Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me

Rating

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RIYL

Sunny Day Real Estate
Radiohead
The Appleseed Cast
Braid

Label

Interscope

Tracklist

1. Sowing Season
2. Millstone
3. Jesus
4. Degausser
5. Limousine (MS Rebridge)
6. You Won't Know
7. Welcome to Bangkok
8. Not the Sun
9. Luca
10. Archers Bows Have Broken
11. Handcuffs

Users Rating

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5 ratings

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Recent Ratings

There’s simply no way Brand New’s first major label album and third overall doesn’t have a heap of hype surrounding it. Three years after the hugely commercial and critical success that was Déjà Entendu, Brand New have finally returned, already prefaced by rumors of a breakup and highly publicized internet demos released earlier this year. A major label debut is enough pressure to cause any band to crumble, but Brand New pull through and will finally release one of the most hyped albums of 2006. The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me doesn’t disappoint.

When “Sowing Season (Yeah)” hit Myspace a few weeks ago, an even bigger frenzy began than after the demos leaked, as the song’s improved production (from those demos) hinted at a new direction for the band. Sure enough, The Devil and God is a huge progression for the band, further distancing the quartet from the Finch, New Found Glory and Blink-182 tours they began on. Déjà Entendu saw the band make a huge step from pop-punk into Thursday influenced rock, and although “Sowing Season (Yeah),” on its own, sounds relatively similar to the Déjà style, it is one of the few songs on The Devil and God that has any relationship to emo, screamo, post-hardcore, and punk. While the band’s roots may lie within the aforementioned genres, Brand New reached back and found earlier influences in Braid and Sunny Day Real Estate, grasping for a prettier, cleaner sound. Combine those roots with Radiohead’s early guitar-based experimentation – think “My Iron Lung” – and The Devil and God could be its lovechild, making it Brand New’s potential launch pad for a revolutionary musical career.

An individual song-to-song analysis of The Devil wouldn’t do the band or album justice. There is no monumentally spanning track like “Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades” on The Devil because a cohesively united album is the album’s theme. There are most definitely pinnacle tracks, like “Limousine,” “You Won’t Know,” “Luca,” and the instrumental “Welcome to Bangkok” in particular, but The Devil stands up better as a full listen from a full band.

Some aspects showcased on The Devil really suggest that this band has what it takes to be as integral to the modern musical landscape as Radiohead. This album is similar to The Bends in the sense that every listen gets better and is an audible departure from earlier releases. Additionally, like The Bends, The Devil is a sign that Brand New is maturing into something genius and on the brink of a pure masterpiece with their next release – assuming there will be one. While the band still stumbles on occasion, Brand New’s Devil is a heavenly hell raiser, and wins the 2006 award for living up to the hype for being one of the year’s most anticipated albums. The hype surrounding The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me might have been destructively massive, but Brand New’s response and delivery is thunderously successful.

From a linear perspective, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me is not as memorable or mind-blowing as Déjà Entendu; however, The Devil is the natural and most impressive direction Brand New could’ve made following Déjà Entendu. Thus far, the band has not made a repeat album, they continue to grow, and the band displays that they have the potential to become an influential musical giant.

Today I read a fantastic quote from Esquire book critic Scott Raab who wrote, “A slugging middleweight is still a middleweight.” Directly applied to Brand New, they might be a slugging middleweight right now, but they’ve got the skills and tools to soon be a heavyweight champion.

--Kamran Rouzpay

Author

Kamran
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:55PM

Comments

Effigy
11/27/2006
07:14AM
Location
DeKalb, Illinois
I did like this album a lot, especially the song "Jesus". Unlike "Deja", it's not intended to rock out to. My only real complaint is that there is no song parallel to "Sic Transit Gloria" on this album, which might just be a mix blessing in the end. I'm not even sure it's possible to top "Sic Transit Gloria", so why bother trying to?
Kerwin White
11/27/2006
07:33AM
Age: 26
Location
blockbuster
Excellent CD, good review, and I agree with the rating wholeheartedly.
music soup
11/27/2006
08:24AM
Age: 30
Location
los angeles
this album does rock, and when it rocks, it rocks hard. i think it's a huge progression forward, and the more i listen to the lyrics, the more they stick with me. this album rules.

did they offer you buttsex?

