5.0 classic

Adam Knott CONTRIBUTOR | July 14th 09

There are a lot of reasons why Deja Entendu receives the praise it does, but the extent to which it bares every part of its soul has to be integral to its popularity. Track after track is dripping with a self-aware, poignant lyricism matched consistently by an atmospheric backdrop of broody pop-punk guitars and mid-tempo rhythm sections. Much is made of the soft-heavy formula the band typically employs, and while it's true that most of Deja's songs build brilliantly, they're far from predictable. The songwriting is stellar, the vocals are some of the most passionately delivered in- and out-of-genre since heaven knows when, and the slower, acoustic tracks are delicate, tragic and honest. "If it makes you less sad, I will die by your hand..." turns to "it's dark in your room when I sneak to your bed to pour salt on your wounds", which by the end of The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot has evolved into a list of elegant and heartstopping observations about the same girl's beauty. Deja Entendu would change into something more sinister and deliberated on Brand New's next release, but it stands tall as the absolute pinnacle of dark, angsty pop-punk. 3 Bumps | Bump

5.0 classic

raggedragamuffin | August 15th 07

Through and through, an outstanding album. I first heard "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Dont", an awkward sounding title which I'm sure many recognize from the movie "Home Alone", at my friend's house, and was drawn to the simple arrangement, the arrogant yet poetic lyrics, emotional chorus, and of course, the scream at the end of the third verse which just adds an unspeakable amount of depth and completeness to this fantastic song. There is not one person who I think, having listened to this song, could bring himself not to sing along to it. I bought the CD very shortly thereafter, and was thoroughly impressed by it. Though not every song matches the glory that is "Okay I Believe You", almost every song brings something good to the table. "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" is a comedic story of a boy having sex and not feeling fulfilles, with brilliant lyrics, and catchy musicianship. "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" has very good guitar work, better drums than the band usually has, and well-sung, poetic and meaningful lyrics. The chorus especially is a highlight of the album. These three songs are my favorites off the album, but by no means does this mean that any others, save possibly the opener, should be skipped. IMO, this is one of the best ALBUMS as a whole I have ever heard. 1 Bumps | Bump

5.0 classic	Killer9 | November 21st 09
I've had a few anti-female stages in my life and this is the soundtrack to that part of my life. It seems like every lyric was written for something that had to do with me. As I've grown up a little me and this album have grown apart but I'll always remember it as one of my all time favorites. Bump

4.5 superb	Joseph Toeben | April 20th 09
Wow this band is really talented. I wish I would of checked them out sooner. The whole cd just flows so well. Sic Transit is my favorite I think, along with Good To Know also. This album rock and I cannot wait to get my hands on Devil and God soon! Bump

5.0 classic	Ciattk | December 20th 08
I cannot begin to explain how good this album is and how well it was written, but I won't waste the time doing that either. A+ in my book. Bump

5.0 classic

dylantheairplane | December 14th 08

This album is very deep and emotional. I like that in my music. [Doesn't everyone?] My only disapointments with this album are that some of the songs sound fairly similar, and one or two are pretty straight up depressing. Other than that though this album is defanitly worth listening too. Once you do listen though, you'll probably be listening to it over and over again. My favorite Brand New song happens to be on this album, and thats Okay I Believe You, But My Tommygun Don't. Although at first it may sound boring in the begining. Its mainly focused on the lyrics, but really its just the prelude to the raging guitar and powerful emotional riffs and singing about a minute and a half in. Bump

5.0 classic

xmolder | May 16th 08

There are only so many ways you can describe an album like Deja Entendu, or really any album for that matter, so I'll keep this simple. The opening track, Tautou, sets the pace for the whole album, not in terms of decibel level, but rather in terms of emotions and attitude. It's a slow, deliberate track that almost feels like it, in itself, is sad. The songs that follow (Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades, and I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light) support this feeling, albeit in a more energetic way. The track listing is rather erratic. You'll be hard pressed to find any song that may be considered "happy," and except for the rare acoustic song, it follows the trend of "drop tuned and heavy" throughout, but the tempo will hit peaks and valleys far too often, as evident between Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis and Guernica. The overall feel of the album is not a bright one, but it's a strong one. You can almost feel the band's pain and suffering, even without listening to the lyrics, and it's easy to relate. On the ninth track, Guernica, Jesse manages to inspire the listeners, rather than pull them down. Deja Entendu is a fitting title, in that if you've listened to similar bands, you won't be surprised by what you're about to hear, and they seem to follow a pattern for most of the album. And as long as you don't tend to pass over CDs like this one as "just another emo record," then it will likely stand out for one reason or another. Bump

4.0 excellent	PhillyBNew | March 14th 07
Deja is at the point where the band invites listeners to get a glimpse of the chaos inside their minds, to be caught in the many waves of ideas, discomfort, originality and their determination to find what potential is hidden inside their love of music. It's a bit of an uprising and pouring of passion. Bump

4.5 superb

Blair Chopin | October 31st 06

Deja Entendu could be one of the 1st 21st century classic pop-punk albums, but it is not sure of what it wants to be. Does it want to be hard rocking soft-loud formula album? Or does it want to be a soft acoustic love song album? This album provides a nice collection of songs but all the acoustic songs sound alike and all the hard songs have a soft loud formula. Expect a new "Brand New" on their next release. Bump