Even without the explanatory title of its new CD, it's clear there's a battle brewing within Brand New.
The Merrick-based band's "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" (Tiny Evil/Interscope) strips away the clever song titles and the hyper, guitar-driven punk-pop style of its preceding albums and goes for a beefier, more straightforward kind of rock. "Devil and God" is likable and interesting, but there are times where the quartet barely sounds like the guys behind the underground anthem "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" or the breakthrough hit "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows."
They sound a bit like The Cure in the opening of "You Won't Know" before raising the rage level to thrillingly monstrous proportions in the chorus. They drop elements of System of a Down into "Not the Sun." They take the Coheed and Cambria route on "Archers," which bounces between Jesse Lacey's engrossing vocals and a swirling, intensifying musical growl.
The first single "Sowing Season (Yeah)" is a mix of Death Cab for Cutie-ness on the verses and shrieking catharsis on the chorus, successfully taking the loud-soft-loud formula to a new level. Where Brand New still seems unsure, though, is on how to balance Lacey's intricate, detailed lyrics with the more middle-of-the-road rock of "Millstone" or the seven-minute-plus "Limousine."
Until Brand New chooses to mainstream its lyrical and melodic quirks or develop them, it sounds like the internal battle will rage on. ("The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me," in stores today; Grade: B)
Listen to "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" here
Comments (27)
In all my years of reading album reviews. This by far is the poorest excuse. Nonetheless the author tries to look like he is apart of the music scene by poorly comparing them to coheed and as I chuckle system of a down. Brand new sounds a far cry from system of a down. If anything the Smiths have been a great influence for this band. And for your information the "loud soft loud formula" you speak of is called Dynamics in the musical world. And to be frank its been around for quite some time. If you want to see some good reviews of albums go to absolutepunk.net.
This may be the worst review I have ever read in my entire life. How can you compare any second of this record to Coheed or SOAD. They only thing this article is good for is to lay down on the kitchen floor so my dog can pee on it.
Way to put the album down because it doesn't sound like an album they made 5 years ago. You make it sound like a band isn't allowed to grow. If you ever seen them live in the past 2-3 years, Jesse even mentions how he feels disconnected to most of the songs off Your Favorite Weapon.
And your last little sentence drives me up a wall. Jesse and Brand New are going to deliberately make anything about their music mainstream. And their song structure musically and lyrically are not underdeveloped...they are far more developed than 99.9% of mainstream music today.
Brand New sets the trend...the others follow. Learn about a band before you review them.
Did you even listen to the cd? Or just come up with some bs? Next time you should actually listen to the cd and get the facts straight.
please dont review a cd if you know nothing about the band or the scene. Comparing Jesse Lacey's work to that of 'Death cab for cutie' or 'coheed' is insulting enough. but the cure? system of a freakin' down? get outta here man. Go buy some records, and go to some shows.
I think you were too busy building your shrine to Taking Back Sunday to actually listen to this album. (sorry, but I've noticed that Newsday does nothing but kiss TBS's butts while there are far more superior bands out there).
Deja Entendu is a wonderful album but bands grow and change. Why do you make it seem like it's a bad thing that their new songs don't sound like their older ones? I'm glad they don't, I didn't want another Deja or YFW.
Kids, KIDS! The CD was given a B grade, which is pretty good. Not everyone worships at the altar of Brand New. It's actually OK not to give the record an A++++++. if you think it deserves it, then that's great. This is one person's opinion. And he didn't say they sound like SOAD, he said parts of "Not the Sun" remind him of some of their style, and that they take a similar approach as CoCa in "Archers." He didn't say they sound like them. Learn how to read and understand before just lashing out. Geez.
That said, the new record is pretty decent and adds a much-needed injection of brains into a pretty mindless emo scene.
This is one of the most poorly written reviews I have ever come across. The vast development and maturity of Brand New is one of their most interesting qualities as a band. The reviewer seems to have no sense of musical intellect when he compares Brand New to such bands as System of a Down?? and Coheed? Are you serious?
Not only am I embarrassed for the reviewer, but I am also ashamed he is employed by this website. For the sake of this company's integrity, remove this review from any form of media.
Glenn, please broaden your musical standards.. you are comparing a highly acclaimed/anticipated album with mediocre bands. Actually, do me a favor and please stop writing reviews.
You, sir, are an idiot. I'm always astonished by the morons they let review music.
I'm surprised they got a 'B' in your book considering they didn't rehash the hits from their past albums and didn't 'mainstrem' their lyrics.
One more piece of advice. If you're going to compare a band that you're reviewing, I'd recommend listening to the bands that you're going to compare them to. Either you've never heard System of a Down before or you're so musically ignorant that you actually believe that 'Not The Sun' sounds like them.
In the future, please pass these reviews on to someone who knows the genre and/or the band.
Is this your job because I am assuming you work for minimum wage?