MariusDaFunk
11/27/2006
08:42AM
Age: 25
Location
Berlin, Germany
This is indeed a superb cd ... I like 'Jesus Christ', too. The best song is 'Degausser' though.
philthy
11/27/2006
08:51AM
Age: 33
Location
Hoboken, New Jersey
I thought Deja was a very good cd, but this one really hits home for me. They've ditched any ties to the pop-emo confection that is dominating a million teenagers' hearts nowadays and become a full-fledged rock band. Apparently they've rediscovered 90's college rock . . . and for me, that's a good thing.
Mike Duchnowsky
11/27/2006
01:28PM
Age: 27
Location
West Haven, CT
This cd is a little flat in my opinion,
Sure there's nice The Smiths rip offs here and there. But it feels like it doesn't go anywhere.
Sowing season (yeah) is probably my least favorite single ever to be released. I have interest in hearing some guy shout "YEAH!"
Besides the fact there was a long wait behind this cd, I see no real movement in music, It has it's filler tracks and it has it's pop,rock,emotionally angry parts but all of the commercial t.v bands are doing the same thing
Seriously this cd should get 3 out of 5

The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.

daganjatribe
11/27/2006
02:10PM
Location
Austin
this cd superb, nice review kam

The Daily Galaxy
An elephant that never forgets...to kill!

GhostHero76
11/27/2006
02:35PM
Location
AZ
color me impressed. there's no way this is the same band that put out Deja... wow.

www.myspace.com/arcoftheaurora

effinkatrina
11/27/2006
02:39PM
Location
Oregon
Well done Kamran :) I'm listening to the album right now and keep finding little things about each song that make me like them even more, oh Brand New....
MariusDaFunk
11/27/2006
03:01PM
Age: 25
Location
Berlin, Germany
Mike D Hates You
This cd is a little flat in my opinion,
Sure there's nice The Smiths rip offs here and there. But it feels like it doesn't go anywhere.


I wouldn't call it flat ... some people would call it that way, I prefer the term 'chilling'. You may argue this is just too boring, while I find it rather amusing - to me listening to this album is like riding on a wave ... just smooth and relaxed, with some like shaking in it ( it may sound as if I'm on drugs, but don't worry I'm not ).

What really annoys me, though, is the fact that people always bring up the fact that something is a 'rip-off'.
Music as any other art always derives from other sources ... people are influenced by people that are influenced by people .. and so on ! The main problem in our society is not the fact that there is nothing innovative to be found ( crossing of genres, mixing as many possible genres into one or total abstraction leading to extremes - such as hardcore in any way - are the only new faces in today's music that seem to differ from what we know ) - the real problem is that people can't accept that we really cannot re-invent the wheel over and over again ! This issue is not only established in music, it's everywhere ... take a look around: paintings, books, etc. !
It does not exclude that there can't be anything new anymore ( exceptions make the rules, right !? )... it is just that we have to live with the fact that this is becoming rare and seldom.
music soup
11/27/2006
03:06PM
Age: 30
Location
los angeles
Mike D Hates You
This cd is a little flat in my opinion,
Sure there's nice The Smiths rip offs here and there. But it feels like it doesn't go anywhere.
Sowing season (yeah) is probably my least favorite single ever to be released. I have interest in hearing some guy shout "YEAH!"
Besides the fact there was a long wait behind this cd, I see no real movement in music, It has it's filler tracks and it has it's pop,rock,emotionally angry parts but all of the commercial t.v bands are doing the same thing
Seriously this cd should get 3 out of 5



I don't agree with you at all.

And I'm a little confused by your statement "I have interest in hearing some guy shout "YEAH!"" - doesn't really make sense, since I know you're trying to bash the album.

did they offer you buttsex?

JohnnyL
11/27/2006
03:37PM
Age: 30
Location
Columbus, Ohio
The thing that makes this album so strong is clearly evident in "Sowing Season (Yeah)." Brand New doesn't need catchy melodies or hooks to make it a fantastic song. The guitar riff carries the song and makes it memorable. Musically I think this album is fantastic, and as always, the lyrics are some of the best. Jesse Lacey can write that is for sure.

Recommending: Anberlin, Interpol, Chamberlain, House of Heroes

SMERICH
11/27/2006
03:49PM
Outstanding review and a perfect rating. I was expecting to be disappointed after hearing all of the people bitching over the leak, but I have been listening to this album virtually non-stop and it lived up to the hype for me as well.

My Reviews
The Biltmores "Same Story, Same Ending"
Deftones "Saturday Night Wrist"
Owen "At Home With Owen"
Jeremy Enigk "World Waits"
War Of Ages "Pride Of The Wicked"
Samiam "Whatever's Got You Down"
The Mars Volta "Amputechture"

Mike Duchnowsky
11/27/2006
04:17PM
Age: 27
Location
West Haven, CT
This cd is far from "great"
It has it's moments, That's all i'm saying.

