The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me

Published on by Dontstayinsideblog4 Comments

 

 Today I am reviewing Brand new’s album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me which, even 10 years after release, I believe should be a staple of many a person’s music collection. Brand new formed in 2000, consisting of Jesse Lacey, Vincent Accardi, Garrett Tierney and Brian Lane. They released their album Your Favorite Weapon in 2001 which set them firmly in the punk rock genre. Their clever lyrics and catchy hooks made for an exciting first album. 2003 brought the release of Deja Entendu and a big change for the band in terms of style. Deja Entendu is French for “already heard” and was a playful quip at music fans who compare new music to old saying that it’s all the same. Many considered Deja Entendu to be a more mature album than Your Favorite Weapon, moving on from the angst of breaking up and onto more serious matters of regret and control.

 

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 Fast forward three years and that brings us to the release of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. This review is unfair in some ways as it comes so many years down the road that I have had the chance to personally attach to the record. It is one of my favourite records and always will be. This could be because in true Lacey fashion, the lyrics feel personal and you wonder as you listen, what he could have gone through. The words come out as a poignant reminder of specific times in your own life, sometimes without even relating directly to those experiences.

The first song on the album, called Sowing Season (Yeah) provides a calm, almost acoustic feeling verse. This mellow aura is abruptly torn in two by the heavy chorus, giving you an immediate taster of the album to come. The whole song prepares the way for the rest of the album but holds its ground as a song that stands out. Millstone, the next song on the album, continues to lay the path with statement lyrics. Everyone will undoubtedly find something in this song that hits home.

Unmistakeably the principal song of the whole album, and my personal favourite, Jesus Christ shows Jesse Lacey’s ability to write about more than broken hearts. Speaking directly to Jesus, the band asks questions and makes declarations that are compelling and heavy. Whether or not the listener has questioned religion before, they most certainly will hear the importance of this song.

The haunting music and palpable melancholy continue to hold fast through the next few tracks, occasionally interrupted by bouts of aggression and anger backed up by loud, dramatic, but somehow melodic arrangements. You Won’t Know and Welcome to Bangkok deliver a something that is a little harder to swallow, causing the album to fall ever so slightly short in the middle. With the insight afforded to me by reviewing an album so late after it has been released, I can now see that these songs are a preview of things to come in the next album, Daisy, which was at best, tough to listen to. Even Lacey stated in an interview that it was uncomfortable album to listen to.

Brand new brings the audience back with another favourite, Not The Sun and continues strong right up to the end. Overall the album is a success, if you consider an album devoid of any hope or happiness a success. It is clear throughout the entire album that the band were struggling in their lives but they managed to transfer that into a fantastic album full of emotion and honest lyrics. Perhaps not every song lived up to the overall standard of the record but overall the boys should be applauded for creating a song that somehow plants its feet firmly within not only the emo genre but also reaches out and appeals to so many others.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review, please comment below and let me know what you thought. Tell me what your favourite song was if you listened to the album or even let me know if you would like me to review your favourite album. I hope everyone who reads my blog took up my challenge to listen to the album and give music a chance even when it isn’t to your taste and let me know if you managed that challenge!