hey. it's me. who else would it be? i've never been so bored in my life and my friends do not like to hang out with me anymore. i'm the one who texts them first. i'm the one who keeps up the conversation. if i made no attempt i think i would be officially friendless. right now i am listening to my brother talk on the phone with my grandparents. it's mindless chatter that makes me want to kill myself. he describes literally every little detail of his lame life to them, like they give a shit. if i ask him a question while hes talking, he pauses and says "oh okay tracy just stopped me and wanted to ask me if i had the gummi bears, you know the ones my mom bought for me from the gas station, you know the one by our house, minute man, they are so good from there, and i had told her that they are in my room and she can help herself to them, i really do not mind." my grandparents do not have the time or the patience to listen to that. i know i sure as hell don't. it's a three hour long convo about him talking about himself and a play by play of what he has done within the past 24 hours. he might as well just write a fucking book about his life. i know he could fill it up quick.
so i leave for college in about 20 days. i'm not excited about it. i hate saint xavier. so far all i've seen are hicks and the nasty south side. i am a north side girl. i like civilization and contemporary surroundings. i do not like places where it seems to always be cloudy and depressing. at first glance it looks more like a mental institution than a university. but then again it is my fault i am stuck with it because i put off my college app choices until the very last minute. if i had my way i would be going to the beautiful SUNY at old westbury. but no. my mom says its too far away. i can't argue though, i am a homebody lately. i'm not ready for my whole life to change and to make all new friends with kids at this school that i'm predicting i will be miserable at. the only plus side is that my classes are awesome. i hope to spend my whole stay in my dorm learning about the interesting topics of my classes. psychology, philosophy, astronomy, world history, and honors english. at least sxu was nice enough to notice that i am great at english and complimented me by putting me in honors. i hope to also get into more writing in college. i've been on a song writing kick, all mostly horrendous, but maybe i can take a poetry writing course of some sort. also there is poetry club but i'm way too embarrassed to read anything that is an original tracy piece. i could always recite some brand new lyrics or something. while on the topic, i met jesse lacey. my dreams actually came true and i can now die knowing that i fulfilled my goal in life. the only problem is that i did not discuss his lyrics with him. i totally froze up. it was an out of body experience and the most surreal 3 minutes of my life. i cannot talk or think about it without hyperventilating. no joke, i really do. i suppress the memory into a generalized vision of the whole concert and then i don't freak out. if i start thinking about exactly how i felt and what i said... i can't. it's just too much for my fragile mind. has anyone noticed how much more focused i am only on myself now? i used to care about other people but i think that this world has an every man for himself kind of theme thus far. i tried caring and it really got me nowhere. i wanted to help the world, but i haven't the means to do so anymore. i have no money, i am completely broke. i have no resources and i know no one that believes in what i do. so how can i change anything in a one-woman show? i would get laughed at. the only way i feel that i can express anything is with lyrics that i've written. but they sound like shit and i do not know how to write melodies and i am completely musically retarded. i have a plan. to meet a guitarist in college and start an acoustic band, once i learn how to sing. i am terrible but maybe with lessons i can polish up my pipes and belt out lyrics, when i learn to write better ones. i also need to learn that not everyone in this world will have the same opinion as me. just because my friends do or act like they do doesn't mean everyone else won't always be as nice. i like what i like and i get defensive about it. i think i should try to change because then i get into degrading fights about it and get called a troll. not everyone thinks that brand new is the greatest band ever, but they should. i can't control it though. putting down brand new or jesse lacey really hurts my feelings because that is pretty much my whole life. it's like me putting down your profession. people aren't as sensitive as they should be. listen to me, i sound like holden caufield here. just... think about what i'm saying. if anyone reads this. and if this makes any sense at all. i'm not going back to read over this, it was just a rant. someone make me feel better please. i'm sorry about bashing my brother before, i love him. i'm just irritable.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
#1 The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot -Deja Entendu
Ranking on Guitarasaurus's list: #10
There you have it. My favorite Brand New song. This song makes me speechless. It is IMO the best Brand New song out there, and is pretty much my favorite song out of any band. Now, I have seen Brand New in concert three times. I saw them at the Allstate Arena when they opened for Dashboard Confessional, at Congress Theatre with Thrice and Mewithoutyou, and at Lollapalooza. Out of all those times, they never played this song once. Both times that BN came to the House of Blues Chicago and I couldn't make it, they played this song. Do you know how mad I was? I have never seen this song live and it makes me crazy. I got so excited when Jesse Lacey brought out his acoustic guitar at Congress Theatre, but then he started playing the intro to Play Crack the Sky. I was near tears. I wasn't really expecting them to play this at Lollapalooza because they had a limited set and a drunken raging Rage Against the Machine audiance. I don't blame them for not playing a chilled out acoustic song.
The fact that this song is acoustic and still gets the recognition it does means that Brand New did something right. Whenever I watch the live videos of it on youtube (since I didn't get to see it in person!) it seems as though everyone in the crowd knows the words and they are singing right along. The lyrics of this song are the main focus IMO. Though the guitar and light drum work are fantastic, the lyrics are by far the best that Jesse Lacey has ever written. First hearing this song made Brand New my favorite band all the way back in eighth grade. Then later on I bought a 3 by 4 ft. piece of canvas and wrote these lyrics on it and stuck on the wall of my bedroom. It will come with me to my dorm when I go to college next fall.
The rumor is that this song is titled The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot because that is the nickname Lacey's father used to call him when they would play basketball together. I'm not completely sure if that's true since I'm pretty sure I read it off of wiki, but it makes sense. I kind of thought that it might mean a boy tried to block a bullet for someone else, but the bullet was meant for him to begin with. Take it however you want.
To be honest, no song has gotten me through more crap than this one has. It seems like no matter what I have ever gone through, this song has gotten me out and made me happy again. It has gotten me through every break up, fight with my friends, and everything in between. It probably will get my through all that stuff until the day I die. The song is not just a flavor of the week, it's my favorite for life. Besides all that, it's just a killer song to listen to any time of the day. It will always make you feel better. If you haven't tried listening to it when you're down, I highly recommend it. The first time it came on, I stopped everything I was doing and just listened. I listened to it on repeat for the next three months or so. I was addicted. I had become a Brand New fanatic. I figured that if they could write a song this meaningful, all of their other songs must be pretty bomb too. Guess what? I was right!
The intro is a light, simple rhythim from Jesse Lacey's acoustic guitar. His voice comes in sounding so angelic and more perfectly pitched than any other song. If it makes you less sad, I will die by your hand. I hope you find out what you want, I already know what I am. The first line right there almost has you in tears. You can feel whatever emotion Lacey is trying to express. I'm sensing some major remorse and sorrow. Cue the drums. And if it makes you less sad, we'll start talking again. You can tell me how vile I already know that I am. Lacey knows what he did wrong, he's not trying to hide it. All he wants throughout the whole song is for this girl to be less sad. He knows it's his fault that she's sad in the first place. I'll grow old, start acting my age. I'll be a brand new day in a life that you hate. This shows that Lacey wants to grow up from his high school days (aka Your Favorite Weapon days) and then maybe him and this girl can have another shot. Though at the time of this song's release, Lacey was around 25 years old, he still acted childish. He feels like he needs to grow a lot older in order to be mature. A crown of gold. Heart is harder than stone. And it hurts a whole lot, but it's missed when it's gone. Ahh that last line gets me every time. It hurts when these two are together, but they miss eachother when they're broken up. I know that feeling all too well. Don't we all at some point? The crown of gold belongs to this girl while the heart of stone belongs to Jesse. They are opposites but still manage to love eachother somehow.
The repeated chorus throughout the song is beautiful, pretty much the best one that Brand New possesses. Call me a safe bet. I'm betting I'm not. Glad that you can forgive, only hoping as time goes, you can forget. This shows that Lacey had a reputation of being the "safe guy" to date, but as it turns out, he is far from that title. This girl has forgiven Lacey, sure, but will she forget over time? I certainly would if a beautiful song like this was written for me.
The second verse sends out a different tone. Lacey seems more distant and a tad more defensive. If it makes you less sad, I'll move out of this state. You can keep to yourself, I'll keep out of your way. Lacey is getting ready to forget about this girl and what he did. The first verse has an apologetic tone. This time around he's ready to move on. And if it makes you less sad, I'll take your pictures all down. Every picture you paint, I will paint myself out. Lacey wants to be erased from her radar, kind of like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. If it makes her less sad, he will stop living in her world completely and start his own anew. It's as cold as a tomb, and it's dark in your room when I sneak to your bed to pour salt in your wounds. Oh boy, maybe this isn't all Jesse Lacey's fault. This girl must have done something bad in first place to make Lacey do something bad in return. What a delicious twist! So call it quits or get a grip. Say you wanted a solution? You just wanted to be missed. So we find out that Jesse was dating an attention whore. The band and the fans and the touring became too much for this girl and sent Lacey packing.
After the second verse, we have another chorus and the lines You can forget are repeated. Honestly, people, do you know how hard it is to come up with the Best quote(s) for this song? Every part of the song is the best. Since it is so hard to choose, I'll just have to pick the entire ending.
Best quote(s): You are calm and reposed. Let your beauty unfold, pale white like the skin stretched over your bones. Spring keeps you ever close. You are second-hand smoke. You are so fragile and thin, standing trial for your sins, holding onto yourself the best you can. You are the smell before rain. You are the blood in my veins. If reading that or listening to that does not make your eyes a little wet or give you chills down your spine, then I don't know what to say. Though the end is not very discriptive, you can still imagine what this girl looks like now. She is small with porcelain skin and a broken spirit. Lacey uses the best rhymes here, as you can tell. It all flows with such ease and perfection. At the very last line, Lacey states that even if he tried, he could not live without this girl because she is the blood running through his veins. Following this is another chorus, slowed down a little. This is by far the best Brand New song there is.
I hope that I could convince you readers a little that this song is number one worthy. It certainly is to me. If you haven't heard this song, please give it a listen. This is the song that made me a die-hard Brand New fan. Perhaps if you give it a listen, you'll become a fan too.
There you have it. My favorite Brand New song. This song makes me speechless. It is IMO the best Brand New song out there, and is pretty much my favorite song out of any band. Now, I have seen Brand New in concert three times. I saw them at the Allstate Arena when they opened for Dashboard Confessional, at Congress Theatre with Thrice and Mewithoutyou, and at Lollapalooza. Out of all those times, they never played this song once. Both times that BN came to the House of Blues Chicago and I couldn't make it, they played this song. Do you know how mad I was? I have never seen this song live and it makes me crazy. I got so excited when Jesse Lacey brought out his acoustic guitar at Congress Theatre, but then he started playing the intro to Play Crack the Sky. I was near tears. I wasn't really expecting them to play this at Lollapalooza because they had a limited set and a drunken raging Rage Against the Machine audiance. I don't blame them for not playing a chilled out acoustic song.
The fact that this song is acoustic and still gets the recognition it does means that Brand New did something right. Whenever I watch the live videos of it on youtube (since I didn't get to see it in person!) it seems as though everyone in the crowd knows the words and they are singing right along. The lyrics of this song are the main focus IMO. Though the guitar and light drum work are fantastic, the lyrics are by far the best that Jesse Lacey has ever written. First hearing this song made Brand New my favorite band all the way back in eighth grade. Then later on I bought a 3 by 4 ft. piece of canvas and wrote these lyrics on it and stuck on the wall of my bedroom. It will come with me to my dorm when I go to college next fall.