The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.

Zach Roth
11/27/2006
04:44PM
Age: 23
Location
Fishers, Indiana
Great review, Kamran.

I'm really surprised I'm saying that.

Top Albums: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 || Tumblr | Twitter

lpshinobi
11/27/2006
05:11PM
Age: 23
Location
VT
It hasn't sunk in yet, but I'll be surprised if I like it more than Deja Entendu. I still listen to that album quite a bit.

My Top Songs of '09
The Appleseed Cast//as the little things go
Caspian//sycamore
Sunwrae//Chinook Winds
Dredg//down to the seller
If These Trees Could Talk//the sun is in the north
From Monument to Masses//an ounce of prevention
Straylight Run//i'm through with the past


LpShinobi's Post-Rock and Shoegazing Recommendation, via YouTube

Lpshinobi's Post-Rock Band, New Song Posted

thebeefies
11/27/2006
05:31PM
Location
Lookin' out your backdoor
Well, looks like Mike D has good taste in music because he goes "against the grain"...edgy...yeah.

Awesome album.
Bill
11/27/2006
07:06PM
Location
Deptford, NJ
music soup
I don't agree with you at all.

And I'm a little confused by your statement "I have interest in hearing some guy shout "YEAH!"" - doesn't really make sense, since I know you're trying to bash the album.
I think he left out the no, in "I have no interest..."

billpyle.com | Divine.
Want to make free money?

Mike Duchnowsky
11/27/2006
07:43PM
Age: 27
Location
West Haven, CT
thebeefies
Well, looks like Mike D has good taste in music because he goes "against the grain"...edgy...yeah.

Awesome album.


I'm not really "going against the grain"
I just think the last 5 cd reviews on here have been bullshit.
This cd is good but it's really far from "great" and it's really not all of that original.....yeah....

The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.

Dante
11/27/2006
07:47PM
Age: 21
Location
Fort Bragg, CA
Mike D Hates You
This cd is a little flat in my opinion,
Sure there's nice The Smiths rip offs here and there. But it feels like it doesn't go anywhere.
Sowing season (yeah) is probably my least favorite single ever to be released. I have interest in hearing some guy shout "YEAH!"
Besides the fact there was a long wait behind this cd, I see no real movement in music, It has it's filler tracks and it has it's pop,rock,emotionally angry parts but all of the commercial t.v bands are doing the same thing
Seriously this cd should get 3 out of 5



Well, to each his own.
danal
11/27/2006
08:06PM
Age: 25
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I don't necessarily like this album either. It's not that this album is terrible, it just seems to me that the album doesn't really have a good flow to it, but that's just me. I do, however, enjoy Sowing Season, Handcuffs and Luca (both the acoustic and non acoustic). I, for the most part, enjoy BN a lot more acoustic then I do plugged in, so that may be why. Whatever.
They should have kept Untitled 05 (Cleanser).

"Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative."

MySpace / Facebook

effinkatrina
11/27/2006
08:11PM
Location
Oregon
danal
I don't necessarily like this album either. It's not that this album is terrible, it just seems to me that the album doesn't really have a good flow to it, but that's just me. I do, however, enjoy Sowing Season, Handcuffs and Luca (both the acoustic and non acoustic). I, for the most part, enjoy BN a lot more acoustic then I do plugged in, so that may be why. Whatever.
They should have kept Untitled 05 (Cleanser).


Yeah man, they totally should've kept 05 from the demos, and 09 too. I was actually surprised that Luca and Sowing Season were the only demos that made the album.
Kamran
11/27/2006
08:17PM
Location
The Great North Woods
i thought handcuffs was the weakest track on the album.

Darla Farmer
RIYL:
the Beatles
Tom Waits
Murder By Death
A Whisper in the Noise
the Blood Brothers

Denizen
11/27/2006
09:06PM
Location
Bedford, OH
I'm finding more and more that I'm consistently enjoying this with repeat listens. I mean, I was satisfied when it first graced my ears, but I can see me enjoying this for a while to come.

rasta

danal
11/27/2006
09:49PM
Age: 25
Location
Toronto, Ontario
effinkatrina
Yeah man, they totally should've kept 05 from the demos, and 09 too. I was actually surprised that Luca and Sowing Season were the only demos that made the album.

I'm surprised 07 didn't make it on either, especially since they played that live a lot apparently.
Kamran
i thought handcuffs was the weakest track on the album.

Yeah, lyrically it's not their strongest, but theres something about Lacey and an acoustic guitar that I love.

"Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative."

MySpace / Facebook