Artist: Brand New
Album: The Devil & God are Raging Inside Me
Label: Interscope
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: November 21, 2006

Overall: 9.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 8.5

Originally leaked as a demo in January, the first track on Brand New’s much-anticipated ‘The Devil & God are Raging Inside Me’ is called Sowing Season. Much like its demo counterpart, the song starts without a musical introduction, instead breaking into a barely-changed lyric. Missing, however, is the original second verse. Instead, it is replaced with a catchy ‘I am on the mend/At least now I can say that I am trying/Hope you will forget/The things that I still lack’. It’s at this point in the album that we can truly see the glory of re-writes. While the original lyric was not a weak one (it was, in fact, a favourite of mine), the re-write fits the song more in terms of theme, tone and overall colour.

As announced on their website www.fightoffyourdemons.com, Brand New plans to release their third record, the band’s first with new label Interscope, on November 21st, 2006.

Stay tuned for more info!

Brand New have posted the following two pieces of news on their website:

Street Teamers…we promise that the interview is coming. The guys spent last week mastering the album and taking part in the interview. There was some definite TLC with the questions and it’s hopefully what you’ve been waiting for. It will either be up at the end of this week or at the beginning of September (surreal that September is almost here? Yes!). Aside from the interview, news is coming soon about the release date, the album title, the Fall tour…everything that you may be wondering about. I’m listening to “Take Apart Your Head” (or whatever it will be called…I usually learn right around when you do) blaring through my speakers as i type this. It’s real. Everyone on our side seems to be taking a quick vacation because we all know what’s coming: The New Album.

 

Artist: Brand New
Album: Fight Off Your Demons (Demos)
Label: N/A
Purchase: N/A
Release Date: N/A (Surfaced Jan. 06)

Overall: 9.3
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 9.5
Production: Because these are demos, I’ve chosen not to review the production value

FYI:

The ‘album’ I am reviewing is the collection of nine demos that Brand New leaked onto the internet in January, entitled ‘Fight Off Your Demons’. There is much speculation surrounding the demos, including which ones will be included on the new album. You can’t purchase these demos, but they are available for download all over the internet, so you can probably just google it.