The rumor is that this song is titled The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot because that is the nickname Lacey's father used to call him when they would play basketball together. I'm not completely sure if that's true since I'm pretty sure I read it off of wiki, but it makes sense. I kind of thought that it might mean a boy tried to block a bullet for someone else, but the bullet was meant for him to begin with. Take it however you want.
To be honest, no song has gotten me through more crap than this one has. It seems like no matter what I have ever gone through, this song has gotten me out and made me happy again. It has gotten me through every break up, fight with my friends, and everything in between. It probably will get my through all that stuff until the day I die. The song is not just a flavor of the week, it's my favorite for life. Besides all that, it's just a killer song to listen to any time of the day. It will always make you feel better. If you haven't tried listening to it when you're down, I highly recommend it. The first time it came on, I stopped everything I was doing and just listened. I listened to it on repeat for the next three months or so. I was addicted. I had become a Brand New fanatic. I figured that if they could write a song this meaningful, all of their other songs must be pretty bomb too. Guess what? I was right!
The intro is a light, simple rhythim from Jesse Lacey's acoustic guitar. His voice comes in sounding so angelic and more perfectly pitched than any other song. If it makes you less sad, I will die by your hand. I hope you find out what you want, I already know what I am. The first line right there almost has you in tears. You can feel whatever emotion Lacey is trying to express. I'm sensing some major remorse and sorrow. Cue the drums. And if it makes you less sad, we'll start talking again. You can tell me how vile I already know that I am. Lacey knows what he did wrong, he's not trying to hide it. All he wants throughout the whole song is for this girl to be less sad. He knows it's his fault that she's sad in the first place. I'll grow old, start acting my age. I'll be a brand new day in a life that you hate. This shows that Lacey wants to grow up from his high school days (aka Your Favorite Weapon days) and then maybe him and this girl can have another shot. Though at the time of this song's release, Lacey was around 25 years old, he still acted childish. He feels like he needs to grow a lot older in order to be mature. A crown of gold. Heart is harder than stone. And it hurts a whole lot, but it's missed when it's gone. Ahh that last line gets me every time. It hurts when these two are together, but they miss eachother when they're broken up. I know that feeling all too well. Don't we all at some point? The crown of gold belongs to this girl while the heart of stone belongs to Jesse. They are opposites but still manage to love eachother somehow.
The repeated chorus throughout the song is beautiful, pretty much the best one that Brand New possesses. Call me a safe bet. I'm betting I'm not. Glad that you can forgive, only hoping as time goes, you can forget. This shows that Lacey had a reputation of being the "safe guy" to date, but as it turns out, he is far from that title. This girl has forgiven Lacey, sure, but will she forget over time? I certainly would if a beautiful song like this was written for me.
The second verse sends out a different tone. Lacey seems more distant and a tad more defensive. If it makes you less sad, I'll move out of this state. You can keep to yourself, I'll keep out of your way. Lacey is getting ready to forget about this girl and what he did. The first verse has an apologetic tone. This time around he's ready to move on. And if it makes you less sad, I'll take your pictures all down. Every picture you paint, I will paint myself out. Lacey wants to be erased from her radar, kind of like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. If it makes her less sad, he will stop living in her world completely and start his own anew. It's as cold as a tomb, and it's dark in your room when I sneak to your bed to pour salt in your wounds. Oh boy, maybe this isn't all Jesse Lacey's fault. This girl must have done something bad in first place to make Lacey do something bad in return. What a delicious twist! So call it quits or get a grip. Say you wanted a solution? You just wanted to be missed. So we find out that Jesse was dating an attention whore. The band and the fans and the touring became too much for this girl and sent Lacey packing.
After the second verse, we have another chorus and the lines You can forget are repeated. Honestly, people, do you know how hard it is to come up with the Best quote(s) for this song? Every part of the song is the best. Since it is so hard to choose, I'll just have to pick the entire ending.
Best quote(s): You are calm and reposed. Let your beauty unfold, pale white like the skin stretched over your bones. Spring keeps you ever close. You are second-hand smoke. You are so fragile and thin, standing trial for your sins, holding onto yourself the best you can. You are the smell before rain. You are the blood in my veins. If reading that or listening to that does not make your eyes a little wet or give you chills down your spine, then I don't know what to say. Though the end is not very discriptive, you can still imagine what this girl looks like now. She is small with porcelain skin and a broken spirit. Lacey uses the best rhymes here, as you can tell. It all flows with such ease and perfection. At the very last line, Lacey states that even if he tried, he could not live without this girl because she is the blood running through his veins. Following this is another chorus, slowed down a little. This is by far the best Brand New song there is.
I hope that I could convince you readers a little that this song is number one worthy. It certainly is to me. If you haven't heard this song, please give it a listen. This is the song that made me a die-hard Brand New fan. Perhaps if you give it a listen, you'll become a fan too.
#2 Limousine -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Ranking on Guitarasaurus's list: #3
Now, before all of you people cuss me out for this song not being number one, hear me out. This list was not based on how musically amazing these songs are. This is my own personal opinion of best Brand New songs. Though this song is fantastic, there is one song that means more to me than any other Brand New song. Let's go on with this thing, shall we?
Limousine is the fifth song off of Brand New's third album, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. It is about a car accident that happened around Jesse Lacey's house hear Long Island, New York. It is the story of Katie Flynn, a seven year old girl who was killed in a car accident on the way home from a family member's wedding. She was the flower girl. Katie was in a limousine while her mother was in another one following her. A drunk driver got into a head-on collision with the limousine that Katie was riding in. She was decapitated and as they searched the car for her body, Katie's mother found her head several feet away from the car. Her mother held Katie's head torn from her body as the car was searched. The limo driver was also killed in the accident. This song pays homage to Katie's mother and family, the limo driver, and the drunk man who hit Katie's limo, who walked away with only minor injuries. Now, he has to live with himself killing two innocent people by making a stupid mistake by drinking and driving. This song teaches a lesson. Please, if anyone reading this is going to drink, do not get in a car who also has been drinking. Take a cab. If you are at a party, do not be afraid to call someone, even your parents for a ride. It's easier to get in trouble with your parents than it is do be killed and having them find out about it. Getting in trouble is more worth it than losing your life. To further learn about this accident, please watch this amazing video from youtube. It will touch your heart. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9IRHu1F1Vw
The first verse of this song is beautiful. Jesse Lacey is singing from the perspective of a narrator. This song reminds me of the book In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It, like the book, is told from many different perspectives who were involved with the car accident. Kate, it's your ride. Get your petals out and lay them in the aisle. This shows Katie as the flower girl of the wedding hours before her death. Pretend you're God and grow, and it's your day to wed. We have found your man. He's drinking up, he's all American. The drunk driver has been selected by God to do this horrible deed. This line takes a stab at how many drunk drivers America happens to possess. And he'll drive. He's volunteered with grace to end your life. You tidy up. It's sad to hold but leave your shell to us. This guy should have known what he was doing before he got into the car to drive home while intoxicated. You explode, you firefly. You tiny boat with all feather oars. The explosion symbolizes the car smashing into the limousine. Katie can't get anywhere in a boat with feather oars. And so, you satellite, you tidal wave. The tidal wave is the crash that no one sees coming. Soon, the perspective switched over to Katie's mother. You're a big surprise and I have one more night to be your mother.
As the first verse switches into the second, you can hear Lacey's voice getting a little higher, a little more mad. This is still the mother's voice coming in. Lacey, I think, tries to make his voice higher to sound a little more feminine to prove the mother's point. You can hear explosions softly and instruments being played out of tune to show pain and sorrow. This signal interrupts. My baby's frequency is not strong enough. Remain in my hands and smile. That last very disturbing line shows Katie's head in her mother's arms. We will miss you but in time you'll get set up. And we will rise. The family will rise into heaven while she gets set up there. Once they rise, she will be waiting for them, and they will all reunite.
Now we switch perspectives again. Here comes the drunk driver speaking, who did not die in the accident. Hey, you beauty supreme. Yeah, you were right about me. But can I get myself out from underneath this guilt that will crush me? He shows guilt for hitting her car and not being more responsible. And in the choir, I saw a sad messiah. He was bored and tired of my laments. He said "I'd die for you one time, but never again." The drunk driver has seen the limo driver as a spirit. This is what he means by the "sad messiah" he speaks of. The messiah says that he died for Katie, but he would not do it again. Lacey goes onto repeat Never again several times before the main part of the song.
The repeated lines throughout the whole song are I love you so much. Do me a favor, baby, don't reply. Cause I can dish it out, but I can't take it. I'm pretty sure that this comes back to the mother's perspective. As the song goes on, it comes to be One will love you so much... Two will love you so much... And so on. It goes all the way up to seven. The counting symbolizes how old Katie was when she was killed. One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven loved her so much as she turned that age. As seven is sung, the tense changes. Seven loves you so much. This changes because now can't possibly get any older, which makes the song all the more powerful. This is sung four times before the final guitar comes in at full force and ends the song. One of the best parts of the entire song is that guitar. It says just as many feelings as Jesse Lacey could write in lyrics. It expresses emotions that words can't express. I don't think Brand New has ever been so meaningful without lyrics. Then, just as quickly as a life can be taken by a drunk driver, the song ends with only distant playing audible. At 7:54, this song ends, making it the longest Brand New song.
I can honestly say that there is nothing wrong with this song. Like I said before, another song is just more meaningful to me personally. Even though this song is expected to be number one, at least there was a great write up to support it's number 2 spot. Number one is a fantastic song as well, and hopefully I can convince you guys the same.
Before the best quote(s) is revealed, I'd just like to point out that you really have to listen for it. It is not straightforward and cannot be heard unless you are listening for it. This is the part that gives the goosebumps and the shivers down your spine. Get ready.
Best quote(s): I'll never have to buy adjacent plots of earth. We'll never have to rot together underneath dirt. I'll never have to lose my baby in the crowd. I should be laughing right now. This can be heard at the last Seven loves you so much line and can be very quiet. This is Katie talking to her mother, expressing that perhaps this death could be a blessing in disguise. She's looking on the bright side, though there seems to be none. This is the only time that Katie's "voice" can be heard in this song, and putting it as back round lyrics is genius. This way, it seems as though she is talking as a spirit and not as a person. She wants everyone to know that it's okay and she's glad this happened. She should be laughing right now that she doesn't have to go through what we all have to go through as we get old. All of us can't be laughing yet because we are still alive and have to go through things. We cannot live in eternal happiness like she can. At least not yet.
Now, before all of you people cuss me out for this song not being number one, hear me out. This list was not based on how musically amazing these songs are. This is my own personal opinion of best Brand New songs. Though this song is fantastic, there is one song that means more to me than any other Brand New song. Let's go on with this thing, shall we?
