I don't know. You don't know. No one knows, really. No one will ever be able to offer any sort of explanation as to why All Time Low aren't currently topping the Top 40 radio charts. No one will understand why Dirty Work, compared to the rest of the band's work, as so devoid of the charisma and likability the band have built such a strong following with over years. All Time Low themselves probably don't know how things went so awry so quickly during their stint on Interscope Records. But this is not a review that is meant to dwell on the past. Rather, it's about returning to form, and building off of what made All Time Low the most endearing band in pop-rock. Back on Hopeless Records, All Time Low went back to the basics, and have emerged with the biggest redemption album they could have possibly made. Don't Panic, the All Time Low you know and love is back, and they sound bigger than ever.
Don't Panic opens with the band's latest anthem "The Reckless and the Brave," a three-plus minute proclamation that the band have emerged from the ashes of a mishandled situation. "The Reckless and the Brave" is the arena-ready track that Dirty Work was lacking (because, let's be honest, "I Feel Like Dancin'" was just not up to snuff), and starts off Don't Panic perfectly. Following that is "Backseat Serenade," which harks back to the band's themes of growing up and having feelings change that lined their often-heralded EP The Party Scene, with the gloss that made Nothing Personal so irresistible. "If these Sheets were States" is the perfect partner for "Backseat Serenade," building on its predecessor wonderfully, while adding even more flair to the band's arsenal. "Somewhere in Neverland" soars, showing Alex Gaskarth's musings on the threat of leading a normal 9-to-5 life while creating yet another catchy chorus.
All Time Low branch out to their friends much more than we're used to seeing from them on Don't Panic, as they feature Cassadee Pope (on "Backseat Serenade"), Bayside frontman Anthony Raneri ("So Long, Soldier") and, most surprising of all, former Acceptance frontman Jason Vena ("Outlines"). While Pope and Raneri's features are mainly for harmonies, their fingerprints are all over the tracks they're featured on, as "Backseat Serenade" has the pop sensibilities that Pope was known for when she was with Hey Monday, and "So Long, Soldier" benefits from Raneri's punk background, as it is the most fast-paced track on Don't Panic. Vena's presence on "Outlines," however, proves not only to be the highlight of All Time Low's collaborations on the album, but the top track on the album. The track was the only co-write on Don't Panic (for reference, Dirty Work was littered with them, and we all know how that worked out), and Vena's vocals are not only a welcome addition, but they hark back to the days when Acceptance were poised to (and should have) become the biggest band in the world. Alas, we must settle for "Outlines," for now, which is fine, because it's one of All Time Low's best songs of their career.
After "Outlines" is the only lull of the entire twelve-song stretch, as "Thanks to You" is faced with dubious task of backing up the album's brightest gem, and "For Baltimore" feels like a Nothing Personal B-side. However, "Paint You Wings"picks the pace up wonderfully, and the band's recovery on the back end of Don't Panic is almost as impressive as the album itself, a bounce-back the band, and pop-rock as a genre, sorely needed. "So Long, and Thanks for the Booze," with it's final tongue-in-cheek stab at Interscope, as Gaskarth lets it all out to dry, shouting "You've got to let me be me!" If Don't Panic was any indication, he's absolutely right.
As an album, Don't Panic will not overwhelm you with musical prowess. The songs are straightforward, the structures mostly the same, and there's nothing you haven't heard a worse version of before. That said, there's always been something inherently lovable about All Time Low, and even though they veered off the path they paved for themselves with Dirty Work, All Time Low have righted the ship in a big way. What's best about Don't Panic is that the band recorded the album on their own time, with their own money, and without the backing of a label; they just did what they know they do best, and they've never sounded better.
The Bottom Line: Long live the reckless and the brave: All Time Low are back, with the definitive album of their career.
Recommended if you rock: Mayday Parade's A Lesson in Romantics, Yellowcard's Paper Walls, anything you liked from All Time Low except Dirty Work.
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