Brand New
| Brand New | |
|---|---|
 Jesse Lacey performing live in San Diego.
|
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Levittown, New York, United States |
| Genre(s) | Pop punk[1][2][3] Indie rock[3] Alternative rock[4] |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Label(s) | Tiny Evil Interscope (2004–present) Triple Crown (2001–2004) Iodine (2000–2001) |
| Website | Official website |
| Members | |
| Jesse Lacey Garrett Tierney Brian Lane Vincent Accardi |
|
Brand New is a band based in the United States. It currently consists of lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist Jesse Lacey; guitarist Vincent Accardi; bass guitarist Garrett Tierney; and drummer Brian Lane.[5] The band was formed in 2000 in Merrick, New York[5] and consists partly of former members of the band The Rookie Lot. Brand New has toured with many bands including Thrice, Crime In Stereo, Dashboard Confessional, and MewithoutYou.[6]
The band has released three studio albums so far—Your Favorite Weapon (2001), Deja Entendu (2003), and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006). On February 12, 2007, in an interview with BBC Manchester, Lacey stated that the band plans to release another album. On August 18, 2008 the band announced via a MySpace update that they are wrapping up their tour and plan to record new music in the Fall.
Contents |
History
Formation
Brand New is from Long Island, New York. In the late 1990s Jesse Lacey, Garrett Tierney, Brian Lane, Brandon Reilly and Alex Dunne were all members of The Rookie Lot, a post-hardcore band largely influenced by groups such as Lifetime. The Rookie Lot released a 5-track demo and a split 7" with Yearly before breaking up in late 1999. After The Rookie Lot broke up, Brandon Reilly went on to be a guitarist in The Movielife and Alex Dunne played guitar in Crime In Stereo. Lacey and Lane continued to play together with Tierney joining them shortly thereafter. The three started writing new material, with the help of Brandon Reilly, for the new project. The members started looking for a second guitarist and eventually found the then 17 year-old Vincent Accardi. Accardi decided to join the band after hearing the trio play "The Shower Scene", the first song they wrote together. Lacey has repeatedly stated that the name for the band was borrowed from a friend's band that disbanded. Between their formation in 2000 and Your Favorite Weapon's release in 2001, Brand New released two demo CDs, the first of which was originally available as a free MP3 download on their website. Both demos contained songs that were rerecorded for Your Favorite Weapon.
Your Favorite Weapon
After signing a single album deal on Triple Crown Records, the band set to work on their debut, Your Favorite Weapon. The album was to be a mix of rerecorded songs from their demos as well as several new ones. The album was produced by Mike Sapone[7] and was a moderate success. The record deal gave the band the opportunity to tour, both nationally and internationally, supporting bands like Taking Back Sunday, Less Than Jake, Glassjaw, Incubus and Finch.[8]
The only single released from Your Favorite Weapon was "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad", which received airplay on both MTV2 and Fuse.
In August 2002, Iodine Recordings released Your Favorite Weapon on 12" vinyl along with an extra track, "...My Nine Rides Shotgun", a demo from the band's early days. 500 copies were pressed on clear blue vinyl and 100 copies were pressed on white. Because of high demand, Iodine Recordings repressed Your Favorite Weapon in early 2003 on clear vinyl, limited to 300 copies.
Soon after the release of Your Favorite Weapon, the band released two songs on a split EP with Safety in Numbers, which contained the tracks "Moshi Moshi" and a cover of Love Spit Love's "Am I Wrong". "Moshi Moshi" was also later available as a B-side on the UK "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" single.
