Brand New: The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me

Album: The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me
Artist: Brand New
Release Date: November 2006
Label: Interscope Records
Format: CD

Track Listing:

1. Sowing Season (Yeah)
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. Untitled
11. The Archers Bows Have Broken
12. Handcuffs
13. Luca (Reprisal Version)(UK Bonus Track

By 2006, it had been a rough couple of years for Jesse Lacey. Since the release of 2003’s “Déjà Entendu”, 15 loved ones had died, all of which mentioned in this albums liner, chronicled forever. The opening line of this album reflects his emotions, as he states “was losin’ all my friends/was losin’ them to drinking and to driving”. As a man, Lacey has had a mixed relationship with the press, only giving a few interviews for the release of Brand News latest and third release. Maybe this is because of the love/hate relationship they share with Taking Back Sunday, which the media indulge in, or maybe just because of Lacey’s personality, one that crafts lyrics so beautiful, that only his idols, Stephen Morrissey or Robert Smith could compete with. By the time that the first track, “Sowing Season (Yeah)” ends, you feel that you have been let in to the dark heart of a man who has lost all connection with the humanity which once surrounded him, only for all of these emotions to be reimbursed in the next track, where he blames himself for his Friends and Families relationship (or lack thereof).

This album is dark. I wouldn’t call it the darkest album, nowhere near it, but for a band who at the beginning of their career were writing songs with titles like “Jude Law and a Semester Abroad”, this is a departure. One of the emotionally hitting songs of the album is “Limousine”, a song written about the real life Katie Flynn, a 7-year old girl, who on her way to the reception of a wedding, was hit by a drunk. The song divulges into the feelings of the different people involved, including the driver and, very chillingly, the morose feelings of a parent, trying to make the best out of a bad situation, with the last words being “I should be laughing right now”.

The third song, Jesus Christ is about a Mans feeling over his own mortality, and the eventuality of death, begging for a warning from his saviour, yet the music in the song makes it beautiful. The fourth song, “Degausser”, about, among other things, Laceys feelings his own failures, is accompanied by a choir of children, adding an extra haunting to an album full of them. The official American version of this album has 12 tracks, the English with an extra track (a mastered demo of “Luca”, a track on the album), and of these, there are 2 instrumental tracks, the 7 minute long “limousine”, and many other, beautiful yet destructive songs.

To finish this review, I am going to tell you that I cannot recommend a single song, as this album is better listened to as a whole. I am also going to tell you, it isn’t for everyone. Brand new have often been described as being a band which you either love or hate, and from my experiences of this album, it’s definitely an acquired taste. But all of that aside, I would recommend EVERYONE get hold of this album. Jesse Lacey has told people he doesn’t care how they acquire this album, because he’s never seen a penny for it, so buy it, borrow it, but make sure you hear it, because this album is like Da Vinci’s masterpiece, and shouldn’t be overlooked.