I think the suckers are the people who hated this review. It's not bad. The comparisons to SOAD and The Cure are not very accurate, but the overall opinion of the album is reasonable. Face it, it's not the life-changing album everyone expected it to be.
You, sir, are an idiot. I'm always astonished by the morons they let review music.
I'm surprised they got a 'B' in your book considering they didn't rehash the hits from their past albums and didn't 'mainstrem' their lyrics.
One more piece of advice. If you're going to compare a band that you're reviewing, I'd recommend listening to the bands that you're going to compare them to. Either you've never heard System of a Down before or you're so musically ignorant that you actually believe that 'Not The Sun' sounds like them.
In the future, pass on music reviews and don't waste our time.
Now hold on kiddies.. take a deep breath and slow yourselves down.
The commentor "L" has valid points. The reviewer is not suggesting that you will see Brand new opening up for SOAD, all right. This reviewer is merely saying he can hear "elements" of other bands in certain songs. It seems as though all of you wish to crucify this critic for his OPINION. Calm yourselves.
I myself am a huge fan of this album. Perhaps though, instead of attempting a grassroots witchhunt to attack and, in some of your cases, have this man fired I have another suggestion. Give your own review. Do not merely attack what he has written, but come up with original thought and prove the true worth that this album holds. That my friend is how you change minds. Attacking someone for their original views while offering none of your own creates stubborn animosity and does not further your point.
...this is the worst review in the history of the world, i dont even ahve to explain myself. dude obviously has no understanding of what he's talking about nad only has a limited knowledge of recent top40 radio rock
I really dont understand why some previous comments are so angry considering you did give this record a Grade B
and I personally think the entire album is amazing, however, i do not agree with some of the comparisons made to other bands, simply because I beleive they sound like they just have a harder sound than previous albums, but I also see hints of old work in the new work.
All in all, I agree 100% with giving this album a B, and I think it could have made better comparisons, but kudos on giving it a good grade.
absolutepunk's reviewers are terrible but this one is too.
that is a terrible review. you want them to mainstream their music? brand new doesnt mainstream. their lyrics and their style make them brand new and better than everyone else out there. if they went pop music as we know it would die. you are an idiot.
You people are all just upset that he isn't infatuated with them and kissing Lacey's ass. It's a good CD, but it's not perfect and I tend to agree wtih him on the given grade.
This album is horrible. It's boring and anyone who likes it is just upset becuase they thought it was going to be soooo good and lets face it is horrible. The only reason people are getting so mad when people put it down is becuase they are in denial at the huge egg Brand New just laid.
I wish you knew what it was like for those of us who have stood there with Brand New since the beginning in Brich Hill and supported their growth and maturity as artists when it came. 9th grade songs and anthems dont carry a band, rather their career, talent, creativity, and ripeness does. Brand New posseses talent to a calibur in which i guess the haters cant comprehend and i think the new album is one of the best albums to hit the public this year. If you love and believe, it may affect you in the way it has affected me.
probably the worst review i have ever read.
please try to make music before you write reviews. Maybe then you would have a little more respect for music. I mean common you have the easiest job in the world. this review is ignorant at best. You are uneducated in the field you're talking about, therefore you so convientently have an excuse to say anything. Whatever newsweek should do themselves a favor and get a new staff member.
mainstream it's lyrical or melodic quirks??
aren't you the dude that also put down Fall Out Boy??
Personally, I love the new cd. I don't really think the review did it justice at all. I am not familiar with SOAD or coheed.. but i am very familiar with the cure. And I must verify the author's opinion because my first thought in hearing that song was that it reminded me a lot of the Cure. Yet, I think that there are only so many notes and chord progressions to go around, and songs have to use the same ones as other songs and that says nothing negative about the artist. I don't think Brand New is unsure of anything, I think they are coming into their own... and quite nicely as well.
Somehow, this review is getting press for being bad. Kudos to the reviewer and website because even bad press is still press.
That said, why the hell are people giving this review credit for giving the album a "B"? So all the sudden the ends justify the means. A bad review with an accurate grade deserves accolades?
what was the purpose for writting soco amaretto lime? i want to know what it means! im doing a report on best songs ever for school and this is the perfect song for any 18 year old.....please reply
guys come on? first off dont let the review get you down brand new is amazing i mean "jesus christ" is one of the most lyricaly advanced songs ive heard in sometime limosine is about the girl who was killed by the limosine accident on longisland jesse is wrighting about things that happend and things that we can all relate to in an amazing way. The way he Quotes Rudyard Kiplings poem in sowing season(lookitup) is simply amazing and to find this stuff you have to see past the simplistic "emo" stuff he said detailed lyrics of death cab for cutie f*g i like death cab and dont get me wrong i like any thing from them to dropdeadgeorgous so the reviews not that bad? btw fall out boy is really weak