Vices & Virtues
| Vices & Virtues | ||||
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| Studio album by Panic! at the Disco | ||||
| Released | March 18, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | April 20 – July 26, 2010 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:27 | |||
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| Producer | ||||
| Panic! at the Disco chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Vices & Virtues | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 62/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Alternative Press | |
| American Songwriter | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B− |
| The Guardian | |
| IGN | 7.5/10 |
| PopMatters | 7/10 |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Spin | 6/10 |
| USA Today | |
Vices & Virtues is the third studio album by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on March 18, 2011 on Fueled by Ramen. Produced by John Feldmann and Butch Walker, the album was recorded as a duo by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith, following the departure of lead guitarist, backing vocalist and primary lyricist Ryan Ross and bassist/backing vocalist Jon Walker in July 2009. The album's artwork was conceptualized by touring bassist Dallon Weekes who was inducted as a full-time member of the band near the end of recording.
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 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.
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 NME the band had "nine or ten new songs going right now," which picked up in the same direction of Pretty. Odd. "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 explained 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.
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