video for the single was released February 8, 2011 and entered heavy rotation across the MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
. The single received positive reviews, many noting the similarity in sound to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
The deluxe edition of the album includes the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
"Oh Glory", which was initially released via the band's official website in July 2009 as a 30-second sample. Like Pretty. Odd., Vices & Virtues has been receiving heavy popularity through online music stores; by February 2011, the record was already up to the top five overall on the "Top Albums" chart. Promotion for Vices & Virtues included an appearance on Conan a week after the record's release on March 28, and Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
a week after that on April 4, 2011.
In promotion of the record, Smith and Urie filmed a short film to accompany the album, titled The Overture. Directed by Shane Drake, the film was released on March 9, 2011 and contains several musical snippets from the record. The nearly seven-minute mini-film, features Urie and Smith with a score of actors ranging from identical twins to a little people
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
couple. The film is filled with symbolism regarding the departure of Ross and Walker, and the process of moving on without them.
On Monday, March 14, 2011, the band began streaming the album in its entirety (with the exception of bonus tracks) from the official Panic! at the Disco Facebook page, along with an accompanying introductory video from Urie and Smith.
Release
Vices & Virtues was released March 22, 2011 in the United States, Brazil, and Canada, as well as multiple other dates for other countries (see release history). The record debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 56,000 copies in the United States. This is in stark contrast to the group's previous effort, Pretty. Odd., which debuted with underwhelming commercial attention in 2008 with first-week sales of 139,000. The album also came in at #2 on SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
's Alternative Albums chart and #5 on the Digital Albums ranking.
Reception
Vices & Virtues has, thus far, acquired positive reviews. Jarett Wieselman of the New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
called the record "one of 2011's best and most captivating albums," calling "Sarah Smiles" the "stand-out" and noting the wise change in tone to high-energy with the second track, "Let's Kill Tonight". Alternative Press also welcomed the new version of Panic! at the Disco. "Perhaps Smith and Urie's biggest success on Vices is their disinterest in simply recreating either of their previous albums, instead choosing to meld the youthful exuberance of their debut with the restraint and maturity of 2008's Pretty. Odd.," wrote critic Evan Lucy. "The duo sound absolutely recharged, likely a result of the lineup shuffling, but also perhaps a realization that the '70s were a nice place to visit for a couple years, but life in the 21st century is much more fun." He went on to praise the "Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
-esque string arrangements, creepy undertones and twinkling pianos" on several tracks and enjoy the "scaled-back," more personal tracks, such as "The Calendar" and "Memories". James Montgomery of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
said of the album, "Vices is at its very core a studio album, one stuffed with ideas and instrumentation, which not only positions Panic! as perhaps this generation's Brian-Wilsons
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
-on-a-budget, but serves as a solid starting point for wherever Urie and Smith choose to go from here." He complimented the new sound of the band: "It's not exactly new, not exactly old, but it's definitely something. Call it a fresh start, a return to form, a re-imaging of the past, just don't call it Pretty. Odd. because that ship has sailed. Panic! are back to their old tricks, exclamation point and all ... and perhaps that was the secret ingredient all along."
Negative criticism for the album mostly came regarding the inexperienced lyrcism of Urie. William Goodman of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
criticized Urie's lyrics of the album ("the result is verbose and generic diary-entry romance") but praised the musical experimentation, remarking, "Vices & Virtuess saving grace, though, is the varied instrumentation — marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
s, xylophone
Xylophone
The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
s, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, synths
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, and digital atmospherics." Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone concurred with Goodman and also focused positive opinion upon the arrangements of the album, recommending "Nearly Witches" and calling the album "emo retropop", commenting, "It's the closest emo has come to the sound of old-school pop and rock, with Beach Boys harmonies and even gypsy-style swing flavoring the usual hopped-up confessions." Entertainment Weekly agreed with these sentiments, giving the album a B- and recommending "The Ballad of Mona-Lisa" and the "harmony-drenched" "Sarah Smiles".
Vices & Virtues tour
In support of the record, Panic! at the Disco has announced multiple tours. Dubbed thus far as "An Intimate Evening with Panic! at the Disco", the tour began in February 2011 with a short North American tour. A full-fledged European tour has been announced for April–May 2011. Panic! announced tour dates on March 14, 2011 for North America over May 2011. Continuing the album's theme of getting back to their roots, the tour takes them back to the small stages they first played during their A Fever You Can't Sweat Out era. Joining them for the jaunt will be their labelmates fun.Fun (band)
Fun is an American indie pop band based in New York, New York that was formed by Nate Ruess, formerly of The Format. After the 2008 breakup of The Format, Ruess left Arizona to develop his career in New York City. Ruess then formed Fun with Andrew Dost of Anathallo and Jack Antonoff of Steel Train...