Limousine is the fifth song off of Brand New's third album, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. It is about a car accident that happened around Jesse Lacey's house hear Long Island, New York. It is the story of Katie Flynn, a seven year old girl who was killed in a car accident on the way home from a family member's wedding. She was the flower girl. Katie was in a limousine while her mother was in another one following her. A drunk driver got into a head-on collision with the limousine that Katie was riding in. She was decapitated and as they searched the car for her body, Katie's mother found her head several feet away from the car. Her mother held Katie's head torn from her body as the car was searched. The limo driver was also killed in the accident. This song pays homage to Katie's mother and family, the limo driver, and the drunk man who hit Katie's limo, who walked away with only minor injuries. Now, he has to live with himself killing two innocent people by making a stupid mistake by drinking and driving. This song teaches a lesson. Please, if anyone reading this is going to drink, do not get in a car who also has been drinking. Take a cab. If you are at a party, do not be afraid to call someone, even your parents for a ride. It's easier to get in trouble with your parents than it is do be killed and having them find out about it. Getting in trouble is more worth it than losing your life. To further learn about this accident, please watch this amazing video from youtube. It will touch your heart. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9IRHu1F1Vw
The first verse of this song is beautiful. Jesse Lacey is singing from the perspective of a narrator. This song reminds me of the book In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It, like the book, is told from many different perspectives who were involved with the car accident. Kate, it's your ride. Get your petals out and lay them in the aisle. This shows Katie as the flower girl of the wedding hours before her death. Pretend you're God and grow, and it's your day to wed. We have found your man. He's drinking up, he's all American. The drunk driver has been selected by God to do this horrible deed. This line takes a stab at how many drunk drivers America happens to possess. And he'll drive. He's volunteered with grace to end your life. You tidy up. It's sad to hold but leave your shell to us. This guy should have known what he was doing before he got into the car to drive home while intoxicated. You explode, you firefly. You tiny boat with all feather oars. The explosion symbolizes the car smashing into the limousine. Katie can't get anywhere in a boat with feather oars. And so, you satellite, you tidal wave. The tidal wave is the crash that no one sees coming. Soon, the perspective switched over to Katie's mother. You're a big surprise and I have one more night to be your mother.
As the first verse switches into the second, you can hear Lacey's voice getting a little higher, a little more mad. This is still the mother's voice coming in. Lacey, I think, tries to make his voice higher to sound a little more feminine to prove the mother's point. You can hear explosions softly and instruments being played out of tune to show pain and sorrow. This signal interrupts. My baby's frequency is not strong enough. Remain in my hands and smile. That last very disturbing line shows Katie's head in her mother's arms. We will miss you but in time you'll get set up. And we will rise. The family will rise into heaven while she gets set up there. Once they rise, she will be waiting for them, and they will all reunite.
Now we switch perspectives again. Here comes the drunk driver speaking, who did not die in the accident. Hey, you beauty supreme. Yeah, you were right about me. But can I get myself out from underneath this guilt that will crush me? He shows guilt for hitting her car and not being more responsible. And in the choir, I saw a sad messiah. He was bored and tired of my laments. He said "I'd die for you one time, but never again." The drunk driver has seen the limo driver as a spirit. This is what he means by the "sad messiah" he speaks of. The messiah says that he died for Katie, but he would not do it again. Lacey goes onto repeat Never again several times before the main part of the song.
The repeated lines throughout the whole song are I love you so much. Do me a favor, baby, don't reply. Cause I can dish it out, but I can't take it. I'm pretty sure that this comes back to the mother's perspective. As the song goes on, it comes to be One will love you so much... Two will love you so much... And so on. It goes all the way up to seven. The counting symbolizes how old Katie was when she was killed. One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven loved her so much as she turned that age. As seven is sung, the tense changes. Seven loves you so much. This changes because now can't possibly get any older, which makes the song all the more powerful. This is sung four times before the final guitar comes in at full force and ends the song. One of the best parts of the entire song is that guitar. It says just as many feelings as Jesse Lacey could write in lyrics. It expresses emotions that words can't express. I don't think Brand New has ever been so meaningful without lyrics. Then, just as quickly as a life can be taken by a drunk driver, the song ends with only distant playing audible. At 7:54, this song ends, making it the longest Brand New song.
I can honestly say that there is nothing wrong with this song. Like I said before, another song is just more meaningful to me personally. Even though this song is expected to be number one, at least there was a great write up to support it's number 2 spot. Number one is a fantastic song as well, and hopefully I can convince you guys the same.
Before the best quote(s) is revealed, I'd just like to point out that you really have to listen for it. It is not straightforward and cannot be heard unless you are listening for it. This is the part that gives the goosebumps and the shivers down your spine. Get ready.
Best quote(s): I'll never have to buy adjacent plots of earth. We'll never have to rot together underneath dirt. I'll never have to lose my baby in the crowd. I should be laughing right now. This can be heard at the last Seven loves you so much line and can be very quiet. This is Katie talking to her mother, expressing that perhaps this death could be a blessing in disguise. She's looking on the bright side, though there seems to be none. This is the only time that Katie's "voice" can be heard in this song, and putting it as back round lyrics is genius. This way, it seems as though she is talking as a spirit and not as a person. She wants everyone to know that it's okay and she's glad this happened. She should be laughing right now that she doesn't have to go through what we all have to go through as we get old. All of us can't be laughing yet because we are still alive and have to go through things. We cannot live in eternal happiness like she can. At least not yet.
#3 The Archer's Bows Have Broken -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Ranking on Guitarasaurus's list: #22
When I saw this song at number 22 on the last list, I literally had to pick up my jaw from the floor and attach it to my face. For a while, I did not listen to any song besides this one. It was on repeat for a good 3 months. Can you blame me? I have never heard Jesse Lacey's voice sound so clear and perfectly pitched. It's like he is putting on a different tone for this one particular song. It all just flows perfectly.
Woah woah woah. Since when does Brand New have such a fabulous drummer? The drum intro to Archers is genius. Props to Brian Lane for that one. I'm no expert, but I'd say that's pretty fast drumming. The guitar that kicks in is pretty catchy, then Jesse Lacey's voice comes in full force. Who do you carry the torch for, my young man? Do you believe in anything? Do you carry it around just to burn things down? Carrying the torch symbolizes representation. This young man must not be doing a very good job representing his family or whoever is doubting him. Meet me tonight on the turnpike, my darling, cause we believe in anything. If we sweat all these debts then we're sure to drown. He is ready to start believing in his own beliefs and stop listening to everyone else. This young man has clearly made some mistakes, but he is too young to have to make up for them. He's in it for the fun, not for the apologies. So let's strap ourselves up to this engine now with a God that we found laying under the backseat. Typical TDAGARIM. This makes me think that young man and darling are going out on a fast-paced and potentially dangerous date. What wacky adventures could they possibly have this weekend?
The chorus is slightly softer and more compassionate. It also repeats throughout the whole song three times. Not too typical when it comes to Brand New. What did you learn tonight? You're shouting so loud you barely joyous broken thing. Lacey really puts emphasis on the word "joyous". It makes the song all the more beautiful. You're a voice that never sings, that's what I say. As if the person Lacey is singing to doesn't already know he is singing to them, he needs to remind them that this is him talking. And that's what must really hurt. You were freezing over hell. You were bringing on the end you do so well. You can only blame yourself, that's what I say. The whole "freezing over hell" thing just gives chills down my spine. Lacey again puts emphasis on the word "end". It makes the chorus a lot less dull and more Brand New like.
The second verse makes me think of You Won't Know. He talks to a father about his daughters going wrong. Oh, order your daughters to ignore me, think that will sort me? And sweep me under the rug? While you're beating with a book, everyone the book tells you to love. Lacey is clearly calling this father a hypocrite. He is telling his daughters to hate Lacey, but he teaches the Bible, which tells you to love everyone. Lacey goes on to explain that he is deeply in love with this girl and the God that he knows would not tell anyone who to love and who to not love. He does not need to compete with anyone else because He knows who loves Him and who doesn't.
After the second chorus, something beautiful happens. A small instrumental solo takes over. It almost sounds like beautifully broken instruments, and then comes Brian Lane with his fast drumming from the beginning. Lacey's voice then comes in louder and better than ever. Who do you carry the torch for, my young man? Do you believe in anything? Do you carry it around just to burn things to the ground? It's the same words from the first line of the song, yet slightly different. Jesse shows a little more aggression this time around. He's getting serious. After another chorus, the song ends on a wonderful note with back round lyrics to the last chorus. Feels like we could escape, I don't mind throwing away the filthy silver song. If you try running the maze of your lies, it's too hard to save, if you've thrown out everyone. I think this is one last stab at the father before running off with the daughter. Bravo.
So, ahem. Why number two? This song is perfect. It is just as perfect as my number two and one. The next two songs just have more of a sentimental value to me. As perfect as this song is, (though it was number 22 on the last list) I couldn't put it any higher. Instrumentally speaking, and not only talking lyrics (which I usually do) this song takes the cake. It really shows Brian Lane's best drumming and some of Jesse Lacey's best lyrics.
Best quote(s): There is an ember in the heart of the kiln and it's burning hot with love. Burning out my center till there's nothing but dust. Then rolling me with care into your cigarette cause the God I believe in never worked on a campaign trail. Wow. What does this even mean exactly? Let's break it down. Embers are the coals that when get super hot, turn a bright red color. A kiln is an oven like thing. The ember symbolizes this girl and the kiln symbolizes his heart. The fire in their relationship is so hot that it's burning him until theres nothing left but ashes. The God part is taking a punch at the father who preaches God, but the God Lacey learned about never competed with anyone else for a person's love. Oh my gosh, how does Lacey do it? He's pure genius.
When I saw this song at number 22 on the last list, I literally had to pick up my jaw from the floor and attach it to my face. For a while, I did not listen to any song besides this one. It was on repeat for a good 3 months. Can you blame me? I have never heard Jesse Lacey's voice sound so clear and perfectly pitched. It's like he is putting on a different tone for this one particular song. It all just flows perfectly.
Woah woah woah. Since when does Brand New have such a fabulous drummer? The drum intro to Archers is genius. Props to Brian Lane for that one. I'm no expert, but I'd say that's pretty fast drumming. The guitar that kicks in is pretty catchy, then Jesse Lacey's voice comes in full force. Who do you carry the torch for, my young man? Do you believe in anything? Do you carry it around just to burn things down? Carrying the torch symbolizes representation. This young man must not be doing a very good job representing his family or whoever is doubting him. Meet me tonight on the turnpike, my darling, cause we believe in anything. If we sweat all these debts then we're sure to drown. He is ready to start believing in his own beliefs and stop listening to everyone else. This young man has clearly made some mistakes, but he is too young to have to make up for them. He's in it for the fun, not for the apologies. So let's strap ourselves up to this engine now with a God that we found laying under the backseat. Typical TDAGARIM. This makes me think that young man and darling are going out on a fast-paced and potentially dangerous date. What wacky adventures could they possibly have this weekend?
The chorus is slightly softer and more compassionate. It also repeats throughout the whole song three times. Not too typical when it comes to Brand New. What did you learn tonight? You're shouting so loud you barely joyous broken thing. Lacey really puts emphasis on the word "joyous". It makes the song all the more beautiful. You're a voice that never sings, that's what I say. As if the person Lacey is singing to doesn't already know he is singing to them, he needs to remind them that this is him talking. And that's what must really hurt. You were freezing over hell. You were bringing on the end you do so well. You can only blame yourself, that's what I say. The whole "freezing over hell" thing just gives chills down my spine. Lacey again puts emphasis on the word "end". It makes the chorus a lot less dull and more Brand New like.
The second verse makes me think of You Won't Know. He talks to a father about his daughters going wrong. Oh, order your daughters to ignore me, think that will sort me? And sweep me under the rug? While you're beating with a book, everyone the book tells you to love. Lacey is clearly calling this father a hypocrite. He is telling his daughters to hate Lacey, but he teaches the Bible, which tells you to love everyone. Lacey goes on to explain that he is deeply in love with this girl and the God that he knows would not tell anyone who to love and who to not love. He does not need to compete with anyone else because He knows who loves Him and who doesn't.
After the second chorus, something beautiful happens. A small instrumental solo takes over. It almost sounds like beautifully broken instruments, and then comes Brian Lane with his fast drumming from the beginning. Lacey's voice then comes in louder and better than ever. Who do you carry the torch for, my young man? Do you believe in anything? Do you carry it around just to burn things to the ground? It's the same words from the first line of the song, yet slightly different. Jesse shows a little more aggression this time around. He's getting serious. After another chorus, the song ends on a wonderful note with back round lyrics to the last chorus. Feels like we could escape, I don't mind throwing away the filthy silver song. If you try running the maze of your lies, it's too hard to save, if you've thrown out everyone. I think this is one last stab at the father before running off with the daughter. Bravo.