Deja Entendu
The band's second album, Deja Entendu, was released in June 2003 to much acclaim. The album contains slower, deeper songs than those on Your Favorite Weapon, with a more polished sound. The album was produced by Steven Haigler, who was the sound engineer on the Pixies' Trompe le Monde.[9] The title is French, literally translating to "already heard," which is said to be at critics who claimed that the band sounded like every other group in the genre. Jesse Lacey got the name for the album while watching an episode of Jeopardy!. The band has stated that most of the songs were not demoed and were "rushed", and that eleven out of the twelve songs recorded for the album appeared on it - with only "Flying At Tree Level (Version 1.0)" left off, which later appeared on the Beer: The Movie soundtrack. "Play Crack the Sky", whose title refers to Lacey's friend yelling out "play Crack the Sky!" during another band's concert, was a late addition. The album debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200.[10]
Three singles were released from this album on Eat Sleep Records and Sorepoint Records. The first single released was "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows." Their second single from the album, "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades," is a shortened version of the common Latin phrase sic transit gloria mundi ("Thus passes the glory of the world") and is a reference to a line from the movie Rushmore. Both of these singles were top 40 hits within the UK, and their videos received relatively heavy rotation on MTV2 and Fuse TV.[8] The band released a third single from this album, "I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light," (the title a reference to a line in the young adult book The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks) solely for radio play.[11]
During 2003, their debut album was also remastered and re-released, followed by its debut in Australia and Japan in early 2004. A limited edition EP, entitled The Holiday EP, was released soon after the album in late 2003, available only to the band's Street Team members. It contained demos from Deja Entendu, album art by artist Brian Ewing, as well as a new song - "O Holy Night." Available for only the price of postage, this EP sold out quickly, and has never been re-released. Consequently, it is extremely rare.
On December 28, 2003, New York Times music critic Kelefa Sanneh ranked Deja Entendu number 5 on his Top 10 albums of the year. Brand New were also named Alternative Press' Artist of the Year in their annual Reader's Poll.[12]
"The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" was also selected to be on EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 as part of their soundtrack for the game when it was released on September 22, 2003.
Between May 2004 and June 2005, no new material or information was publicly released to fans. During that time, however, the band signed to major label Dreamworks. Interscope Records bought out the label shortly after.[8]
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
In late 2005, Brand New started recording their highly-anticipated third album in Oxford, Mississippi with producer Dennis Herring, but later dropped him in favor of Mike Sapone with whom they had worked on their first album.[5]
On January 24, 2006, nine demos recorded in preparation of the new album were leaked onto the Internet. All nine tracks were untitled and were of unknown origin. It was stated by an unknown source that these demos "probably won't be on Fight Off Your Demons", the then-rumored title for the new album based on the band's new website address. In the following months, with Brand New doing their first tour dates in over 18 months, a few songs from the demos were performed with a full band, some were fleshed out and had new lyrics. New songs had their debut as well during the summer tour dates. There was much speculation about the names of songs and the album name but very little solid information. Brand New began their first tour in years on June 20, 2006 at New Jersey's famous Starland Ballroom, where Lacey stated that the album had been finished the previous day.
After much speculation and rumor regarding the final release date, and Alternative Press publishing a preliminary date of October 10 2006, as the release date, the official website announced that the new album would finally be released on November 21 2006 in North America, and the day before in Europe. Soon after, a track listing and cover art were revealed, as well as new information regarding the release of the first actual single - "Sowing Season" - one of the new tracks previewed during the summer tour. "Sowing Season" was revealed to be the final version of the song formerly known to fans as "Untitled 08". The single finally got a public airing on radio on October 19 2006, and appeared on their MySpace page a day later. According to Lacey in a radio interview from the UK (BBC Radio 1 with Zane Lowe), the title The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me is taken from a conversation he had with his friend about the musician Daniel Johnston, who has bipolar disorder.[13]
In late December 2006, an unusual video was released for the instrumental track "Untitled", also known as "-", which mainly consists of a man spray painting a wall with "evil and good are raging Inside me" and correcting it to give the album title. On January 16, 2007, "Jesus Christ" was announced as being the "official" first single from the album. On January 19, the band performed the song on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. They performed it again on February 26 on the Late Show with David Letterman.[14]
From January to June 2007, the band toured the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia, including a headline slot on the UK's Give It A Name tour and playing the main stage at The Bamboozle festival. Despite the band's reluctance towards the press around the time of the release of the album, they were featured in Alternative Press, a cover story for Rock Sound, Kerrang!, and NME. The band went tour for the fall of 2007, with openers Thrice and MewithoutYou. In early 2008, Brand New toured Australia and New Zealand on the Big Day Out festival.[15]
On October 19, 2007, the band announced via their MySpace and their official website that a new song, entitled "(Fork and Knife)", would be released online on October 23, 2007. "(Fork and Knife)", a rerecorded version of the track formerly called "Untitled 7" by fans from the leaked demos, was released as a single track download. The song has, thus far, been exclusively an Internet download and has yet to see a physical release. The song was released in Japan on October 31, 2007.