, with Foxy Shazam
Foxy Shazam
Foxy Shazam is an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 2004. The band is composed of lead vocalist Eric Sean Nally, guitarist Loren Turner, pianist Sky White, and bass player Daisy. Later, trumpeter and back-up vocalist Alex Nauth joined, and Aaron McVeigh became the band's permanent...
and Funeral Party
Funeral Party
Funeral Party is a four piece American band made up of Chad Elliot, James Torres, Kimo Kauhola and Tim Madrid. They formed the band one night in a park in their hometown of Whittier, California, a suburb just outside Los Angeles, California, choosing to name themselves after The Cure song of the...
splitting duties as the third act on the bill.
The tour has sported the same electric, over-the-top theatricality the band was known for during the Fever era. "I really miss wearing costumes and makeup," Urie told Spin. "I love throwing a big production. I've recently been reading about Tesla coils and I'm trying to figure out how I can get one that sits on the stage and shoots sparks without hurting anybody."
Track listing
All tracks written and composed by Brendon UrieBrendon Urie
Brendon Boyd Urie is an American musician and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist and singer-songwriter of Panic! at the Disco. He also plays drums, bass guitar, accordion, organ, cello, violin, and trumpet.-Early life:...
, Spencer Smith
Spencer Smith (musician)
Spencer James Smith is an American musician. Smith is a founding member and drummer of American rock band Panic! at the Disco. With the band he placed two studio albums, Pretty. Odd. and Vices & Virtues , in the top ten of the US Billboard 200 chart with the band's debut effort "A Fever You Can't...
and John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
except where noted.
Appearances
The song "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)" was used as the end credit song for the 2011 film The SmurfsThe Smurfs (film)
The Smurfs is a 2011 American 3D family film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by Peyo and the 1980s animated TV series it spawned. It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, and Sofía Vergara. It is the first CGI/live-action hybrid film to...
. It is also featured in three Diet Coke commercials in 2011.
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Australia | |
| Brazil | |
| United States | |
| Canada | |
| Germany | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Japan | |
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
6 |
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
51 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders) |
71 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
17 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
76 |
| Mexican Albums Chart AMPROFON Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas is a non-profit organization integrated by multinational and national record companies in Mexico. Established on April 3, 1963, it groups phonographic companies that represent more than 70 percent of the market in Mexico... |
59 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
21 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
90 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
29 |
| UK Rock Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
7 |
| U.S. Billboard Rock Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Digital Albums | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Tastemaker Albums Chart | 17 |
Musicians
Panic! at the Disco- Brendon UrieBrendon UrieBrendon Boyd Urie is an American musician and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist and singer-songwriter of Panic! at the Disco. He also plays drums, bass guitar, accordion, organ, cello, violin, and trumpet.-Early life:...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with... - Spencer Smith – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, marimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
, vibraslapVibraslapA vibraslap is a percussion instrument consisting of a piece of stiff wire connecting a wood ball to a hollow box of wood with metal “teeth” inside. The percussionist holds the metal wire in one hand and strikes the ball...
, cabasaCabasaThe cabasa, similar to the shekere, is a percussion instrument that is constructed with loops of steel ball chain wrapped around a wide cylinder. The cylinder is fixed to a long, narrow wooden or plastic handle....
, shakers
Additional musicians
- Mike Bolger – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist.... - PlastiscinesPlastiscinesThe Plastiscines are an all-female French rock band who perform mostly in English. Their song "Barcelona" was featured on the NYLON Summer Playlist.-Formation and discovery:...
– vocals - The West Los Angeles Children's Choir – vocals
Production
- Butch WalkerButch WalkerButch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
– productionSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, programming, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - John FeldmannJohn FeldmannJohn William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
– engineering, production, programming, composer - Claudias Mittendorfer – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Rich CosteyRich CosteyRich Costey is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked with many bands including Muse, Cave In, Thursday, Franz Ferdinand, Glasvegas, The Mars Volta, Doves, Bloc Party, Ontronik , Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Supergrass, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Nine...
– mixing - Pete Lyman – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Matt Appleton – engineering
- Fred Archembaunt – engineering
- Brandon Paddock – engineering
- Erik Ron – engineering
- Jake Sinclair – engineering
- Joe Napolitano – editing
- Jonathan Allen – string engineering
- Colette Barber – studio managerStudio ManagerStudio manager is a job title in various media-related professions, including design, advertising, and broadcasting.-Design and advertising:A design or advertising studio manager's responsibilities will typically include traffic management, by ensuring all briefs are dispatched in the studio...
- Rob MathesRob MathesRob Mathes is an American record producer, music arranger, composer, songwriter, and performer. He also writes bluesy spiritual-pop music.-Background:Born in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, Mathes showed interest and skill in music at a very early age...
– conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, string arrangements - Brian Ranney – package production
- Anthony Franco – stylist
- Jennifer Tzar – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...