Brand New - Daisy

[jettison]

Brand New - Daisy
Record Label: DGC/Interscope
Release Date: September 22, 2009

"So you tried to put a fire out, but you used gasoline." The opening line to the fourth track of Daisy, the fourth full-length album from Long Island's Brand New tells more than a story confined to this one song, but rather describes the evolution from 2006's The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me to the band we are listening to today. While every Brand New album stands alone as a significant departure from their previous effort, Daisy and Devil seem to have the strongest similarities in both mood and themes. The difference in their most recent effort is the addition of, well, gasoline thrown to the fire. From the opening shrieks and thumps of "Vices" it is pretty apparent that the ride you are about to embark on will be a sinister journey through fire, distortion, and apparently, a forest.

After the exhausting opening track comes the Deja Entendu-styled "Bed" which could literally have been lifted from Kurt Cobain's b-side collection. Front man Jesse Lacey still possesses the ability to shift from quiet to loud better than anyone. While the moments of loud are sprinkled throughout to wow the listener, it's the melodic, softer moments that give Brand New their genius. "You Stole" is a beautiful tale highlighted by guitar work from Vin Accardi that will give you chills by the final climax, and is this album's "Jesus Christ." Accardi wrote most of this album and it works, especially on "Daisy," one of the most touching songs the band has penned to date.

"Sink" is a lyrically brutal track that masters the quiet-loud formula. Lacey explains, "I don't want to let you go, but it hurts my hands to hold the rope." It's the bass-thumping bridge that Brand New has added to it's arsenal as epic songs of brutality can now be catchy enough to groove your hips to, walking the fine line between unaccessible noise rock and modern pop.

Daisy appears to be the perfect book-end to a great career that Brand New have put together. If they are "on their way out" as suggested in the epic bass-heavy closer "Noro," it makes sense to the listener by the time you get through Daisy. Brand New took the pop and energy of Your Favorite Weapon, the slow genius of Deja Entendu, and the darkness of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me to create what could be the final piece of their puzzle. No matter where Brand New goes from here, they have given their fans everything they could've asked for, even if it wasn't their intention. There are moments here where they clearly don't give a fuck on tracks like the incoherent, bluesy mind-boggler "Be Gone," but I think it's clear we all still do.

[gennette]

Such a Powerful Album...good review !

[xapplexpiex]

Nice review, man. I would have upped the lyrics and lowered the lasting value. I just don't think I'll be playing this as much as deja and TDAG, ya know? Nonetheless, it's a very good album. Good work.

[Pawan1993]

Nice review, man. I would have upped the lyrics and lowered the lasting value. I just don't think I'll be playing this as much as deja and TDAG, ya know? Nonetheless, it's a very good album. Good work.
Really? I thought the lyrics aren't superb but deserve atleast a 9 for the brilliant lines throughout. There's only a couple lyrical downfalls in this album like the song In A Jar. The Lasting Value as well is superb. Brand New really know how to make an album that lasts an eternity.

[introduction]

i dno about giving the lyrics 7.75. they're not that terrible you know...
other than that, you did a pretty great job.

[Dymytry Vance]

...
/thread

[xapplexpiex]

...
/thread
wtf. Explain?

[Dymytry Vance]

wtf. Explain?
Shitty album is shitty. Fake indie cred for you.

[Dymytry Vance]

There are moments here where they clearly don't give a fuck on tracks like the incoherent, bluesy mind-boggler "Be Gone," but I think it's clear we all still do.

I kind of stopped giving a fuck after Deja Entendu, as I turned twelve.

[xapplexpiex]

Shitty album is shitty. Fake indie cred for you.
I'm curious why you don't like the album. I personally really enjoy it, and I've heard nothing but praise for it.

[denissuxx]

Good review.

[Matthew Tsai]

Shitty album is shitty. Fake indie cred for you.
You listen to CTTS and The #12 Looks Like You. If that's not fake indie cred, nothing is.

