It’s hard to put into words what Brand New meant to me during my late teens and early 20’s. They were undoubtedly one of my favorite bands for a long period of time, held the top spot for a good chunk of that, and spanned multiple groups of friends. Deja Entendu was the soundtrack to a simply astounding number of epic moments during high school, and The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me served as the de facto banger during my freshman year in college. I’ve seen them live a bunch of time and always found a connection with that sense of tortured angst which seemingly plagued the band as a whole. They took the emo genre and turned it into artistic expression in a way that no other band of that era was able to accomplish, trading in the tropes of youthful anxiety that perpetuated their excellent Your Favorite Weapon in exchange for a deeper and more mystical reflection on the everlong struggle of humanity to find its ways.
There’s very few artists who lyrically have influenced as much as Brand New’s Jesse Lacey has. It’s been well chronicled how his clinical case of depression has impacted his life, including his penchant for reclusivity during Brand New’s highwater commercial marks, and in retrospect it becomes even more difficult to listen to his lyrics knowing they come from a place deeper than an artistic narrative– the themes of original sin, religious crisis of faith, existentialism, and the neverending quest to be accepted that litter the pages of Devil & God’s lyric sheet aren’t just a thematic choice. They are personal. Deeply. And that presents a sort of moral quandry to some degree listening to them again at the age of 36. As a father with two young kids it’s hard to listen to a person so tortured and consumed by his own scattered thoughts, a future I hope to never have to see anyone close to me fully experience, but as an avid consumer of music I’m thankful that Lacey and Brand New were able to capture those feelings in a bottle and deliver to the world a collection of music that will forever stand the test of time. The songwriting on this album is simply unparalleled in its metaphors, allegories, and storytelling achievements– it’s a masterclass that will remain on my pantheon of all-time greats until I’m dead and gone. It’s not hyperbole to state that this is one of the most important alternative rock records to ever be recorded, right up there with Nirvana’s Nevermind for its impact on the genre and all the bands that followed in their footsteps.
And while Lacey was the primary component of Brand New that always shined the brightest for me, the machinery behind him was operating with an intensity that elevated that output to something larger than the sum of their collective parts. Guitarist Vinny Accardi’s instincts for atmospheric soundpainting are simply unparalleled, with each brushstroke of his guitar adding to the intensity of the performances. Drummer Brian Lane’s thunderous drums cut through the mix like gunshots (I’ll never forget seeing them live and feeling my heart skip some beats while they had dual drummers blasting away on the toms), and bassist Garrett Tierney holds everything together like glue by accentuating every poignant moment with an unsettling harmony that brings a new color to the melodies. It was a band operating at peak efficiency.
The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me is one of those records that is more than just a collection of excellent individual songs. It is a living breathing entity that continues to morph and transform two decades since it was released.
Standout Songs: “Sowing Season (Yeah)”, “Archers”, “Jesus Christ”, “Degausser”, “Limousine”, “Not The Sun”, “Luca”