Recent activity
On March 21, 2008, Alternative Press reported that Brand New started their own record label, named Procrastinate! Music Traitors. The first act signed to the new label was longtime friend Kevin Devine.[16] The first release from this label will be a reissue of the 2006 Kevin Devine album Put Your Ghost To Rest[17]
On July 17, during his acoustic concert with Kevin Devine and Brian Bonz in Seattle, Lacey debuted the first new material from their upcoming album. It can be seen here. This song was played for the first time live with the full band at the Shoreline Amphitheatre for San Francisco's leg of the 2008 Download Festival. While no official title has been given to the song, fans have dubbed it both 'Trees' and 'Brickhouse.' On one setlist it is named "Bride"
On August 18, 2008, the following information was posted on the official Brand New website:
| “ | "For those of you who have been asking, BN will not be doing any other club shows in 2008 (other than the ones that are currently listed). There may be one or two more college shows. Recording is first on the list right now... | ” |
On September 25, 2008, Brand New performed with Nas at Michigan State University for the iVote event at the Breslin Center.
On October 23 2008 in an Alternative Press interview, Alex Dunne of Crime In Stereo stated that Brand New is in the studio winding down their new record and are currently recording vocals. [18]
Members
- Jesse Lacey – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriting
- Vincent Accardi – lead guitar, backing vocals, songwriting
- Garrett Tierney – bass
- Brian Lane – drums
- Derrick Sherman - rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Benjamin Homola - drum tech - second drummer for select songs (Millstone, Degausser, Welcome to Bangkok, Limousine, Tautou)
Discography
Albums
- Your Favorite Weapon (2001)
- Deja Entendu (2003)
- The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006)
EPs
- Brand New/Safety in Numbers Split EP (2002)
- The Holiday EP (2003)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart position | Label | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Modern Rock[19] | U.S. | U.K. | ||||
| 2002 | "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" | - | - | 108 | Eat Sleep | Your Favorite Weapon |
| 2003 | "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" | 37 | - | 39 | Eat Sleep/Sore Point | Deja Entendu |
| 2004 | "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" | - | - | 37 | Sore Point | |
| 2006 | "Sowing Season" | - | - | - | Interscope | The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me |
| 2007 | "Jesus Christ" | 30 | - | - | Interscope | |
| 2007 | "(Fork and Knife)" | - | 124 | - | Interscope | Non-album digital single |
Demos
- First Four-Track Demo (2000)
- Second Demo (2001)
- Deja Entendu demos (2003)
- Fight Off Your Demons demos (2006)
Compilation appearances
- Beer: The Movie (2003) ("Flying at Tree Level (Version 1.0)")
Videography
- "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" (2002)
- "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" (2003)
- "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" (2003)
- "Untitled" (2006)
References
- ↑ http://www.emotionalpunk.com/cdreview/45/
- ↑ http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=75902
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3dl67uu0b0jk
- ↑ http://au.music.ign.com/articles/750/750880p1.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Brand New Biography". Official Brand New website (2006). Retrieved on 2006-02-18.
- ↑ "Tour dates".
- ↑ "Your Favorite Weapon by Brand New". musicmatch guide. Retrieved on December 15, 2005.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Hopkin, Kenyon (2007). "Brand New: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- ↑ "Brand New: Deja Entendu: Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
- ↑ "Artist Chart History: Albums". Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- ↑ "K-Rock Top 92.3 of 2004". Modern Rocklists. Retrieved on August 13, 2007.
- ↑ "Brand New Press Highlights" (PDF). Razor & Tie Media Services (2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- ↑ Zane Lowe. "Zane Lowe interview with Jesse Lacey", BBC Radio 1. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
- ↑ McIntee, Michael Z. (2007-02-26). "Monday, February 26, 2007, Show #2713 Recap". CBS.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ↑ "Big Day Out 08 Second Announcement". Big Day Out (2007-11-20).
- ↑ Heisel, Scott (2008-03-21). "Brand New Start Record Label, Sign Kevin Devine". Alternative Press. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- ↑ Terry, Ben (2008-03-23). "Brand New Starts A Record Label - Signs Kevin Devine - What a Great Choice". Self-Proclaimed Expert. Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
- ↑ Alternative Press, Interview with Alex Dunn of Crime In Stereo.
- ↑ "Artist Chart History: Singles". Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
External links
- Official website
- Brand New at MySpace
- Official Absolutepunk.net profile with band news, songs and videos
- Interscope Records Profile
- Interview that got Brand New in trouble for suggesting The Movielife's break up was due to Drive Thru Records
|
|||||||||||||||||