[Dymytry Vance]

You listen to CTTS and The #12 Looks Like You. If that's not fake indie cred, nothing is.
You gave The Devil Wears Prada's album Plagues an 80%. You said Mike Hranica had a good unclean vocal style. Your opinion officially means nothing.

[Dymytry Vance]

I'm curious why you don't like the album. I personally really enjoy it, and I've heard nothing but praise for it.
I just find that Vices is the only song on this album worth a damn, and that the rest of it tries to be too mellow and has lost it's experimental edge (minus Vices, that was cool)

[Matthew Tsai]

You gave The Devil Wears Prada's album Plagues an 80%. You said Mike Hranica had a good unclean vocal style. Your opinion officially means nothing.
That was like 2 years ago. I'm a revamped person with different music tastes.

I'M A DIFFERENT MAN NOW!!!

x

(and I listen to far better music than you :-p)

[Dymytry Vance]

That was like 2 years ago. I'm a revamped person with different music tastes.

I'M A DIFFERENT MAN NOW!!!

x

(and I listen to far better music than you :-p)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Aussitot Mort. Big variety.

[Dymytry Vance]

i forgot...
x

[xapplexpiex]

I just find that Vices is the only song on this album worth a damn, and that the rest of it tries to be too mellow and has lost it's experimental edge (minus Vices, that was cool)
I have to disagree. Some songs are mellow (Bed and Stole), but some aren't (At the Bottom and Sink). The reason I like this album so much is because of the lyrics. Just listen to the title track. I personally think that song is very poetic. I'm not a fan of The Number 12 Looks Like You, so I guess our tastes are different. But everyone is different, and we all get different things out of songs.

[Dymytry Vance]

I have to disagree. Some songs are mellow (Bed and Stole), but some aren't (At the Bottom and Sink). The reason I like this album so much is because of the lyrics. Just listen to the title track. I personally think that song is very poetic. I'm not a fan of The Number 12 Looks Like You, so I guess our tastes are different. But everyone is different, and we all get different things out of songs.
At The Bottom is one of the most mellow songs on the record. Very droning, no energy.

[vivatoto56]

Bought A Bride is my favorite Brand New song since Soco Amaretto Lime

I haven't really seen it mentioned as much as I thought it would be

Great album though...there really isn't one song I dislike

I do however respectfully disagree with your opinion on Be Gone

It's not a song I would throw on my favorite playlist but I thought it fit well on the album and I think it had more of a purpose then to show that the band "doesn't give a fuck"

[xapplexpiex]

At The Bottom is one of the most mellow songs on the record. Very droning, no energy.
At the Bottom is mellow and has no energy? It seems to me that Jesse puts a lot of emotion and energy when he sings the chorus. Anyways, why does it matter what songs are mellow, and which aren't? It's still a good album. You might not think so, and that's swell, but I do.
/discussion between us

[xapplexpiex]

Bought A Bride is my favorite Brand New song since Soco Amaretto Lime

I haven't really seen it mentioned as much as I thought it would be

Great album though...there really isn't one song I dislike

I do however respectfully disagree with your opinion on Be Gone

It's not a song I would throw on my favorite playlist but I thought it fit well on the album and I think it had more of a purpose then to show that the band "doesn't give a fuck"
Agreed. Bought a Bride is such a good song. It's one of my favorites on the disc. My favorite though has to be Daisy. And I'd like to see how they pull off Be Gone live.

[Matthew Tsai]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Aussitot Mort. Big variety.
While both GY!BE and Aussitot Mort are solid bands, neither are indicative of a strong rest-of-the-list music taste. So your point is...?

[Dymytry Vance]

While both GY!BE and Aussitot Mort are solid bands, neither are indicative of a strong rest-of-the-list music taste. So your point is...?
i care???

[Matthew Tsai]

i care???
Wrong *bzz* I win

[jettison]

Nice review, man. I would have upped the lyrics and lowered the lasting value. I just don't think I'll be playing this as much as deja and TDAG, ya know? Nonetheless, it's a very good album. Good work.
Yeah, I agree. It's much easier to write what I think than to try and rate it on a 10 point scale. Those were harder to do than the actual review!

