Alternative grunge band Brand New hasn’t graced us with a new album in a few years, but their old work still speaks to so many people. The Long Island-born band has four major albums out, and I think "Deja Entendu" is their best work. Starting off the album is “Tautou,” a slow and eerie-sounding song. Setting the bar high, letting the listener know this album will already be drowning in emotions.
Next is “Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades,” which has an irregular beat and odd timing, but it all works. The angst begins to come out in “I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light” and Jesse Lacey, the lead singer, belts his heart out to the edgy guitar riffs. “Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't” brings back the slowness from the start of the album, but at the end brings in the pure rage that picked up a few tracks deep into the album. The title of the track alone shows the band's wit and humor, while incorporating the grunge feel. Definitely the most well-known song off the album is “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” keeping the angst but a little lighter than the other songs on the album. The signature lyric “wasting letters on lowercases and capitals” comes from this hit. We slow down a lot with “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” that still has the hard-hitting guitars and drums, but is more easy-going.
Lacey tells us about his heart break in a different way than the majority of the album. Picking up the pace again, we go to “Jaws Theme Swimming” that takes on the weirdness we hear earlier in the album. This song is definitely great to sing your heart out to. When you want to cry yourself to sleep definitely listen to the next track, “Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis” where it is evident that Lacey is in the deepest of the heartbreak. The raw, heartfelt emotions are most evident here. The lyric “I almost feel sorry for what I’m gonna do” is sung in Lacey’s softer style voice, and lets us know he isn’t dealing with the breakup too well. “Guernica” picks up the beat again, and is steadier than the other songs. There isn’t as many jumps in pace that we’ve heard compared to “Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't.”
It’s all grunge, all the time. “Good To Know That If I Ever Needed Attention All I Have To Do Is Die” is slower paced, but has the harsh drums and guitar, giving a different vibe than most angst-laced music. Finishing off the album is “Play Crack the Sky,” which I think is their saddest song. We’re listening to a super slow song, that has more lyrical references to sea. Lyrically this song is genius, relating a heartbreak to getting lost at sea. Lacey’s voice is soft and comforting with such heart wrenching lyrics. You feel safe hearing the song, but slip into a mild depression when you absorb it all. Deja Entendu is definitely not for the faint hearted, and has a lot of emotional wear on the listener, but I think it is worth every tear shed.
