Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me Review
Posted by Chris Phelan on 12.13.2006
What kind of musical genius do the Long Island rockers have in store for us this time around?
First and foremost, an email from someone commenting on last week’s Angels and Airwaves review:
Hey,
I must say that i was dissapointed when Blink broke up, as i never did get to see them live. But when I heard about AVA and +44, i was really excited. And I love both bands! We Don't Need To Whisper is a great cd to sit back, relax, have a beer. It's not frantic to make you feel like you need medication like most punk-pop-emo (my fav genre, but it's still true). As far as "It Hurts", i do agree with you about it doesn't fit in with the rest of the cd, but as you said you couldn't ever tell what Tom was singing about, i'd like to give what it means to me. It's about this girl, who he bares his soul to, his best friend, he falls in love with her, she leads him on, and when it comes time for them to get together, she leaves him. Now it may be, that i was going through that when i first heard the song, so that's the way I took up. I don't remember who said it, but a singer once said, "If you took a meaning from my song, even if it wasn't the meaning that i had, as long as it meant something to you and affected you, then it's all worth it."
David
Thanks for writing, man. It’s always good to get feedback, and thanks for explaining “It Hurts.” I actually managed to catch Blink on a tour with Fenix-TX way back in the day... and if it's any consolation, DeLonge usually plays "Down" as an intro to "The Adventure" during AVA's live show. So there's one way to get your Blink fix.
At the end of his email, David also recommended I check out a band called The Vanished. They’ve toured with Angels and Airwaves, and I've checked them out and they’re pretty good – so feel free to check them out too at www.myspace.com/thevanished.
Moving along…
TODAY’S REVIEW: BRAND NEW – THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE RAGING INSIDE ME (2006)
Living up to their name, Brand New reinvents themselves with each major release. Beginning with 2001's Your Favorite Weapon, Brand New emerged onto the underground punk/rock/emo scene with a poppy, singalong record that immediately lumped them into a category with the likes of Taking Back Sunday and The Starting Line. In 2003, they released Deja Entendu, a darker record both musically and lyrically. To say the band matured between their first two major label albums is an understatement.
With the release of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, Brand New has a new identity once again, this time adopting a much more progressive, decidedly un-punk sound. And although their latest release is somewhat of a mishmash of songs that does not unify the record with a common voice, the end result is impressive.
Although I'm personally not a fan of the tried and true "individual track blurbs" that are prevalent in many album reviews, I feel like this is a record that contains songs that deserve individual attention.
So here goes nothing.
"Sowing Season (Yeah)" – Immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album. Soft at times and unrelentingly hard at others, it’s the first single of the record and for good reason.
"Millstone" – Sad, inventive, and fun at the same time. This track is probably one of the first songs you’d want to play for a friend in order to properly show them the “new sound” of Brand New. Words don’t do this song justice, you’ve just got to listen to it and let the music take ahold of you.
"Jesus Christ" – Very slow-paced, but an amazing song nonetheless; can be considered to be the mirror opposite of Deja’s “Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t.” Set to simple guitars with very introspective lyrics, the best of the album by far. Just when you think the song is going to keep going in one direction, it moves on to a killer bridge in which frontman Jesse Lacey seems like he's crying for help... just overall a very powerful track. Like much of the songs, at times the track possesses some very haunting qualities.
"Degausser" – The only song that the entire band ever wrote together collectively in one room. Coincidentally, this is also one of the top tracks on the record. Possessing Deja¬-sounding verses, unbelievable prechoruses… I don’t know, I can go on and on. Although it never really deviates from a simple verse-chorus structure, this song stands apart as being something you definitely have never heard before. The “take me take me back to your bed lyric” is really quite good.
"Limousine" – One of the best songs Brand New has ever written, and unequivocally the highlight of the record. At times it’s deliberate and has a real “haunting” quality about it. Comprised of three completely different sounding verses all building up into a series of choruses, it’s just a masterpiece. And yes, I realized I said “masterpiece.” It really is.
"You Won't Know" – Loud. That’s probably the best way to describe this song. Although I don’t think it’s one of the best tracks on the album musically (mostly due to the incessant lead guitar taking over the choruses), lyrically it is a superb effort, as usual.
"Welcome to Bangkok" – The first of two instrumentals on the album, which relaxes the mood after the frantic “You Won’t Know.” Good for setting a tone but it’s ultimately skippable.
"Not the Sun" – Another faster-paced track. It’s definitely a more upbeat song that is somewhat reminiscent of earlier Brand New, and it contains my personal favorite bridge of the album to boot. Nice little bass line in this one too. Okay, I may be going through stream of consciousness right now, but it also has some great lyrics and verses. Overall a great song.
"Luca" – One of those songs that gets better with each listen. Starting off slow and ending in a spectacular car crash-esque fashion, it also has a certain haunting quality about it that makes you realize that this entire album is something special and unique.
"Untitled" – The second instrumental. Again, sets the tone after the frenzied ending of “Luca.” However, I have to be honest… why release a record that’s been three years in the making and choose to include two instrumentals on it? Maybe that’s just the cynical fan in me talking.
"The Archer's Bows are Broken" – One of my favorite songs on the album, moving at a breakneck speed with superb lyrics. (One of those songs you can blast through your car stereo driving down the interstate.) The drumming absolutely carries this song, which is probably the one track on the album that is most similar to Brand New’s earlier work.
"Handcuffs" – Brand New keeps the tradition of album closers consistent with an acoustic track. While not as somber as “Play Crack the Sky” and not as fun as “Soco Ameretto Lime”, it is still a great way to end the album in true Brand New style.
Overall, the tracks are a collection of a band that is looking from within for inspiration in their music. Whereas previous albums were a reflection of what was going on around Brand New, this record is a direct reflection of what is going on inside of them. And even if some of the songs get a little sad and somber, the album never ventures into the direction of depressing; the masterful lyrics and instruments help numb the somewhat subdued tone.
If you're already a fan of Brand New then obviously you already have this record. But if you're not a fan of the whole genre that Brand New has been placed into based on their previous albums, don't let that prevent you from experiencing this album. The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me goes past genre boundaries, and although this may seem like the ultimate cliché, it really rings true: if you like good music, you will like this album.
I think the most important thing about this record is that it doesn’t polarize – you don’t need to be a longstanding fan of Brand New to enjoy The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. There’s simply a lot of different, unique songs on the album that a lot of different people can enjoy.
Now, the question of the day: do I feel like this record is “better” than Brand New’s earlier efforts? In a word: no. Although this album is the group’s most mature and refined effort yet, I almost had a feeling of what this new album would be like before it would be released; this is the logical next step for Brand New, which isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s an evolutionary step rather than a revolutionary one.
When Deja Entendu was released, all Brand New fans were shocked. The band completely reinvented themselves and turned its signature sound upside down. And like many people, I was disappointed. But after weeks of listening, I remember sitting shellshocked realizing what an amazing album one of my singalong pop/punk bands managed to record. Truth be told, I think Deja may be the greatest record I’ve ever listened to based on the type of music I enjoy. So in reality, I don’t think it’s possible for Brand New to top their sophomore effort – but this album doesn’t try to, and I think that’s the point. It is what it is… and it’s an excellent album.
-Chris Phelan is not your friend, not your lover, not your family, yeah.
Agree with my review? Hate it? Want to request a review? Don't be afraid to send me your comments.
The 411: Is it Brand New's best work? No. However, that could be conceived as a loaded question considering that it may not be humanly possible for them to top Deja Entendu. Comparisons to earlier records aside, this album is a classic in its own right, deserving a permanent spot in your regular rotation for the forseeable future.