So, ahem. Why number two? This song is perfect. It is just as perfect as my number two and one. The next two songs just have more of a sentimental value to me. As perfect as this song is, (though it was number 22 on the last list) I couldn't put it any higher. Instrumentally speaking, and not only talking lyrics (which I usually do) this song takes the cake. It really shows Brian Lane's best drumming and some of Jesse Lacey's best lyrics.
Best quote(s): There is an ember in the heart of the kiln and it's burning hot with love. Burning out my center till there's nothing but dust. Then rolling me with care into your cigarette cause the God I believe in never worked on a campaign trail. Wow. What does this even mean exactly? Let's break it down. Embers are the coals that when get super hot, turn a bright red color. A kiln is an oven like thing. The ember symbolizes this girl and the kiln symbolizes his heart. The fire in their relationship is so hot that it's burning him until theres nothing left but ashes. The God part is taking a punch at the father who preaches God, but the God Lacey learned about never competed with anyone else for a person's love. Oh my gosh, how does Lacey do it? He's pure genius.
#4 Play Crack the Sky -Deja Entendu
Ranking on Guitarasaurus's list: #2
According to interviews I have seen with Jesse Lacey, this is his favorite song on Deja. He recorded it last minute in his friend's basement and put it on the album. The reason the song is titled is "Play Crack the Sky" (according to wiki) is because one day Jesse Lacey and his friend, John Nolan saw an older Mylon LeFavre, the artist who performed the song "Crack the Sky". LeFavre seemed nuts when they noticed that he was playing guitar for an empty parking lot. Nolan shouted at LeFavre "Play 'Crack the Sky!'" After hearing this, LeFavre put his head down in shame. Though it is a funny story, it has absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics whatsoever.
Lacey makes yet another nautical reference throughout the song. He relates relationships with being lost at sea and finding out your ship is sinking right before you're about to reach land. We sent out an SOS call. It's a quarter past four in the morning when the storm broke our second anchor line. Doesn't this just remind you of that show the Deadliest Catch? It's where these guys go fishing for crabs during all these bad weather conditions.Four months at sea, four months of calm seas to be pounded in the shallows off the tip of Montauk Point. You'd think that none of those words would flow together as a rhyming song, but it blows your mind. It's something that only Brand New could pull off.
They call them rogues, they travel fast and alone. One hundred foot faces of God's good ocean gone wrong. As ignorant as I am, I didn't know what a rogue was, so I looked it up. Wikipedia says: "Rogue waves, also known as freak waves, monster waves or extreme waves, are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that are a threat even to large ships and ocean liners." That makes a lot more sense. The way Lacey wrote "God's good ocean" sends shivers. This meaning normally the ocean is a beautiful thing that is calm and glorious. But that day something had gone wrong and it had turned into something ugly. Since this song is last on Deja, I think it is sort of prepping for TDAGARIM. This is why God is mentioned, and not only in a good sense. What they call love is a risk, cause you always get hit out of nowhere by some wave and end up on your own. Again, you would think that none of these words would flow together as a song, but its incredible. This comparison is an obvious message saying what the song is about. This is the only Brand New song that literally tells you what the song is about.
Your tongue is a rudder that steers the whole ship, sends your words past your lips, keeps them safe behind your teeth. This illustrates a girl being a complainer but shes being compared to the steering wheel of a boat. But the wrong words will strand you, come off course while you sleep. Sweep your boat off to sea or dashed to bits on the reef. The wrong words, or movements on the ship, will strand you in a relationship, or make you lost at sea. In this song, there is a double meaning for everything.
One thing just kind of slaps me in the face when hearing this song. That thing is Titanic. I don't know about you guys, but the biggest boat I have ever seen sink is the Titanic. This reminds me of Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio holding onto that chunk of ice and waiting to be saved. They are both so in love but the fact that the boat is sinking and they both want to save each other, not themselves. The vessel groans, the ocean pressures it's frame. To the port I see the lighthouse through the sleet and the rain. The lighthouse represents hope. Land is so nearby that they might just make it through the horrid weather and ship wreak. And I wish for one more day to give my love and repay debts. The morning finds our bodies washed up thirty miles west. This makes me think so far beyond that. What happens when they are found and their parents get that dreaded call that their son was found washed up on shore? It just makes me think and feel sympathetic.
They say that the captain stays fast with the ship through still and storm, but this ain't the Dakota, the water's cold. Won't have to fight for long. As you may know, the colder the climate, the warmer the water. This is what Lacey means by This ain't the Dakota, the water's cold. Again, I think of Titanic. Lacey won't have to fight for long because he will freeze to death in the unruly waters off of Montauk. How depressing. There is no hope, and you know you are going to die and cannot be saved. At least the ending is perfect.
The reason this song is number 4 is because of the fabulous lyrics, of course. Though it is acoustic and recorded solo, the lyrics far surpass any guitar or drum solo. The ending makes you want to cry the first time you hear it. I know I sure did. This is the end. This story's old but it goes on and on until we disappear. Calm me and let me taste the salt you breathed while you were underneath. "This is the end" symbolizes the end of the album. They are both drowning and he wants to die after she does. He needs her to let him taste the salt she is tasting while she is drowning. I am the one who haunts your dreams of mountains sunk below the sea. I spoke the words but never gave a thought to what they all could mean. Lacey is saying that it is his fault that she is drowning. He haunts her dreams of the highest places on earth, and yet she is at the bottom of the sea. This song is a perfect 10.
Best quote(s): I know that this is what you want. A funeral keeps both of us apart. You know that you are not alone. Need you like water in my lungs. This symbolizes the break up. This also symbolizes that he is saved and she is not. She wanted to break up anyway and she had to die in order for them to be apart. Jesse Lacey doesn't need her, he never did. No one needs water in their lungs.
According to interviews I have seen with Jesse Lacey, this is his favorite song on Deja. He recorded it last minute in his friend's basement and put it on the album. The reason the song is titled is "Play Crack the Sky" (according to wiki) is because one day Jesse Lacey and his friend, John Nolan saw an older Mylon LeFavre, the artist who performed the song "Crack the Sky". LeFavre seemed nuts when they noticed that he was playing guitar for an empty parking lot. Nolan shouted at LeFavre "Play 'Crack the Sky!'" After hearing this, LeFavre put his head down in shame. Though it is a funny story, it has absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics whatsoever.
Lacey makes yet another nautical reference throughout the song. He relates relationships with being lost at sea and finding out your ship is sinking right before you're about to reach land. We sent out an SOS call. It's a quarter past four in the morning when the storm broke our second anchor line. Doesn't this just remind you of that show the Deadliest Catch? It's where these guys go fishing for crabs during all these bad weather conditions.Four months at sea, four months of calm seas to be pounded in the shallows off the tip of Montauk Point. You'd think that none of those words would flow together as a rhyming song, but it blows your mind. It's something that only Brand New could pull off.
They call them rogues, they travel fast and alone. One hundred foot faces of God's good ocean gone wrong. As ignorant as I am, I didn't know what a rogue was, so I looked it up. Wikipedia says: "Rogue waves, also known as freak waves, monster waves or extreme waves, are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that are a threat even to large ships and ocean liners." That makes a lot more sense. The way Lacey wrote "God's good ocean" sends shivers. This meaning normally the ocean is a beautiful thing that is calm and glorious. But that day something had gone wrong and it had turned into something ugly. Since this song is last on Deja, I think it is sort of prepping for TDAGARIM. This is why God is mentioned, and not only in a good sense. What they call love is a risk, cause you always get hit out of nowhere by some wave and end up on your own. Again, you would think that none of these words would flow together as a song, but its incredible. This comparison is an obvious message saying what the song is about. This is the only Brand New song that literally tells you what the song is about.
Your tongue is a rudder that steers the whole ship, sends your words past your lips, keeps them safe behind your teeth. This illustrates a girl being a complainer but shes being compared to the steering wheel of a boat. But the wrong words will strand you, come off course while you sleep. Sweep your boat off to sea or dashed to bits on the reef. The wrong words, or movements on the ship, will strand you in a relationship, or make you lost at sea. In this song, there is a double meaning for everything.
One thing just kind of slaps me in the face when hearing this song. That thing is Titanic. I don't know about you guys, but the biggest boat I have ever seen sink is the Titanic. This reminds me of Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio holding onto that chunk of ice and waiting to be saved. They are both so in love but the fact that the boat is sinking and they both want to save each other, not themselves. The vessel groans, the ocean pressures it's frame. To the port I see the lighthouse through the sleet and the rain. The lighthouse represents hope. Land is so nearby that they might just make it through the horrid weather and ship wreak. And I wish for one more day to give my love and repay debts. The morning finds our bodies washed up thirty miles west. This makes me think so far beyond that. What happens when they are found and their parents get that dreaded call that their son was found washed up on shore? It just makes me think and feel sympathetic.
They say that the captain stays fast with the ship through still and storm, but this ain't the Dakota, the water's cold. Won't have to fight for long. As you may know, the colder the climate, the warmer the water. This is what Lacey means by This ain't the Dakota, the water's cold. Again, I think of Titanic. Lacey won't have to fight for long because he will freeze to death in the unruly waters off of Montauk. How depressing. There is no hope, and you know you are going to die and cannot be saved. At least the ending is perfect.
The reason this song is number 4 is because of the fabulous lyrics, of course. Though it is acoustic and recorded solo, the lyrics far surpass any guitar or drum solo. The ending makes you want to cry the first time you hear it. I know I sure did. This is the end. This story's old but it goes on and on until we disappear. Calm me and let me taste the salt you breathed while you were underneath. "This is the end" symbolizes the end of the album. They are both drowning and he wants to die after she does. He needs her to let him taste the salt she is tasting while she is drowning. I am the one who haunts your dreams of mountains sunk below the sea. I spoke the words but never gave a thought to what they all could mean. Lacey is saying that it is his fault that she is drowning. He haunts her dreams of the highest places on earth, and yet she is at the bottom of the sea. This song is a perfect 10.
Best quote(s): I know that this is what you want. A funeral keeps both of us apart. You know that you are not alone. Need you like water in my lungs. This symbolizes the break up. This also symbolizes that he is saved and she is not. She wanted to break up anyway and she had to die in order for them to be apart. Jesse Lacey doesn't need her, he never did. No one needs water in their lungs.
#5 You Won't Know -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Ranking on Guitarasaurus's list: #1
Now, this song lives up to a lot since it was number 1 on the previous Brand New ranking list. I must say, this song is perfect. From the lyrics to the instruments, I must say that this song is a 10/10. I saw BN at Lollapalooza this year. I was right up front getting crushed by the 20,000 Rage Against the Machine fans behind me. You Won't Know was the last song of their set list. The fans started to get violent and screamed things like "Bring on RAGE!!!" or "Do a Rage cover!" I got so furious that I screamed at the whole crowd around me saying "STFU! Brand New is so much more important, watch them and shut up!" To say the least, the whole crowd booed me. But after that, Jesse Lacey and I made eye contact like 3 times for 5 minutes straight. He must have heard me, right? Right. After the song was finished and Jesse was so mad about all the Rage fans that he threw his guitar, almost killing Brian Lane, and simply walked off stage. That was the last of Brand New's Lolla set.
