Guest Blogger: Alexa 1

Brand New is a musical group whose transformation and development have always intrigued me. Starting in 2000 as just another punk/pop group created by a few high school friends, Brand New has grown in both ability and maturity exponentially. Since their first album, Your Favorite Weapon, the group has developed from a rough-around-the-edges punk band to a more mature indie rock group with its own personal sense of flair. Brand New has a sound that is similar to groups such as Manchester Orchestra and Taking Back Sunday. The mixture of softer sounds and harder rock is a style they all have adapted.
Even though they have since brought out a new album titled Daisy (which is one of their most mature albums they have released due to their exploration of the religious follower and the desire for fulfillment), I would say that their 2006 album Deja Entendu is my personal favorite. The minor chord melodies and Lacey’s whining, breathy voice create a complex mood of regret, desire, and desperation that is impossible to not commiserate with. The second song on the album, “Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades,” offers a quite vulnerable window into a side of teenage romance that is rarely seen. In the song we hear narration of a teenage boy “becoming a man.” The issue is that he’s terrified and unsure of himself. He feels like the girl is moving too fast for him, and he is not prepared for what this will entail for his future and hers. He doesn’t want to do it, but he’s scared he will lose her if he doesn’t. This song makes you do a double take on the emotions of both parties when making a decision like this. It also causes you to think over the possible destructive implications of these actions. Throughout the entire album you see this repeating theme of fear and vulnerability that makes it so enticing.
I fully agree with the statements of critics saying the band’s music “routinely explodes without warning” and keeps you on your toes. I have never been bored listening to a Brand New song, and I don’t plan on ever being in the future.
Overall, I think any one of the Brand New albums is worth picking up. But I warn you, this isn’t easy listening! You need to be active in hearing the lyrics and the messages they offer.