I could probably talk forever about this band, only less than forever on this specific album. Daisy is beautiful. It incorporates some of the most tested and emotional screaming with Brand New's perfected reflective lyrics and a musical talent that far surpasses what I expected. And it's about as draining as that sentence was. Jesse and Vinnie have crafted a dynamic experience, as rich in musicianship as Devil and God was, but unfortunately without all the content.
Don't get me wrong, I still believe that the album fits objectively into a 4-star out of 5 review, but it just wasn't what I expected. It's a maturity in many ways, but is so quick and easy to understand from the very beginning that I'm scared I'll forget about it in six months. With Devil and God it took me time and many listens to really experience songs like "Limousine" "Degausser" and "You Won't Know" (The latter of which I really still know maybe half the lyrics to). They were ripe with analogies, stories, and genuine emotions depicting the experiences each song delivered. With the exception of songs like "Sink" and the semi-industrial finisher "Noro", I feel like I grasped a lot of what each song portrayed so quickly in Daisy, that I was really left wanting more.
So why is Daisy so good then? Because we really haven't heard it before from Brand New, and as a whole the album is a new experience. "Vices" is a cacophony of almost Underoath-esque quality. Strangely audible, decipherable screams are purposefully distorted and layered with several guitar riffs, chord slams, and even slight feedback. It's over before you barely realize it started though, and transitions quickly to "Bed". This song is subtle, and feels like an extension of "Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis" from Deja Entendu, but I haven't quite grasped its purpose. The repetition of "Laid her on the bed" and "Lie to all your friends" is very purposeful, and the lyrics feel random yet poetical. Almost pertaining to a sense of guilt and resistance to relationship. It's an interesting one, but albeit kind of a snoozer.
This dynamic basically carries on throughout the album, louder more explosive songs mixed in with what I can only call "brooding" tracks. "At the Bottom" is one of the few exceptions, as I almost feel like it just doesn't belong with the rest. It's got a much more produced, single-like feel to it, which I don't despise. It in fact will get a lot of people to listen to Daisy, with its Modest Mouse-ish parts and its sweet exploitation of guitar distortion. Also it reminds me a bit of Deja Entendu, but then again for some reason "Vices" reminds me of Your Favourite Weapon's "The Shower Scene." So take what you can from that, either way it's a fantastic single and will gather fans quicker than "Jesus" or "Sowing Season," even though I believe both of those songs are better than it.
So lets talk on a few of the more intense songs. "Gasoline" is also a quicky, which frustrates me to no end. From the moment it starts I am completely hooked. And when Jesse claims "I feel like I'm trying to hold smoke," you believe him completely. But then it's gone, and we're left with a light outro. "Sink" is a masterpiece of screaming glory, with a destructive chorus and a second half that will demand re-plays. Just when you think they've layered everything else into a song, on "In a Jar" you'll hear some sort of choir singing in the background for just moments. "Bought a Bride" is practically Rock Band ready, and is just a solid song that turns yelling into an anthem in a way I must have never heard. There's so much buried within each song I just listed that I'm sure I'll be going back multiple times just to delight in the intricacies each presents in a different way.
But believe me, if you dislike screaming you still give it a listen. "You Stole" is one of those brooding tracks and well performed at that, and I think my favorite will eventually be "Noro," with its impressive length and change of instrumental pace for the band. Like I said earlier, it has an industrial sense to it, along with the semi-experimental "Daisy". They both draw from heavy drums and cymbal work, while well produced, clean guitars just continually riff in the background. These two songs are the least like Brand New of the past, and I'm sure if a new album comes out sometime in the future any new material will be heavily influenced by these powerful tracks. Even when people talk during "Daisy" I don't mind, because it's all meaningful and intentional.
Lastly I want to address the strange additions to this album. "Be Gone" is amazing by the way, that minute and a half of Jesse screaming into his pickups. It's beautiful and original in my opinion, and reminds me of all the great live shows the band does. The intro and outro I can live without, and "Daisy" has those voices which I can rationalize but which can definitely detract when you just want to listen to the song. Seriously, when your album is about 40 minutes long, why would you add like 3 minutes of basically nothing? It confuses me, especially when I want to listen to "Vices" and I have to cut like 2 minutes in.
Brand New should continue to be my favorite band with Daisy, so we'll see how long that lasts. This album is the definition of maturity in ways that so many bands of this era need to take note of. So I'm basically done digging into it for now, just make sure you check it out.
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