Brand New
Daisy

THE REVIEW

The album opens with the notes of “On Life's Highway,” a Gospel from the '20s written by Betrand Brown and included as the opening and closing of the album at the behest of Jesse Lacey, the band's frontman.

A female voice cradles us for a little over a minute in a delicate and intense manner.

Far away from any road

Roams my heart in solitude

For a moment, we agree to be lulled with our approval. However, we know well enough that this aura of peace and melancholic tranquility is not meant to last.

With unexpected aggression and ferocity, “Vices” bursts violently, officially starting the album and confirming that approach of detachment from faith already hinted at in “Jesus” (see “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me”) and which will be revisited in the album (“Noro”).

Much can be said about Brand New. Whether they are particularly original remains to be seen (the title of their second album “Déjà Entendu,” already heard, seems emblematic); however, credit must be given to them for their willingness not to always sound precisely the same. With this “Daisy,” they do not completely rehash, as they could have, the excellent predecessor (which I consider a true masterpiece), but choose to explore new paths while firmly holding onto what they know how to play.

While on one hand, tracks like “Bed”, “At the bottom” (the first single released), “Bought a Bride” do not offer anything new, following the typically Brand New formula of the third album (which does not mean they lack interest), other moments of the album stand out for experimentation and courage. A glaring example is “Be Gone,” an acid blues supported by a mechanical percussion drive and a simply unsettling vocal style. It couldn't be further from certain easy-listening choruses they had accustomed us to. Another track I particularly appreciated is the title track, “Daisy,” a song in the band's style and poetic tone that proceeds in its first half with an electronic drum, interspersed with a child's voice. However, I believe it is in the closure that we find the true gem of the album. “Noro” starts softly, with Lacey's voice as tense as possible.

Little light, lead us through the night

And if we die, burn the forest.

...then in a crescendo of desolate and inexorable melancholy. One of the emotional peaks of the album without a doubt, with the frontman’s voice returning to exorcise his demons.

I'm on my way to hell.

Ending the album as it began, leaving all frustrations behind.

Let's make it clear that “Daisy,” unfortunately, does not reach the levels of its predecessor for me.

The quality of the tracks is noticeably lower; few songs in this album manage to convey the same intensity that dwells in songs like “Jesus,” “Degausser,” “Limousine,” “Handcuffs.”

So if “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” deserves the 5 stars from me, I give this “Daisy,” despite partially appreciating it a lot, only 3.

Despite this, I continue to eagerly await their next work, even though the latest singles released haven't always thrilled me.

Brand New, Daisy (2009): A good level album, although the comparison to their masterpiece is inevitable. It's up to you to decide if it measures up or not. Recommended album.

Favorite tracks: “Bed,” “You Stole,” “Be Gone,” “Daisy,” “Noro”

Least favorite tracks: “Vices,” “Sink”