Genre: Indie Rock, Post Punk Revival
Release Date: September 23rd, 2012
Label: North Hill Records
Writers: James Urie

2012 has really been quite the year for budding rocker turned rock star James Urie. Aside from riding off of the momentum of his previous album "Tales From The Struggle", that dug deep into the deep depressive state that the rocker had been in during his hiatus from music, soon turned this prospect into a full fledged rock star and finally gave Urie the recognition he had been yearning. Before rising, the star was instead plagued with not being able to find an initial sound in the large pool of "rock music" which led to a very low selling debut album, career halts, living in his brother Matt Urie's shadow as well as being judged quickly by his pretty boy looks and not as a true rock act. As those times quickly fall into the deep past, Urie has since been able to climb up the ladder of success. Notching two number one singles off of "Tales From The Struggle" as well as winning "Best Male Artist" and "Sexiest Male" at the third annual Fan Choice Awards. But Urie had not stopped there. Taking virtually no time to take an extended break, Urie hopped back into the studio to work on his new soon to be titled third studio album that will be showing a more confident and empowering Urie and will most likely be quite different from the dreariness and dispiriting nature of his previous album after hearing "Farewell", the leading single off of his new album album. In the song Urie lets it be known that he is done with his previous downfall and saying goodbye to the old depressive times. The single shot to #1 on the Digital Charts and peaked at #3 on the Radio Charts and has become Urie's fourth #1 single as a solo recording artist. We are not here to talk of Urie's accomplishments however.

"Retaliate" is the second single off of Urie's soon to be titled third studio album that will be released on September 23rd, 2012 through North Hill Records. It's quite intriguing thinking about what Urie would be releasing following the release of "Farewell". Now's out chance to listen. The single starts off with calm guitar chords for the first few seconds of the track followed by sharp guitar riffs that join that is soon backed by drums. This instrumentation continues for about 12 seconds before Urie brings out his vocals. Urie's signature hollow, possessed like vocals finds its way to the track. Urie murmurs out, in quite the emotionless manner: Here comes another anxiety attack| Second time today| Feeling guilty about letting my blood slip away; All I can do is shiver and hope it goes away| Oh how long will this plague me?| Only god can say. Urie speaks of a time, or times where has had head frequent anxiety and gives a brief explanation of what he would do in times like those, even as far as asking god, how long will it plague him. Following those lines the initial sound becomes bigger with the guitar riffs becoming even stronger and the backing instruments becoming quite menace as Urie really brings out his pipes as his loud croon comes soon as he's done with the opening lines of the track. Behind the relentless pounding of the instruments, Urie yells out, questioning himself once more: Why'd I trap those old lies?| They were good for all the logical harm | I blame myself for being blind| Then I realized that nothing else would change; Speaking about a person who once lied about him or to him and played a harmful influence on his mind. Continuing on, Urie yells out all the bad he wants this person to go through and how glad it would make him feel after that person made him feel that way. He belts out: So you can weep! | You can seep! | Off The Deep | Burn and heap | I'm glad!| Just look and see | Look at me | Look at me| I'm glad! |Oh I'm glad..; The sound stays relentless through Urie belting out the previous lines. Urie then stops singing and lets the instruments takes over for a few seconds, as the bassline slows down and the sharp riffs continue. Seconds past and the song breaks into a loud drum and guitar infused monster, those guitar riffs stop and Urie sings; And it's different now | I'm not torn and aching | I guess karma bit your ass| You're now the one that's shaking | And I could really care less |If I never see your face again ; Further explaining his disliking of this person who is now in a bad place, as Urie channels Karma in the previous line. The song then breaks into another fusion of guitars and drums as the song regroups for the next verse of the song. It is obvious that the next verse has begun when the sharp, relentless and very memorable guitar riffs make it way back to the track. Urie then murmurs the next lines loudly, a far cry from the hollowness of his voice in the very start of the song: I no longer believe in disregarding myself| Now all I can believe in is hate| It took me a while to figure out
That I no longer care about you| All I can do is retaliate; As he now channels his retaliation to this person who has evidently really upset Urie in the past. He then continues on ; So I hope you find a new way of living| You won't make home as logical harm |This time you'll trap those old times| And realize nothing will change; Putting this person in Urie's previous position as this person no long plays as a harm to Urie's mind. The song then breaks into it's hook where he starts off with "You can weep!" He continues those lines yelling out just as he did previously, continued on by the next part of the chorus as the instruments relentlessly back Urie's heavy vocals. The bridge then finds it's way to the track, where a drum heavy break is heard mixed with a piercing guitars as Urie sings in a light breathless/falsetto like manner singing out; Retaliate | This won't wash away | Retaliate
So so...|; The beat seems to get bigger with a louder guitar over powering the previous one as she continues: Much hate|Retaliate| This won't wash away |This won't wash away
|Retaliate. The song rides out with a piece of the chorus riding the song out as the heavy break becomes even heavier and Urie sings the final lines of the song until the song ends abruptly.

What do you think of the new single by James Urie? Aside from forming your own opinions, another question that may be emerging is who is the rock star speaking of in his new song? Does the lyrics give us enough? You be the judge! The single hits stores and radio this Sunday!


Here comes another anxiety attack
Second time today
Feeling guilty about letting my blood slip away
All I can do is shiver and hope it goes away
Oh how long will this plague me?
Only god can say

Why'd I trap those old lies?
They were good for all the logical harm
I blame myself for being blind
Then I realized that nothing else would change

So you can weep!
You can seep!
Off The Deep
Burn and heap
I'm glad!
Just look and see
Look at me
Look at me
I'm glad!
Oh I'm glad...

And it's different now
I'm not torn and aching
I guess karma bit your ass
You're now the one that's shaking
And I could really care less
If I never see your face again


I no longer believe in disregarding myself
Now all I can believe in is hate
It took me a while to figure out
That I no longer care about you
All I can do is retaliate

So I hope you find a new way of living
You won't make home as logical harm
This time you'll trap those old times
And realize nothing will change

So you can weep!
You can seep!
Off The Deep
Burn and heap
I'm glad!
Just look and see
Look at me
Look at me
I'm glad!
Oh I'm glad...

And it's different now
I'm not torn and aching
I guess karma bit your ass
You're now the one that's shaking
You can go stepping
Yourself in
To hell

Retaliate
This won't wash away
Retaliate
So so...
Much hate
Retaliate
This won't wash away
This won't wash away
Retaliate

And it's different now
I'm not torn and aching
I guess karma bit your ass
You're now the one that's shaking
You can go stepping
Yourself in
To hell