Anyways, the intro to this song is fabulous. It takes about 42 seconds for Jesse Lacey's voice to come in. Within those 42 seconds is one of the prettiest melodies that Brand New possesses. Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Hangman. Go get your rope. No offense to Guitarasaurus, but I refuse to believe that this song is a continuation of Limousine. I see it as more of a depressing version of Archers. In both songs he talks about a man's daughters and them messing up and/or loving Lacey. Your daughters weren't careful. I fear that I am a slippery slope. This father of these daughters must not be too fond of Lacey. Lacey must not be too fond of Lacey it seems at this moment. Now even if I lay my head down at night after a day I got perfectly right, she won't know. She won't know. My guess is Mr. Hangman has banned Jesse from seeing his precious spawn, and even if Lacey did mess up then fix his wrongs, the girl won't know.
Here is the part that makes hearts skip beats. Jesse Lacey counts in and then WHAM. Hard pounding of every instrument Brand New can possibly play. Now, there are many different lyrics that I have read for this part of the song. I don't want to act like I know the exact words because I don't. I think that whatever lyrics you believe Lacey is saying, that's what you'll hear. I've narrowed it down to So pray, little player. You gotta contend? That is pretty much what I hear, or Guitarasaurus put as what he hears as So pray, little Kay, love is God on a good day. I guess it all depends on what you think the song is about. To support my thesis, I think the next line is about the mother coming into the picture rather than just the father (Mr. Hangman). And you can't blame your mother, she's trying not to see you as her worst mistake. That hurts. The mom doesn't give a hoot about her daughters so the father has to? That's really sad. And I wish that I could tell you right now, I love you, but it looks like I won't be around. So you won't know. That's even sadder. Lacey wants to express his love for this girl but he is forced to be out of the picture. She will never know how he truly feels.
Jesse Lacey needs to let this girl know that he will never let her down, no matter what in this next verse. They can fire everything they've got and when you think I'm sunk I will float on and on. LOL I always think of pirates when I hear that line. Oh Jesse Lacey and all your nautical references. I think this means that her family will take shots at him and it won't effect how he feels. He loves this girl and he's not going anywhere. I have burned the bush that covered my light. And though I'm scared I won't burn that bright, you won't know. I really don't understand that line, but not burning bright shows means not showing your best self.
We're never gonna feel as full as we felt so let's go outside and we'll play William Tell. Take your time draw on your bead, I'll stand as still as you need. For those who were as confused as I was when I heard that William Tell line, let me explain. William Tell is a legend who was said to be an expert with a crossbow (This supports my connection to Archers, perhaps why Brand New titled that song and added this reference). William Tell was forced to shoot an apple off the top of his son's head or else they would both be killed. Supposedly he did it with ease and they both lived. There's more to the story but I feel it's irrelevant. It’s on wiki if anyone is seriously interested. The smile on your face, its on a plate, it's on a silver plate. That line is kind of cryptic. I envision a severed head atop a very fancy and expensive plate. Pretty gross.
This next part slows down. It’s the saddest part of the song to me. Lacey's voice slows down and becomes softer. So they say, they say in heaven there's no husbands and wives. On the day that I show up they'll be completely out their forgiveness supplies. And I can't use the telephone to tell you that I'm dead and gone, so you won't know. The whole repeated line that the song is named after marks a fantastic ending to a fantastic song.
So, why number five compared to number one? The intro seems long to me, maybe some people like that better. It fits the song now, but at first I always used to skip over that part. The next 4 songs just seem a tad more perfect IMO, I hope I can convince you guys the same.
Best quote(s): You're so good at talking smack, you heart attack, but you're the apple of my eye anyway. When I first heard that line I flipped. People in 8th grade use the term "talking smack" and I love how Lacey included it. He calls the girl a heart attack because she's overly sweet but deadly, yet she's the apple of his eye. It also connects with his William Tell reference about the shooting of the apples. Perfect, just perfect.
Now, this song lives up to a lot since it was number 1 on the previous Brand New ranking list. I must say, this song is perfect. From the lyrics to the instruments, I must say that this song is a 10/10. I saw BN at Lollapalooza this year. I was right up front getting crushed by the 20,000 Rage Against the Machine fans behind me. You Won't Know was the last song of their set list. The fans started to get violent and screamed things like "Bring on RAGE!!!" or "Do a Rage cover!" I got so furious that I screamed at the whole crowd around me saying "STFU! Brand New is so much more important, watch them and shut up!" To say the least, the whole crowd booed me. But after that, Jesse Lacey and I made eye contact like 3 times for 5 minutes straight. He must have heard me, right? Right. After the song was finished and Jesse was so mad about all the Rage fans that he threw his guitar, almost killing Brian Lane, and simply walked off stage. That was the last of Brand New's Lolla set.
Anyways, the intro to this song is fabulous. It takes about 42 seconds for Jesse Lacey's voice to come in. Within those 42 seconds is one of the prettiest melodies that Brand New possesses. Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Hangman. Go get your rope. No offense to Guitarasaurus, but I refuse to believe that this song is a continuation of Limousine. I see it as more of a depressing version of Archers. In both songs he talks about a man's daughters and them messing up and/or loving Lacey. Your daughters weren't careful. I fear that I am a slippery slope. This father of these daughters must not be too fond of Lacey. Lacey must not be too fond of Lacey it seems at this moment. Now even if I lay my head down at night after a day I got perfectly right, she won't know. She won't know. My guess is Mr. Hangman has banned Jesse from seeing his precious spawn, and even if Lacey did mess up then fix his wrongs, the girl won't know.
Here is the part that makes hearts skip beats. Jesse Lacey counts in and then WHAM. Hard pounding of every instrument Brand New can possibly play. Now, there are many different lyrics that I have read for this part of the song. I don't want to act like I know the exact words because I don't. I think that whatever lyrics you believe Lacey is saying, that's what you'll hear. I've narrowed it down to So pray, little player. You gotta contend? That is pretty much what I hear, or Guitarasaurus put as what he hears as So pray, little Kay, love is God on a good day. I guess it all depends on what you think the song is about. To support my thesis, I think the next line is about the mother coming into the picture rather than just the father (Mr. Hangman). And you can't blame your mother, she's trying not to see you as her worst mistake. That hurts. The mom doesn't give a hoot about her daughters so the father has to? That's really sad. And I wish that I could tell you right now, I love you, but it looks like I won't be around. So you won't know. That's even sadder. Lacey wants to express his love for this girl but he is forced to be out of the picture. She will never know how he truly feels.
Jesse Lacey needs to let this girl know that he will never let her down, no matter what in this next verse. They can fire everything they've got and when you think I'm sunk I will float on and on. LOL I always think of pirates when I hear that line. Oh Jesse Lacey and all your nautical references. I think this means that her family will take shots at him and it won't effect how he feels. He loves this girl and he's not going anywhere. I have burned the bush that covered my light. And though I'm scared I won't burn that bright, you won't know. I really don't understand that line, but not burning bright shows means not showing your best self.
We're never gonna feel as full as we felt so let's go outside and we'll play William Tell. Take your time draw on your bead, I'll stand as still as you need. For those who were as confused as I was when I heard that William Tell line, let me explain. William Tell is a legend who was said to be an expert with a crossbow (This supports my connection to Archers, perhaps why Brand New titled that song and added this reference). William Tell was forced to shoot an apple off the top of his son's head or else they would both be killed. Supposedly he did it with ease and they both lived. There's more to the story but I feel it's irrelevant. It’s on wiki if anyone is seriously interested. The smile on your face, its on a plate, it's on a silver plate. That line is kind of cryptic. I envision a severed head atop a very fancy and expensive plate. Pretty gross.
This next part slows down. It’s the saddest part of the song to me. Lacey's voice slows down and becomes softer. So they say, they say in heaven there's no husbands and wives. On the day that I show up they'll be completely out their forgiveness supplies. And I can't use the telephone to tell you that I'm dead and gone, so you won't know. The whole repeated line that the song is named after marks a fantastic ending to a fantastic song.
So, why number five compared to number one? The intro seems long to me, maybe some people like that better. It fits the song now, but at first I always used to skip over that part. The next 4 songs just seem a tad more perfect IMO, I hope I can convince you guys the same.
Best quote(s): You're so good at talking smack, you heart attack, but you're the apple of my eye anyway. When I first heard that line I flipped. People in 8th grade use the term "talking smack" and I love how Lacey included it. He calls the girl a heart attack because she's overly sweet but deadly, yet she's the apple of his eye. It also connects with his William Tell reference about the shooting of the apples. Perfect, just perfect.
#6 Not the Sun -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Ahh Not the Sun. This was my first favorite TDAGARIM song. Since then I've acquired different tastes and chosen others songs above this one, but it will always have a special place in my heart. This song was perfect for what I was going through at the time of my first listen. It's the perfect break up song for any situation I can think of. I know you guys may think this should be higher, but I can't put everything as number one, even if these are all 10/10. I don't know what it is with this song. I think everything just flows together perfectly. The title "Not the Sun" is a reference to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The scene is set as Romeo coming to see Juliet at her house in secrecy. The quote is "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." By saying someone is the sun is basically saying they are everything to you. But if you are NOT the sun... Well, you understand.
Do do do duh duh duh do do do do do do… You know the intro. It's brilliant. Those few simplistic guitar notes and then Brian Lane kicks in with hard pounding of the drums. Jesse Lacey's voice comes in at the most perfect pitch I've ever heard him do. Please don't be technology so I can turn up your love like some cold machine. What does that mean, you ask? To be honest, I haven't a clue. But it flows beautifully, don’t you think? Possibly Lacey is saying So I can turn up your love like some Coke machine. That could make sense since they have that song Coca-Cola or aloA-acoC. Maybe they all really like Coke. Don't feed me scraps from your bed. I won't be the stray coming back just to be fed. Wow. Everyone has felt like that at least once in their lives, am I right? Jesse couldn't have put those lyrics more true or real. Who knew that two simple rhyming words could end up so beautifully together?
I'll be wait. Come and seal the fate, Marie. Just pretend that you want me and be my babe, be my bait. The whole band is just matching Lacey's voice. They match up together so well that it blows my mind. I love how he stretches out the babes and the baits. It's almost like he doesn't have to take a breath between each line. He must not be a smoker because he can belt lyrics out of those lungs better than anyone ever. I think what Jesse wants to say in that first line is I'll be wait(ing) but it wouldn't flow or rhyme as much. It's okay. I like guessing.
The same idea goes for the second verse. He loves this girl but since she doesn't love him back, he will only use her. Don’t be that note I can't hold. Don't be that joke that I told and told till it got old. That’s pretty self explanatory. This girl is killing him because she doesn't feel the same. Don't be that hand around my throat so I can't breathe. Say you're my friend but why won't you be my family? Jesse's desperate tone makes your heart just go out to him. He's so confused that he asked to literally ask why she won't marry him. He doesn't understand why she doesn't love him. Frankly, who wouldn't love Jesse Lacey?
Well, you guys know my thing with endings. This song probably has the 4th best ending on my list. The lyrics are perfect. They are sincere and they are raw. The whole pace of the song just slows down for it and then kicks back up with all power. Just pretend that you love me and be my babe, be my bait. I wouldn't have to pretend. But Jesse needs the assurance from this girl that he is loved, even if he is not.
Best quote(s): Be my serene. Tell me you know what I mean. You set on me but you are not the sun. You will not listen. (Now that I know what I am) I'm outside, you call once again. You set me be but you are not the sun. And you will not listen. Everyone should get chills are shivers and goose bumps from those lyrics. They are perfect, literally. These words should be inspirational to anyone who is missing someone special. I swear, the lyrics got me through really tough times. But whoever you are pining for, they are not everything. You have other things to worry about. Also, I LOVE how Lacey makes it seem like you are not the sun and you will not listen are the same words. It's just perfect. It's everything anyone who is going through a bad time needs. It’s the perfect healing from a break up song. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. It'll change your life.
