Also, I think she is smarter than Avril, but then, there are teratomas smarter than Avril. Avril's, like, sub-Celine.

The Hush Sound is probably the most musically accomplished and talented of Decaydance's stable of artists.

I want to gush about Brendon Urie's musical genius, but I know I'm just projecting. Although I do think he's hella talented, and will show it more the older he gets.

Also see: Patrick Stump! Boy fucking wonder.

Avril's, like, sub-Celine.

Ouch.

I will admit to singing along with Avril stuff on the radio, though.

Frankly, Panic's sound is too non-cohesive and experimental right now; they're all talented musicians, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a particularly accessible record. Comparatively, The Hush Sound has had a visible and viable progression over the course of their three albums that's shown an obvious maturity as they're coming into their own. That's what I mean by accomplishment.

I mean, I can't get Pretty Odd off my iPod, but I'm aware that there are reasons for that which aren't exactly due to it being a work of staggering genius.

Patrick Stump, though, is a different thing altogether. The songs he's put together for Fall Out Boy show the same kind of mature progression--especially interesting given the distinct genre, which Panic has never been pinned to--that THS has shown over time. The melodies and rhythms get more complex, more interesting, a little more risk-taking. They successfully bring in elements of R&B and the heavy melodic overtones of late-era Morrissey or later Cohen (in terms of musicality, not necessarily lyricism) while still retaining adherence to the genre. When you look at the things Patrick's worked on as a producer, I think it's pretty impressive that he's held onto that particular vision with Fall Out Boy while being notably experimental (from pop-punk) with other bands.

The thing about Avril is that she has had songwriting credit on most of the material on her albums from the start, which I always found rather admirable. I'm not going to lie and say I like her music, but with "The Best Damn Thing" she took the image and style she established with "Let Go" and ramped it up a notch. I can't fault her for making a good marketing decision, and while the music's not to my taste, it's in line with that image while still being something she can stand behind. So's Ashlee--that is, she's been songwriting since "Autobiography." I don't know, I certainly don't find it interesting or moving, but it's fun to dance to, and that's about all I expect from her anyway.

New question!

Who writes the music for MCR? I mean, I'm assuming Gee writes the lyrics, but does he write the music as well? Who does, if he doesn't? I'm sort of amazed I don't know this already.

I really like what I've heard of Hush, and I'd like very much to hear more of TAI. (And Empires, since your squee intrigues me.)

Gerard is the main lyricist, and Ray Toro is the main composer. The rest of the guys add stuff too, but the main songwriters are Gee and Toro.

::now loves Toro EVEN MORE::

Thank you!

So Toro is the Stump to his Wentz?

Remember, Toro is the one who turned the back of the bus into a mini recording studio so he could work on stuff that would eventually end up on the Black Parade album. On Life on the Murder Scene, he describes himself as "A man obsessed".

Though it seems to be pretty collaborative when it comes to the music--I mean, I agree that Ray tends to come up with melodies, but the behind the scenes footage shows Ray pulling Frank and Bob into the studio to work on songs as frequently as Ray and Gee hashing something out together.

I'll try and get some Empires and Hushie stuff up tomorrowish. When I'm not reading intensively to write my effing papers.

So Toro is the Stump to his Wentz?

Ha! Yeah, I guess so. But Gerard seems to be less ADD than Wentz.