So More Scene
So more scene than you'll ever be.

Panic + Phantom Planet = Best Concert Tour EVER?

Woah! Holy bejezus! Well I just *happen* to be watching a promo video for the new Panic at the Disco tour (they have a new album dropping later this year) when my jaw nearly hit the floor:

PHANTOM PLANET IS TOURING WITH PANIC AT THE DISCO!! WHAAAAHHT?

I’d always grouped Phantom Planet in the indie pop-rock category, having seen them play medium-sized rock clubs with bands like Superdrag and since disbanded New York band The Realistics since 2001. The last time I saw them was in 2004 at Irving Plaza while they were Jason Schwartzman-less and promoting their self-titled album.

So you can understand my shock when I heard Panic’s Brenden Urie uttering “Phantom Planet” in that video: 1. I couldn’t believe that Phantom Planet was still around and 2. Why they hell are they touring with Panic, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Hush Sound?

The answer is simple, Phantom Planet is now on the Fueled By Ramen record label–which is the parent label of FOB’s frontman, Pete Wentz, which is the label that Panic at the Disco is associated with. Ah hah!

Although the teaming up of PP and FBR seemed weird at first, it actually make a lot of sense to me. Historically speaking, PP has ALWAYS attracted a young, passionate, female-dominated fan base. (Having a dishy Alex Greenwald seems to help.) Their songs are up-beat, and they are well known for lending their song “California” to the popular teen drama The O.C.. I’m sure girls who usually scream their heads off for Ryan Ross will have absolutely no problem going hoarse for Greenwald and co.

Over the last four years the band has gone through some hardships–original guitarist Jacques Brautbar left the band in 2004 and they were dropped by Epic Records after their self-titled album failed to product blockbuster sales. Weirdly enough, their once extremely active and updated official site has now been replaced by a standard MySpace page. They continue to blog like crazy.

However, they are officially BACK, with a new album called Raise the Dead, dropping on April 15th. I’m really looking forward to hearing it as their last album (the aforementioned S/T-ed effort) was among my top 10 favorite albums of 2004.

Possible album cover as shown on the PP Myspace and FBR pages.

I wonder what magical musical goodness they’ve been storing up (or letting waste away) during the past four years–however the source of inspiration for the album terrifies me a little. According to Billboard, the LP’s songs were “inspired by the music of cult leaders such as Charles Manson, Jim Jones and David Koresh.” Wow. That’s. Intense.

You can get a sneak peak listen of some of PP’s new song “Geronimo” in this FBR teaser video:

…as well as “The Leader”, which was originally on the FBR-released 2007 Tour EP (BTW- Alex is back to his original HOTNESS. Those who had been keeping tabs know that over the last 4 years there were some HAIRY, scary moments.):

And check out the band video of a recording session for “The Leader” featuring a troupe of enthusiastic kids from Kenter Canyon Elementary School:

The first single off the new album is appropriately enough, “Do the Panic.” The album drops on April 15th.