Do do do duh duh duh do do do do do do… You know the intro. It's brilliant. Those few simplistic guitar notes and then Brian Lane kicks in with hard pounding of the drums. Jesse Lacey's voice comes in at the most perfect pitch I've ever heard him do. Please don't be technology so I can turn up your love like some cold machine. What does that mean, you ask? To be honest, I haven't a clue. But it flows beautifully, don’t you think? Possibly Lacey is saying So I can turn up your love like some Coke machine. That could make sense since they have that song Coca-Cola or aloA-acoC. Maybe they all really like Coke. Don't feed me scraps from your bed. I won't be the stray coming back just to be fed. Wow. Everyone has felt like that at least once in their lives, am I right? Jesse couldn't have put those lyrics more true or real. Who knew that two simple rhyming words could end up so beautifully together?
I'll be wait. Come and seal the fate, Marie. Just pretend that you want me and be my babe, be my bait. The whole band is just matching Lacey's voice. They match up together so well that it blows my mind. I love how he stretches out the babes and the baits. It's almost like he doesn't have to take a breath between each line. He must not be a smoker because he can belt lyrics out of those lungs better than anyone ever. I think what Jesse wants to say in that first line is I'll be wait(ing) but it wouldn't flow or rhyme as much. It's okay. I like guessing.
The same idea goes for the second verse. He loves this girl but since she doesn't love him back, he will only use her. Don’t be that note I can't hold. Don't be that joke that I told and told till it got old. That’s pretty self explanatory. This girl is killing him because she doesn't feel the same. Don't be that hand around my throat so I can't breathe. Say you're my friend but why won't you be my family? Jesse's desperate tone makes your heart just go out to him. He's so confused that he asked to literally ask why she won't marry him. He doesn't understand why she doesn't love him. Frankly, who wouldn't love Jesse Lacey?
Well, you guys know my thing with endings. This song probably has the 4th best ending on my list. The lyrics are perfect. They are sincere and they are raw. The whole pace of the song just slows down for it and then kicks back up with all power. Just pretend that you love me and be my babe, be my bait. I wouldn't have to pretend. But Jesse needs the assurance from this girl that he is loved, even if he is not.
Best quote(s): Be my serene. Tell me you know what I mean. You set on me but you are not the sun. You will not listen. (Now that I know what I am) I'm outside, you call once again. You set me be but you are not the sun. And you will not listen. Everyone should get chills are shivers and goose bumps from those lyrics. They are perfect, literally. These words should be inspirational to anyone who is missing someone special. I swear, the lyrics got me through really tough times. But whoever you are pining for, they are not everything. You have other things to worry about. Also, I LOVE how Lacey makes it seem like you are not the sun and you will not listen are the same words. It's just perfect. It's everything anyone who is going through a bad time needs. It’s the perfect healing from a break up song. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. It'll change your life.
#7 Degausser -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
First, just to be clear, let's define the word "degausser". Taken from wiki: The process of decreasing or eliminating an unwanted magnetic field. This is beyond me. I'm thinking Jesse Lacey perhaps titled this song "Degausser" because he wanted to get rid of an unwanted magnetism towards a girl. Personally, I have never heard this word before I listened to this song. I've noticed that Lacey uses nice big words when he speaks in interviews. He's a smart guy, clearly.
This song has some of my favorite Brand New lyrics of all time. A quiet solemn guitar begins the song while Vinnie Accardi kicks in along with Brian Lane pounding greatly on the drums and Garrett Tierney strumming away on bass. Goodbye to sleep. I think this staying up is exactly what I need. Take apart your head. Take apart the captain and the flock it has bred. Lacey cannot sleep. He has given up and let his temporary insomnia win. It's a good thing, too, because then he wouldn't have written this glorious song for us. When I saw BN in October 2006, they said that they wrote Degausser the morning of the concert. Miraculously, this song ended up on the album that came out a few weeks later. Weird. Goodbye to love. Well it's a ride that will push you up right against the wall. I always thought that line was incredibly sexy. Who doesn't want to be pushed up against a wall in the name of love? You know?
The chorus preaches something different. You burnt bright but you run out. I've been asleep in the incline. I can't shake this little feeling. I'll never get anything right. Whoever Jesse Lacey is talking about, this person must've had so much potential and then just collapsed. He fell asleep trying to wait for her to come back. He has a bad feeling about how they've changed. He might have changed for the worse as well. That is my interpretation. The way Lacey shouts and stretches out each word at the end of a sentence is just so perfect. You can hear his lungs expanding trying to get out these words.
Again, there is a shift in tone and diction in the second verse. Goodbye, you liar. Well you sipped from the cup but you don't own up to anything, then you think you will inspire. Lacey shows disgust in this person. Now he is hostile. I envision the Holy Grail as the cup he is speaking of. He's saying that this person is no saint, and yet acts like one by trying to inspire. So, in turn, that person needs to take apart their head and search for truth. Take apart your head. Take apart the demon in the attic to the left. Fight off your demons! Jesse says that this person has demons that they need to face. The demons are what ruined this person. Now, I've read (on wiki I think it was) that Degausser is about Lacey's friend and how they believe demons haunt the attic of his friend's house. That’s not exactly the way I take it, but everyone takes it differently.
So, why number 8? As I said before, the lyrics in this song are incredible. In the third verse, there is a shift in tone again. Guitars slow down and mellow out. Take me, take me back to your bed. I love you so much that it hurts me head. Say, I don't mind you under my skin. I let the bad parts in, the bad parts in. Lacey now it professing his love for the person, even if they do have demons on their side. He's willing to get into bed with this person and doesn't care if she gets under his skin. He is attracted to bad girls. It's human nature to like the person you can't have. But when we were made, we were set apart. Life is a test and I get bad marks. Now some saint's got the job of writing down my sins. The storm is coming. The storm is coming in. What I get from this is that he was made the good Christian boy, she is the wild chick. They're opposite. Lacey believes that he fails at life. He feels that he is being judged and picked apart. All hell is about to break loose.
The deepest part of the song happens at the final verse. At the very end of the song Lacey states You're my favorite bird and when you sing I really do wish that you wear my ring. No matter what they say I am still the king. This is the part of the song where I know pretty much for a fact who this is about. As you may know, Jesse Lacey dated Sherri DuPree from the Texas-based band, Eisley. He proposed to her and she declined. She may or may not have cheated on him, I've heard different stories. This part of the song mentions her declining his proposal, but he tries to not be affected by it. He is still the king and kings are unstoppable.
Best quote(s): Take apart your head. Chew it up and swallow it. Wow. Ouch. Jesse is mad. He is saying that this person (Sherri, maybe) has a big head and needs a reality check. She needs to swallow everything that has gone to her head. Fame, maybe. Possibly lust. Take it however you want.
This song has some of my favorite Brand New lyrics of all time. A quiet solemn guitar begins the song while Vinnie Accardi kicks in along with Brian Lane pounding greatly on the drums and Garrett Tierney strumming away on bass. Goodbye to sleep. I think this staying up is exactly what I need. Take apart your head. Take apart the captain and the flock it has bred. Lacey cannot sleep. He has given up and let his temporary insomnia win. It's a good thing, too, because then he wouldn't have written this glorious song for us. When I saw BN in October 2006, they said that they wrote Degausser the morning of the concert. Miraculously, this song ended up on the album that came out a few weeks later. Weird. Goodbye to love. Well it's a ride that will push you up right against the wall. I always thought that line was incredibly sexy. Who doesn't want to be pushed up against a wall in the name of love? You know?
The chorus preaches something different. You burnt bright but you run out. I've been asleep in the incline. I can't shake this little feeling. I'll never get anything right. Whoever Jesse Lacey is talking about, this person must've had so much potential and then just collapsed. He fell asleep trying to wait for her to come back. He has a bad feeling about how they've changed. He might have changed for the worse as well. That is my interpretation. The way Lacey shouts and stretches out each word at the end of a sentence is just so perfect. You can hear his lungs expanding trying to get out these words.
Again, there is a shift in tone and diction in the second verse. Goodbye, you liar. Well you sipped from the cup but you don't own up to anything, then you think you will inspire. Lacey shows disgust in this person. Now he is hostile. I envision the Holy Grail as the cup he is speaking of. He's saying that this person is no saint, and yet acts like one by trying to inspire. So, in turn, that person needs to take apart their head and search for truth. Take apart your head. Take apart the demon in the attic to the left. Fight off your demons! Jesse says that this person has demons that they need to face. The demons are what ruined this person. Now, I've read (on wiki I think it was) that Degausser is about Lacey's friend and how they believe demons haunt the attic of his friend's house. That’s not exactly the way I take it, but everyone takes it differently.
So, why number 8? As I said before, the lyrics in this song are incredible. In the third verse, there is a shift in tone again. Guitars slow down and mellow out. Take me, take me back to your bed. I love you so much that it hurts me head. Say, I don't mind you under my skin. I let the bad parts in, the bad parts in. Lacey now it professing his love for the person, even if they do have demons on their side. He's willing to get into bed with this person and doesn't care if she gets under his skin. He is attracted to bad girls. It's human nature to like the person you can't have. But when we were made, we were set apart. Life is a test and I get bad marks. Now some saint's got the job of writing down my sins. The storm is coming. The storm is coming in. What I get from this is that he was made the good Christian boy, she is the wild chick. They're opposite. Lacey believes that he fails at life. He feels that he is being judged and picked apart. All hell is about to break loose.
The deepest part of the song happens at the final verse. At the very end of the song Lacey states You're my favorite bird and when you sing I really do wish that you wear my ring. No matter what they say I am still the king. This is the part of the song where I know pretty much for a fact who this is about. As you may know, Jesse Lacey dated Sherri DuPree from the Texas-based band, Eisley. He proposed to her and she declined. She may or may not have cheated on him, I've heard different stories. This part of the song mentions her declining his proposal, but he tries to not be affected by it. He is still the king and kings are unstoppable.
Best quote(s): Take apart your head. Chew it up and swallow it. Wow. Ouch. Jesse is mad. He is saying that this person (Sherri, maybe) has a big head and needs a reality check. She needs to swallow everything that has gone to her head. Fame, maybe. Possibly lust. Take it however you want.
#8 Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't -Deja Entendu
Ahh this song brings back memories. This, my friends, is the first Brand New song I have ever heard. This is the song that made me hooked. I'll be honest. The one and only reason I gave Brand New a listen in the first place is because Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is one of my all time favorite movies. I saw the title of this song and I lol'd. I thought that this band must be good if they're pulling quotes from a wicked awesome movie. This song is the most in-your-face, eat sh!t song that Brand New has out there. "Get down on your knees and tell me you love me..."
In this song, Jesse Lacey is cocky with a capital C. I am heaven sent. Don't you dare forget. I am all you ever wanted. What all the other boys all promised. This girl must know what she's missing. Lacey wants to just rub it in her face even more. I love the lonesome guitar intro. His voice sounds so serious and strong. He just exudes confidence. He wants everyone on Earth to know what a terrible person the girl he's singing to is. I hope this song starts a craze. The kind of song that ignites the airwaves. If Lacey can't have her because she's a cheater, no one will have her. He wants her to pay for what she's done. This is war. Those three words just scream hatred. Cause you can't keep a secret if it never was a secret to start. At least pretend you didn't wanna get caught. No matter what, your heart should go out to Jesse Lacey right there. This girl was sneaking around behind his back and did not even care. She got caught and doesn't feel sorry at all. What a meanie.
