That Good Old-Fashioned Brendan Urie Diss Track
IDKHOW released their first full album on Oct. 23.
By: Ally Waltemyer
The opening track on I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME’s new album is the Brendon Urie diss track grieving emos needed. Indie rock band IDKHOW released their first full album Razzmatazz Oct. 23. For the let down Panic! At the Disco fans, the song Leave Me Alone is the catchiest break-up-with-your-toxic-emo-band anthem that they can angrily grieve to.
The album is an amazing concoction of Dallon Weekes’ unique harsh crooning and synthstrementals. With a fuzzed out electrical sci-fi opening followed by robotic beeps, the start of this album stays consistent with their indie mad scientist vibes. Those underground laboratory sound effects transition to a fast-paced indie rock song that is near impossible not to dance to. Leave Me Alone is the perfect example of IDKHOW’s style. The song also serves as the best stab back at Weekes’ ex bandmate, Panic! At the Disco’s Brendon Urie.
Besides the declining value of Panic! At the Disco’s recent albums in the eyes of their original emo audience, Urie was under scrutiny for resurfacing racist, transphobic, misogynistic and ableist comments and sexual harassment. Many young LGBTQ+ teenagers used to look up to Brendon Urie as a figure of acceptance and openness. However, they were heartbroken to find that their idol committed sins. Fans were also disappointed when he refused to condemn the actions of his security guard Zack Hall. Hall harassed several fans and Weekes’ wife, Breezy Weekes.
The duo of IDKHOW Dallon Weekes and Ryan Seaman performing in 2018. Photo by Sekyaw, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Leave Me Alone criticizes not only Urie for selling out but also the narcissism of show business culture. He refers to Panic’s lead singer as the “devil” and a “big shot” in the chorus. The song makes allusions to Urie’s work as well with lines such as “aristocrat, tip your hat and break your mother’s heart.” It references one of Panic! At The Disco’s most famous music videos, I Write Sins Not Tragedies, where Urie dressed as a top-hatted ringmaster and one of their newer songs Hey Look Ma, I Made It. The song calls out the idolization of rock stars and serves as a message to all fans: stop putting Urie and artists like him on a pedestal.