Emotionalpunk.com
Media Review
Music Quality: 9.0
Production: 8.5
Originality: 9.0
Tracklisting
Millstone
Jesus Christ
Degausser
Limousine
You Won't Know
Welcome to Bangkok
Not the Sun
Luca
Untitled
Archers
Handcuffs
It’s been a long three years.
Deja Entendu, Brand New’s last album, is worshipped by little and big, scene or non scene, music lover or not music lover, people alike. It’s no secret that the band has a knack for redefining themselves with every effort anymore. Sure, the poppy punky roots of Your Favorite Weapon to the more Smiths’ esque rock of Deja Entendu might have been…well, unexpected, but who in their right mind thought the band could do it again?
I’ll be the first to admit I lost faith in the band about a year or so ago. The band felt dead to me. When I saw singer Jesse Lacey at an Eisley show in West LA and jokingly heckled him, I felt a slight sense of apathy in the fleeting glance he cast as he crossed the street. And when the band failed to post any updates and remained mysteriously inactive, what else could they expect but loss of faith?
Needless to say, it renewed itself in a few slow months. These probably aren’t in perfect order. My bad:
A subtle post on brandnewrock.com: “FGHTOFFYRDMNS.”
Nine album demos leak. Most of us don’t care. We understand Brand New is a band who make albums, not songs. Or “demos.”
The band finally gets back on the road, playing with weird acts and eventually Dashboard Confessional again, much in the way they did several years prior. But the band looks different. They act different, like they’ve grown up. Or something.
More live demos start popping up everywhere, and I’m crawling to the front of the pit, scraping past little boys and girls practically half my age. Maybe I’m the one who has grown up. What I do know is that I can’t get a hook out of my head even before the song ends—and eventually I’ll realize I absolutely love the song “Degausser.”
“Sowing Season (Yeah)” appears on their mySpace page, to relatively indifferent reactions, it seems, from fans.
Album cover art mysteriously finds its way onto pre-order pages and the band’s website.
I waste 5 minutes of my life as I read every word on the pathetic Spin “review” of the album.
At last! “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” arrives, and as expected, is an angry, fierce album with fury and ire.
My first impression on the album, as a whole, is just that—the songs don’t seem to hold themselves up that well alone, but when you put the album on, you can’t seem to hold yourself up. The one exception, of course, is the beautiful “Jesus Christ,” an epic jam filled with haunting lyrics of life, death, and of course, God.
And I think that’s what I enjoy so much about this album. Though a few songs have a certain amount of mystery to them, most of them have relatively clear concepts and ideas, though the lyrics are often presented in a unique, characteristic manner. The songs are weighty and deep, and filled with thick vocal textures and melodies.
The production, of course, is top notch. Throaty, whispery vocals and punchy bass and drums make for a pleasant listen. The songs themselves couldn’t honestly sound much better than they do on this.
Looking back on what I’ve written, I know it’s hokey and predictable. “Of course he’s going to praise the band,” you think to yourself, justly so. I’ll instead suffice it to say that I honestly lost a little faith in this band over time, and honestly, could care less what anyone thinks about this album. I love it with all my heart and honestly will question myself every time I doubt Brand New will be around to write another memorable song. Albeit I do hate myself for joining the crowd on this one, I’m going to swallow my pride and admit it (and don’t take this the wrong way): I truly love “The Devil And God.”