Brand New ready next (perhaps final?) album.
July 9th, 2009 by Joel Weiss in Commentary, New Releases, NewsPunknews.org reported this week that Long Island emo-rockers Brand New named and dated their upcoming fourth album. And One Head Can Never Die is scheduled to drop September 22, sandwiched between new albums by Muse (9/14, hopefully the next day in the U.S.) and AFI (9/29).
UPDATE: According to Aversion.com, Brand New renamed their forthcoming album Daisy.
As much as I love and revere Muse, my hopes and expectations are even higher for Brand New. While frontman Jesse Lacey never hesitated to elaborate his deepest, inner-most feelings even dating back to their pop-punk-leaning debut Your Favorite Weapon (2001), the musical progression showcased on the band’s two successive albums dwarfs his still-impressive growth as a lyricist. Deja Entendu (2003) and The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me (2006) find two almost completely different bands, each superior to the last.
With Brand New progressing by leaps and bounds with each release, why does the end now draw near? (VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP)
In a recent interview Lacey discussed his inspiration behind the new album.
I think a lot of the record is about us trying to make decisions about how long the band should go on. When I listened back to it, I realized how many songs are about something coming to a close, or knowing when it’s time to put something away and move on.
Three year gaps preceded both Brand New’s forthcoming and previous efforts. Jesse Lacey, as many emo heroes are wont to do, bares his soul in every song — a time-consuming process. Lacey also claims, “I’ve never made money off a record sale.” After spending nearly a decade recording four albums, he’s clearly pondering the end of this band. Will And One Head Can Never Die Daisy send Brand New off on a high note?
I’m a little worried [about the new album]. It’s a pretty exhausting record. It’s quite dense and I think some of the decisions we made don’t always go in the most obvious direction. We were thinking a lot more about what we’d want to play when we were up onstage rather than actually what you’d want to hear on a record.
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me was as challenging and exhausting an alt-rock record as I’ve heard over the past several years. While quite dynamic compared to their previous output, Devil And God exhibited a brooding darkness so thorough not even its most upbeat moments like the anthemic “The Archers Bows Have Broken” and the poppy “Not The Sun” can escape the melancholy. As a Brand New fan, Jesse Lacey’s anticipation excites me.
“The Archers Bows Have Broken” off The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me (2006)
“Jesus Christ” (live) from The Late Show With David Letterman (2007)
“Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades” off Deja Entendu (2003)
July 9th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I’ve been waiting for this album for so long and I’m so excited to hear it.
It would make me very sad if they broke up, but I would completely understand.
Can’t wait for the tour too!
Thanks for the news Joel!!
July 9th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
“Devil and God” is one of my favorite records of all time. Hadn’t heard the earlier stuff. Just watched the “Sic Transit Gloria” video – I’ve heard that song a hundred times and never knew it was them. Can’t wait for the new one.