We're concentrating on falling apart. We were contenders, we're throwing the fight. I just wanna believe. I just wanna believe. I just wanna believe in us. The chorus shows a different side of Lacey's pain. The first verse is him being just plain mad. Now we're starting to see him missing this girl and perhaps wanting to work out their differences. Once a cheater, always a cheater, I’d say in this situation.
We are entirely smooth. We admit to the truth, we are the best at what we do. I've never agreed with a statement more in my entire life. Brand New is the best at what they do and they are incredibly smooth. This is the way you wish your voice sounds, handsome and smart. Oh my tongue is the only muscle on my body that works harder than my heart. There goes the cocky thing again. I think Jesse Lacey deserves to be cocky. He is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. I've actually seem interviews where Jesse has said that himself and the rest of the band mates know that stardom changes people into jerks, but BN wouldn't let that happen to them. I sure hope they wouldn't. Oh, it hurts to always have to be honest with the one that you love. Oh, so let it go. BAM! In your face, cheater! He doesn't love her anymore. Good for you, Jesse.
As you have all read, I think that the ending makes or breaks a song. This song has the number 3 best ending on my countdown. Sure, it just has the chorus replayed again. But it's the beauty that happens before the last chorus, bringing me to the best quote.
Best quote(s): This is the grace only we can bestow. This is the price you pay for loss of control. This is the break in the bend. This is the closest of calls. This is the reason you're alone. This is the rise and the fall. That last sentence is the closest to screamo that Brand New ever gets. But it's okay because they can pull it off. After a song like that, they can pull anything off. This rhyming is amazing. It is really a perfect piece of work.
In this song, Jesse Lacey is cocky with a capital C. I am heaven sent. Don't you dare forget. I am all you ever wanted. What all the other boys all promised. This girl must know what she's missing. Lacey wants to just rub it in her face even more. I love the lonesome guitar intro. His voice sounds so serious and strong. He just exudes confidence. He wants everyone on Earth to know what a terrible person the girl he's singing to is. I hope this song starts a craze. The kind of song that ignites the airwaves. If Lacey can't have her because she's a cheater, no one will have her. He wants her to pay for what she's done. This is war. Those three words just scream hatred. Cause you can't keep a secret if it never was a secret to start. At least pretend you didn't wanna get caught. No matter what, your heart should go out to Jesse Lacey right there. This girl was sneaking around behind his back and did not even care. She got caught and doesn't feel sorry at all. What a meanie.
We're concentrating on falling apart. We were contenders, we're throwing the fight. I just wanna believe. I just wanna believe. I just wanna believe in us. The chorus shows a different side of Lacey's pain. The first verse is him being just plain mad. Now we're starting to see him missing this girl and perhaps wanting to work out their differences. Once a cheater, always a cheater, I’d say in this situation.
We are entirely smooth. We admit to the truth, we are the best at what we do. I've never agreed with a statement more in my entire life. Brand New is the best at what they do and they are incredibly smooth. This is the way you wish your voice sounds, handsome and smart. Oh my tongue is the only muscle on my body that works harder than my heart. There goes the cocky thing again. I think Jesse Lacey deserves to be cocky. He is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. I've actually seem interviews where Jesse has said that himself and the rest of the band mates know that stardom changes people into jerks, but BN wouldn't let that happen to them. I sure hope they wouldn't. Oh, it hurts to always have to be honest with the one that you love. Oh, so let it go. BAM! In your face, cheater! He doesn't love her anymore. Good for you, Jesse.
As you have all read, I think that the ending makes or breaks a song. This song has the number 3 best ending on my countdown. Sure, it just has the chorus replayed again. But it's the beauty that happens before the last chorus, bringing me to the best quote.
Best quote(s): This is the grace only we can bestow. This is the price you pay for loss of control. This is the break in the bend. This is the closest of calls. This is the reason you're alone. This is the rise and the fall. That last sentence is the closest to screamo that Brand New ever gets. But it's okay because they can pull it off. After a song like that, they can pull anything off. This rhyming is amazing. It is really a perfect piece of work.
#9 Millstone -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
I anticipated TDAGARIM for so long. I wanted it to come out so bad and when Brand New finally put Sowing Season (Yeah) on their MySpace I was like "…Oh. Great." It's not that it was a bad song (it's my number 26), I just thought they had done better in the past. But then, the entire CD came out and of course I was going to buy it. I couldn't judge the whole CD by one song. I played the CD in order and Millstone was the first I had heard other than Sowing Season. I was in awe. Brand New had done it again. Why on earth would they put Sowing Season as the single and not Millstone? Brand New released this song as the last single for the album. My mom claims that she had heard it on the radio, but I have yet to see proof. Isn't it pathetic that I play Brand New so much, even my mom knows the music? Well that’s beside the point.
Millstone is a beautifully worded song. It is about a struggle through life, comparing it to how life used to be to how it is now. The music is a continuation from Sowing Season. It goes right from one to the other. I used to be such a burning example. I used to be so original. I used to care I was being cared for, made sure I showed it to those that I love. I used to sleep without a single stir. Cause I was about my father's work. Jesse Lacey, as you may know, has 7 brother and sisters. He says that he used to set good examples, perhaps for his siblings, but he doesn't try to anymore. I don't agree that he USED to be original when it comes to his writing. I'm not sure about other things.
The way it sounds, Jesse was brought up as a good boy. Then maybe he was surrounded with the wrong crowd (maybe like the hoodlums from Jaws Theme Swimming?!) and he became this person he didn’t know anymore. Right before the chorus starts, Brian Lane takes a chance with one loud big huge THUMP on the drums. It kind of scares you at first. It makes your heart skip a beat. Take me out tonight. The ship of fools I'm on will sink. I'm my own stone around my neck. Be my breath. There's nothing I wouldn't give. There's nothing he wouldn't give for what? To get his life back to the way it used to be maybe? This song tells a story. Jesse seems to not want to let go of the past. Perhaps in reference to Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis, Lacey sings I used to know the name of every person I've kissed. Now I've made this bed and I can't fall asleep in it. Has Jesse Lacey become a manwhore? I can only hope not.
Cut to the ending. Just like the No Seatbelt Song, some more incoherent voices without complete sentences or thoughts. From what I can understand, I hear They never hit their brakes… There was no time to see… He just ran out in the street… Anybody know his name?... I think I recognize him… He'll sure as hell pay for my mistake. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. The whole Woah woahhh woahhh part is kind of intense. More so than the incoherent part, because it's difficult to understand. When I saw Brand New in concert for the second time, at the very end Jesse Lacey shouted his woahs and then grabbed a huge mallet of some sort and started pounding on the drums along with Brian Lane. DUMDUM DUM DUM! You know how it goes. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. This goes with the whole spiel about how endings of songs are so important.
Best quote(s): I used to pray a God was listening. I used to make my parents proud. I was the glue that kept my friends together. Now they don't talk and we don't go out. This, again, shows Lacey's struggle with faith. This also explains how his parents perhaps got divorced or separated and aren't speaking and how he grew apart from his friends since high school. Jesse isn't there to keep the glue with his friends sticky. It has worn off and now with his absence, they're gone.
Millstone is a beautifully worded song. It is about a struggle through life, comparing it to how life used to be to how it is now. The music is a continuation from Sowing Season. It goes right from one to the other. I used to be such a burning example. I used to be so original. I used to care I was being cared for, made sure I showed it to those that I love. I used to sleep without a single stir. Cause I was about my father's work. Jesse Lacey, as you may know, has 7 brother and sisters. He says that he used to set good examples, perhaps for his siblings, but he doesn't try to anymore. I don't agree that he USED to be original when it comes to his writing. I'm not sure about other things.
The way it sounds, Jesse was brought up as a good boy. Then maybe he was surrounded with the wrong crowd (maybe like the hoodlums from Jaws Theme Swimming?!) and he became this person he didn’t know anymore. Right before the chorus starts, Brian Lane takes a chance with one loud big huge THUMP on the drums. It kind of scares you at first. It makes your heart skip a beat. Take me out tonight. The ship of fools I'm on will sink. I'm my own stone around my neck. Be my breath. There's nothing I wouldn't give. There's nothing he wouldn't give for what? To get his life back to the way it used to be maybe? This song tells a story. Jesse seems to not want to let go of the past. Perhaps in reference to Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis, Lacey sings I used to know the name of every person I've kissed. Now I've made this bed and I can't fall asleep in it. Has Jesse Lacey become a manwhore? I can only hope not.
Cut to the ending. Just like the No Seatbelt Song, some more incoherent voices without complete sentences or thoughts. From what I can understand, I hear They never hit their brakes… There was no time to see… He just ran out in the street… Anybody know his name?... I think I recognize him… He'll sure as hell pay for my mistake. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. The whole Woah woahhh woahhh part is kind of intense. More so than the incoherent part, because it's difficult to understand. When I saw Brand New in concert for the second time, at the very end Jesse Lacey shouted his woahs and then grabbed a huge mallet of some sort and started pounding on the drums along with Brian Lane. DUMDUM DUM DUM! You know how it goes. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. This goes with the whole spiel about how endings of songs are so important.
Best quote(s): I used to pray a God was listening. I used to make my parents proud. I was the glue that kept my friends together. Now they don't talk and we don't go out. This, again, shows Lacey's struggle with faith. This also explains how his parents perhaps got divorced or separated and aren't speaking and how he grew apart from his friends since high school. Jesse isn't there to keep the glue with his friends sticky. It has worn off and now with his absence, they're gone.
Monday, March 9, 2009
#10 Jaws Theme Swimming -Deja Entendu
In its own little Brand New way, the opening 4 notes do sound like the intimidating anticipating Jaws theme right before an attack. During this song, I visualize the cool kids I used to see at the park late at night smoking cigarettes and all hugging each other. Probably more was going on that just hugging, but hey. I was little and didn't know what else to think. In the car outside, we stalk the idle kind. If you're leaving just let me know. Tobacco and peppermint. Dusting for fingerprints, a film in her eyes from the glow. They are ready to attack. Something in this song sounds scared. Whoever Lacey is hanging out with and what they are about to do, they're scared to do it. They are running away from something. Some rules are made with all intentions to break and she defends it with a warped rationale. These kids are bada$$es. They want to take over. I've seen what happens to the wicked and proud when they decide to try to take on the throne for the crown. They want power. It's evident. Jesse Lacey is hanging out with the coolest kids that take what they can get to become powerful-hungry jerks in torrential downpour.
As we learn, as we age, we were nothing and my body still aches. And we take cause we give. Though I love you, and my body it leaks like a sieve. For those of you who don't know (and neither did I, don't worry) a sieve is that thing that your mom drains pasta or boiled vegetables with. It's basically a bowl with many tiny holes at the bottom of it. So what Jesse Lacey means is that perhaps he can't keep secrets and they leak out as if he has tiny holes throughout his body. He's done it again. Lacey is perfect when it comes to analogies. The guitar comes in loud and strong. The chorus has a great melody. Jesse drags out his vocals on a lot of the words. Even if you can't understand what he is singing, you just agree with what you hear. You think, "Ohmigosh! That's totally what I'm going through!" Brand New just has relatable and likable lyrics no matter what.
Concrete and water. She's looking for her daughter at midnight in torrential downpour. This line is tricky to me. What I get from it is the same visualization that I get from Luca, only Luca is more straightforward. From Luca: "So we've fixed you with cement galoshes." Concrete and water. It's definitely the daughter who is caught in the concrete; either metaphorically or literally. And the mother is looking for her daughter at midnight, perhaps past curfew. Something bad has happened to her. Maybe she has been caught in the crime that Lacey and his friends are committing. Many many possibilities.