[jettison]

Bought A Bride is my favorite Brand New song since Soco Amaretto Lime

I haven't really seen it mentioned as much as I thought it would be

Great album though...there really isn't one song I dislike

I do however respectfully disagree with your opinion on Be Gone

It's not a song I would throw on my favorite playlist but I thought it fit well on the album and I think it had more of a purpose then to show that the band "doesn't give a fuck"
I actually really like Be Gone as well. Serves a purpose or not, and as simple as this sounds, I think it just sounds awesome, haha. I guess I was just trying to convey that they really threw any direction or purpose out the window and just went a little crazy. There are a lot of audio goodies on this album (pre-In A Jar chorus, Daisy spoken words). Be Gone is definitely one of those moments.

[vivatoto56]

I actually really like Be Gone as well. Serves a purpose or not, and as simple as this sounds, I think it just sounds awesome, haha. I guess I was just trying to convey that they really threw any direction or purpose out the window and just went a little crazy. There are a lot of audio goodies on this album (pre-In A Jar chorus, Daisy spoken words). Be Gone is definitely one of those moments.
very true... the first time I heard Daisy I was looking at the lyrics (like I do whenever I get a new album) while listening to the song and I had no idea what to expect. This sounds kind of lame but I felt like I was watching a great B-horror movie. . . If that makes any sense. It has kind of a creepy Stephen Kingish feel to it. Especially the child's voice. Definitely one of my favorites on the album

I had a friend who listened to the album and hated it at first (we got into a pretty deep conversation and I swayed him into loving it) but one of the first comparisons he made was saying that the song "Be Gone" was like something Adam Sandler would come up with, goofy noises and basically pointless. Although I couldn't more heavily disagree with that comparison I do see where it would come from. But I would like to think that Jesse by now knows what the hell he is doing

I have a question for you, and any Brand New fan that I'm always curious about. . .How do you feel about Your Favorite Weapon. It's my favorite of their albums but I don't really see it mentioned a lot.

Just curious

[jettison]

very true... the first time I heard Daisy I was looking at the lyrics (like I do whenever I get a new album) while listening to the song and I had no idea what to expect. This sounds kind of lame but I felt like I was watching a great B-horror movie. . . If that makes any sense. It has kind of a creepy Stephen Kingish feel to it. Especially the child's voice. Definitely one of my favorites on the album

I had a friend who listened to the album and hated it at first (we got into a pretty deep conversation and I swayed him into loving it) but one of the first comparisons he made was saying that the song "Be Gone" was like something Adam Sandler would come up with, goofy noises and basically pointless. Although I couldn't more heavily disagree with that comparison I do see where it would come from. But I would like to think that Jesse by now knows what the hell he is doing

I have a question for you, and any Brand New fan that I'm always curious about. . .How do you feel about Your Favorite Weapon. It's my favorite of their albums but I don't really see it mentioned a lot.

Just curious
I'm not very familiar with Adam Sandler outside of movies so I can't comment on that.

I love Your Favorite Weapon for what it is. I still crank it up in my car from time to time. However, in terms of Brand New material, it's obviously the least creative and is my least favorite of their albums. I think most people feel this way, but it's interesting that you feel the opposite. Definitely to each his own. Comparing it to similar releases around that time, I can only come up with one album that I enjoyed more.

[dhelmick]

this isnt a terrible album but i mean it is so hard for me to say it is good. It basically sounds like less appealing b-sides of TDAG. I have to agree with Dymytry minus all the negativity. I dont feel any energy comming from this album. I think if i enjoyed this type of music id like it more but i dont. I liked Weapon and Deja....maybe they werent the most complicated albums ever made but they were just energy. And yea i get the "I stopped listening to that when i was 12" but just because it is poppy doesnt mean it is bad or loses any value. are you saying that bands like third eye blind are shitty because they had some popular "pop" songs in the 90s? Good music is timeless. Ill probably end up buying this eventually. I wasnt a huge fan of TDAG at first but i enjoy most of the songs now so maybe this album will grow on me as well. This is completely my opinion but i think Brand New is trying too hard to create a new sound. I know that they dont go into a studio hoping to make one type of music but it just seems like they are more interested in making "noise" than music.(My opinion) They are still a great band and i respect what they do but im only 20 i still want that good pop music with energy(not shitty pop music like all time low and all that new garbage). This is getting much too long so im going to stop.

