Review Summary: This isn't the band you listened to in high school but will this be a band you listen to in the future? That is to be determined...
Nothing sums up the evolving nature of Brand New more than a lyric from their song "Last Chance to Lose Your Keys" when Jesse Lacey shouts "this isn't high school, this isn't high school"...
On Daisy, Brand New makes sure that their sound doesn't resemble anything you listened to while you were in high school (Your Favourite Weapon, Deja Entendu); with that being said though, Jesse Lacey and the rest of the band have created a more mature and urgent sound with their most recent release. The title of the album can be misleading as many of their songs feature searing riffs and scream-sing vocals which are apparent in songs such as "Gasoline" and "Sink". "Gasoline" sets the tone right in the beginning of the song with a heavy, distorted intro that explodes into something even greater, as it's pulsating riffs initally shock first time listeners to the album. "Sink" features feverish shouts and screams from Lacey and really tests the boundaries of what Brand New is capable of as a band, all while a steady bass line plays in the background.
Slower tracks such as "Bed" and title track "Daisy" counteract the heavier tracks on the album, as the guitar playing is more precise and flows smoother with the respective song. "Bed" is aptly named, as it smoothly begins with airy guitar and whispery vocals from Lacey, while "Daisy" experiments with a methodical, almost electronic sounding drum beat and remote vocals that leave you wondering if Lacey is singing from miles away; it makes for one of the better tracks on the album. The placement of both of these songs in the album are great as they nicely set up the forthcoming heavier songs on the album. Throughout the album, it is apparent their was an emphasis on trying out different guitar styles on their album, ranging from grunge sounding, to post hardcore, to even a twangy bluesy sound on "Sink" and the beginning of "In A Jar"
If there is something that Daisy lacks, it's memorable lyrics, which have been a staple of there past albums. Thinking back to songs such as "Seventy Times 7", "OK I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't" and even "Jesus Christ", the lyrics were something that the listeners could relate to, which is one of the appealing facets of Brand New's music. For example on "In A Jar" their lyrics state
"There's too many saviors on my cross again,
I know I'm never going to be a perfect man.
Everyone's an oyster with their grain of sand,
I love you most and some, now it has to end"
I'm not really sure what this means, but to me, I believe that they sacrificed some from their lyrical skill-set in order to set up musical freedom on their album.
The album is definietly a step in a new and yet to be determined direction for Brand New, a direction that is unfamiliar, yet filled with great promise. I liked the balance of heavier and lighter songs on the album, and compared to their older albums, they show greater musical maturity as they differentiate their songs with new and unique sounds. Daisy is an album with a purpose, which is to further educate its fans that they are in fact changing.
