Brand New

Everything about the band Brand New is insightful, meaningful and… oh, who am I kidding? Every band I like has an original sound and has a deep place in my heart. I love music, period. The thing is, though, when I decided to write about Brand New, I sat and thought about how I was going to portray them. I was stuck, but that made me realize that this is why they’re my favorite band, hands down.

Your Favorite Weapon is the first studio album recorded by Brand New. While some say that the choppy instrumentals and less-than-clear sound take away from the melody and lyrics, I think that it’s everything they had personally stood for in that period of time. Careless nights, girl troubles and freedom are the aspects of this album, and criticizing them for feeling these things at a young age is ridiculous. I think that the poor pop-punk quality of the sound mirrors the way young people live these days, and the way these guys were feeling. "I've got a twenty dollar bill that says no one’s ever seen you without makeup…" is a line from “Mix Tape,” a song about a girl that’s just too cool to hang out.

Brand New’s second album, Deja Entendu, is more mature in sound and lyrics, but is based on some of the same things as their first album. It’s evident there had been some deeper struggles with women and friends since the first album, and it’s as if each of the songs tell a story. “Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades” is a song about someone losing his virginity in a scary and disappointing way. It’s a wonderful song because it slaps everyone in the face that says sex is all men want. “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” is the song that gave them popular credit, as it appeared on MTV2 for a little while during the summer of Deja’s release. “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” is a romance song. The lyrics "...if it makes you less sad, we'll start talking again. You can tell me how vile I already know that I am..." explains so much angst.

Lastly, but hopefully not permanently, is the third album from the band, The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. This album is the most mind blowing album I think I have ever heard. There is such a sad, deep and thought-provoking theme to the album. The sound has completely matured, and what the songs are about are decipherable but definitely emotional. The first song, “Slowing Season,” opens with a soft guitar, which wasn’t expected at all out of Brand New. Jesse Lacey writes and sings with such hope and sadness at the same time. “Jesus Christ” is the third track on the album and is about the regrets he has had in the past with religion, and what he thinks is going to happen when he dies. “Millstone” gives the same feeling, but more focused, and it sums up everything he’d done wrong. The lyrics prove it: "I used to know theh name of every person I kissed. Now I made this bed and I can't fall asleep in it."

Listening to all three albums consecutively clears my head. I can’t say whether or not this band is amazing, because I think an open mind is needed in order to understand what’s so special about them, and a lot of people don’t have that. But if you do, and if you have a hurting for emotional music, give it a listen.

-Kassandra

Photo from Google Images