[vivatoto56]

I'm not very familiar with Adam Sandler outside of movies so I can't comment on that.

I love Your Favorite Weapon for what it is. I still crank it up in my car from time to time. However, in terms of Brand New material, it's obviously the least creative and is my least favorite of their albums. I think most people feel this way, but it's interesting that you feel the opposite. Definitely to each his own. Comparing it to similar releases around that time, I can only come up with one album that I enjoyed more.
I think its probably my favorite of theirs because frankly I wasn't expecting it. I'm pretty late into the Brand New fan base, sure I loved Sic Transit Gloria and Jesus Christ, but I had never really given their albums that much thought. Until one day I said screw it and really listened to what's in between the lines and I love Brand New for that because it's just something so different and poetic in its own way. So about a month or two before Daisy's release I decided to give their Your Favorite Weapon a try and I just had no idea that it was a "pop punk" record (if you will excuse my generalization). I love that it's like a guilty pleasure sound (IE All Time Low and Lights Out Dancing) but its so much more well written and still has the Brand New taste to it. I don't have to be embarrassed to admit to liking it.

Plus Soco Amaretto Lime is my favorite song from them...hands down

[Handraa]

this isnt a terrible album but i mean it is so hard for me to say it is good. It basically sounds like less appealing b-sides of TDAG. I have to agree with Dymytry minus all the negativity. I dont feel any energy comming from this album. I think if i enjoyed this type of music id like it more but i dont. I liked Weapon and Deja....maybe they werent the most complicated albums ever made but they were just energy. And yea i get the "I stopped listening to that when i was 12" but just because it is poppy doesnt mean it is bad or loses any value. are you saying that bands like third eye blind are shitty because they had some popular "pop" songs in the 90s? Good music is timeless. Ill probably end up buying this eventually. I wasnt a huge fan of TDAG at first but i enjoy most of the songs now so maybe this album will grow on me as well. This is completely my opinion but i think Brand New is trying too hard to create a new sound. I know that they dont go into a studio hoping to make one type of music but it just seems like they are more interested in making "noise" than music.(My opinion) They are still a great band and i respect what they do but im only 20 i still want that good pop music with energy(not shitty pop music like all time low and all that new garbage). This is getting much too long so im going to stop.
I agree with this statement.

[joesmedicated]

That was like 2 years ago. I'm a revamped person with different music tastes.

I'M A DIFFERENT MAN NOW!!!

x

(and I listen to far better music than you :-p)

... That was hardly two years ago. Funny.

[Matthew Tsai]

... That was hardly two years ago. Funny.
1 year ago? I dunno, point is I don't listen to that type of music anymore.

[guitarman2189]

I listened to this album in its entirety with an open mind and really couldnt find any one track to really attach to. Not to say it is a bad album, I just dont feel it has the same lasting quality as Deja Entendu.

[KillyourIdols88]

Wort album I have ever heard with the the exception of three good songs. Daisy lyrics were the worst, the metaphores would have buddy from SF hang his head low.

[dhelmick]

Wort album I have ever heard with the the exception of three good songs. Daisy lyrics were the worst, the metaphores would have buddy from SF hang his head low.
Im bad with online sarcasm is that a diss to Buddy? He isnt that bad :-|

[princesschad]

I tried god knows that I tried

[jettison]

Wort album I have ever heard with the the exception of three good songs. Daisy lyrics were the worst, the metaphores would have buddy from SF hang his head low.
This is the worst album you've ever heard? Can you please share all these secret albums you've been listening to with the rest of the world??

[KillyourIdols88]

Im bad with online sarcasm is that a diss to Buddy? He isnt that bad :-|
No not in any form.