Take the picture from the wall when you think that nothing matters. Take a picture from the plane; it's a long way to the floor. Cut your finger on the edge cause it's sharper than they told you. Take a leap from out the window cause it's way too far to go through the door. This to me sounds very teen angsty. When you don't get what you want, throw a fit. On the contrary I think it also means to be more careful with your life. Sometimes you need to be taught a lesson for wrongdoing. This part, to me, is not needed. I like the slow down of guitar and then how it gets faster again. It throws you off and is intriguing.
Best quote(s): Everything I've said about how messed up your head is, we're cut up and left in bits pieces on the cutting room floor. Someone has gone crazy. Jesse Lacey does not want this loony to bring him down, yet he knows they are in the same boat. I don't know why, but this line makes me think of that Even Stevens episode where Louis and Ren try to sneak into the school to change Ren's grade so she becomes valedictorian or something like that. They sneak into school late at night and have to sneak by all the sensors. If this song was more comical, it would be identical to the Even Stevens episode. Wow, no one is going to understand that. Sorry, that was really out of left field. If you saw the episode, you'd get what I mean.
As we learn, as we age, we were nothing and my body still aches. And we take cause we give. Though I love you, and my body it leaks like a sieve. For those of you who don't know (and neither did I, don't worry) a sieve is that thing that your mom drains pasta or boiled vegetables with. It's basically a bowl with many tiny holes at the bottom of it. So what Jesse Lacey means is that perhaps he can't keep secrets and they leak out as if he has tiny holes throughout his body. He's done it again. Lacey is perfect when it comes to analogies. The guitar comes in loud and strong. The chorus has a great melody. Jesse drags out his vocals on a lot of the words. Even if you can't understand what he is singing, you just agree with what you hear. You think, "Ohmigosh! That's totally what I'm going through!" Brand New just has relatable and likable lyrics no matter what.
Concrete and water. She's looking for her daughter at midnight in torrential downpour. This line is tricky to me. What I get from it is the same visualization that I get from Luca, only Luca is more straightforward. From Luca: "So we've fixed you with cement galoshes." Concrete and water. It's definitely the daughter who is caught in the concrete; either metaphorically or literally. And the mother is looking for her daughter at midnight, perhaps past curfew. Something bad has happened to her. Maybe she has been caught in the crime that Lacey and his friends are committing. Many many possibilities.
Take the picture from the wall when you think that nothing matters. Take a picture from the plane; it's a long way to the floor. Cut your finger on the edge cause it's sharper than they told you. Take a leap from out the window cause it's way too far to go through the door. This to me sounds very teen angsty. When you don't get what you want, throw a fit. On the contrary I think it also means to be more careful with your life. Sometimes you need to be taught a lesson for wrongdoing. This part, to me, is not needed. I like the slow down of guitar and then how it gets faster again. It throws you off and is intriguing.
Best quote(s): Everything I've said about how messed up your head is, we're cut up and left in bits pieces on the cutting room floor. Someone has gone crazy. Jesse Lacey does not want this loony to bring him down, yet he knows they are in the same boat. I don't know why, but this line makes me think of that Even Stevens episode where Louis and Ren try to sneak into the school to change Ren's grade so she becomes valedictorian or something like that. They sneak into school late at night and have to sneak by all the sensors. If this song was more comical, it would be identical to the Even Stevens episode. Wow, no one is going to understand that. Sorry, that was really out of left field. If you saw the episode, you'd get what I mean.
#11 The No Seatbelt Song -Your Favorite Weapon
Now, when Guitarasaurus made this song one of his first write ups (meaning it was one of his last ranked songs) I was in shock. Now, maybe when I made my list I put this song a little high out of spite. Nevertheless, this song is brilliant. When I was a freshman in high school, every time you went through a girl's AIM buddy profile, the words It's only you, beautiful, or I don't want anyone were found everywhere. This song was an anthem to my school. It's for the broken hearted kids who think that they have found love. The person who is receiving the love does not feel the same way towards the person giving the love. Perfect for those lost high schoolers, eh?
This song is kind of dark. Especially so because it's on YFW. This song has a more Deja feel, though it still does make me think of high school. It's deeper and more serious than anything else on YFW. These lyrics sound like they are coming from the bottom of Jesse Lacey's heart. This beautiful girl is blowing him off, not caring that he loves her. It starts off with a coy guitar introducing Jesse's voice. So, it's sad this doesn't suit you now. And me fresh out of rope. Please ignore the lisp, I never meant to sound like this. Awww! Jesse referring to rope meaning [clearly] he wants to be hanged for feeling this horrible. He asks to please ignore his lisp, meaning to ignore him sounding like he was just crying. So take me and break me. Make me strong like you. I'll be forever grateful to this and you. This, to me, sounds like a more depressing version of Magazines. It's the same gist when you think about it, but way more deep. Actually, all Brand New songs have that depressing twang about break ups. All besides Handcuffs, but Vinnie Accardi did the lyrics for that one. Leave the depressing songs to Jesse.
How could I miscalculate perfect eyes will have perfect aim? If I can choose, it's only you. Someone call a doctor. This girl has shot Jesse Lacey right through the heart. Around this time, the song starts to get incoherent. There are lots of sentences not completed then overlapped with other words. I find it confusing. The lyrics I found from azlyrics.com are “We're wrecking” and I'm dry like a drum...when you scream so fine I'll leave... we're spent... we've got time and trials... measured in miles... we slave for days (and weeks). Whatever that means. Without this part and a pretty much repeated generic ending, this song could have ranked much higher. I think that within a song, the ending should be big so you have something to remember when the song ends. This ending is kind of a slap in the face. You think you're going to get something big and then it's over. Tsk tsk.
Best quote(s): I shot the pilot, I'm begging you to fly this for me. I'm here for you to use, broken and bruised. Do you understand? Great visualization. Jesse's life without this girl is like a plane crash. Even if she only uses him for perhaps money or sex, he doesn't care. Any way to see her or just to be with her would be fine with him. At some point in everybody's lives, I would think, they have all felt this way. Just to be with this girl for five minutes is enough, even if they don't say a word. Being in her presence is enough.
This song is kind of dark. Especially so because it's on YFW. This song has a more Deja feel, though it still does make me think of high school. It's deeper and more serious than anything else on YFW. These lyrics sound like they are coming from the bottom of Jesse Lacey's heart. This beautiful girl is blowing him off, not caring that he loves her. It starts off with a coy guitar introducing Jesse's voice. So, it's sad this doesn't suit you now. And me fresh out of rope. Please ignore the lisp, I never meant to sound like this. Awww! Jesse referring to rope meaning [clearly] he wants to be hanged for feeling this horrible. He asks to please ignore his lisp, meaning to ignore him sounding like he was just crying. So take me and break me. Make me strong like you. I'll be forever grateful to this and you. This, to me, sounds like a more depressing version of Magazines. It's the same gist when you think about it, but way more deep. Actually, all Brand New songs have that depressing twang about break ups. All besides Handcuffs, but Vinnie Accardi did the lyrics for that one. Leave the depressing songs to Jesse.
How could I miscalculate perfect eyes will have perfect aim? If I can choose, it's only you. Someone call a doctor. This girl has shot Jesse Lacey right through the heart. Around this time, the song starts to get incoherent. There are lots of sentences not completed then overlapped with other words. I find it confusing. The lyrics I found from azlyrics.com are “We're wrecking” and I'm dry like a drum...when you scream so fine I'll leave... we're spent... we've got time and trials... measured in miles... we slave for days (and weeks). Whatever that means. Without this part and a pretty much repeated generic ending, this song could have ranked much higher. I think that within a song, the ending should be big so you have something to remember when the song ends. This ending is kind of a slap in the face. You think you're going to get something big and then it's over. Tsk tsk.
Best quote(s): I shot the pilot, I'm begging you to fly this for me. I'm here for you to use, broken and bruised. Do you understand? Great visualization. Jesse's life without this girl is like a plane crash. Even if she only uses him for perhaps money or sex, he doesn't care. Any way to see her or just to be with her would be fine with him. At some point in everybody's lives, I would think, they have all felt this way. Just to be with this girl for five minutes is enough, even if they don't say a word. Being in her presence is enough.
#12 Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis -Deja Entendu
First off, let's clarify the title of the song, since the first time I saw it, I had no idea who Maradona was. Diego Maradona was a very famous soccer player in the 80's and 90's. He threw away his successful career by being addicted to and getting caught with cocaine. Needless to say, his career was over. Elvis met a similar fate when he abused prescription pills. Lacey is making a comparison of himself and these two stars, inferring that he would meet a similar fate, perhaps due to alcohol abuse. During the song he decides he'd rather prey on a woman than on alcohol. With one or two, I get used to the room. We go slow when we first make our moves. By five or six, bring you out to the car. Number nine with my head on the bar. The intro lyrics bring you in to believe that Lacey is already drunk when he does his deeds. We've all been there... Just getting used to the room and the next thing you know, you have no idea where you are. I've got (you) desperate desires and unadmirable plans. My tongue will taste of gin and malicious intent. Bring you back to the bar; get you out of the cold. My sober straight face gets you out of your clothes. Say it ain't so, Jesse! A prostitute?! I sure hope not, but that's the feeling I get. The way Jesse chooses his words, I get the inkling that he doesn't know this girl at all. You laugh at every word trying hard to be cute. I almost feel sorry for what I'm gonna do. Jesse shows remorse. At least he's honest.
It's ladies' night. All the girls drink for free. Jesse is merely trying to get this mystery woman drunk. If both of them are intoxicated, it'll make it easier to do the forbidden. Cause it's all you can be. You're a drunk and you're scared. Jesse makes listeners feel sorry for this girl. It seems as though she has so much potential to be pretty or nice or successful. She must have just fallen into a trap of liquor and sex and here she is right now. In a bed with Jesse Lacey with no direction afterwards. Probably another bed with another man. You can sin or spend the night all alone.
So, tracylacey, why number 12? This song was one of the first Brand New songs I had heard. When I first heard it I thought "Eh, its okay. It's kind of slow." Cue to the best part. The harder, faster, louder ending. The part where Jesse starts yelling the best lines. The way he yells is hostile and insecure. It's like he is getting back at someone he loves by using this other drunken girl. He is so in your face and wants you to choke on his words. It's this last part of the song that gives this song its number 12 spot. Without it, it would still be genius typical Brand New, but the ending makes it epic Brand New. It is a surprise and a shock but done in a wonderful shout. If Lacey screams too high, it could be considered emo. If he screams too soft he could be considered lame. Jesse has found such a brilliant medium he must have even surprised himself.
Best quote(s): I will lie awake, and lie for fun and fake the way I hold you. Let you fall for every empty word I say. I love the way this line is repeated throughout the whole song. It’s the catchy part. If anything, this part is the part that gets stuck in your head after listening. Then it is shouted in your ears at the end. Bravo, Brand New.
It's ladies' night. All the girls drink for free. Jesse is merely trying to get this mystery woman drunk. If both of them are intoxicated, it'll make it easier to do the forbidden. Cause it's all you can be. You're a drunk and you're scared. Jesse makes listeners feel sorry for this girl. It seems as though she has so much potential to be pretty or nice or successful. She must have just fallen into a trap of liquor and sex and here she is right now. In a bed with Jesse Lacey with no direction afterwards. Probably another bed with another man. You can sin or spend the night all alone.
So, tracylacey, why number 12? This song was one of the first Brand New songs I had heard. When I first heard it I thought "Eh, its okay. It's kind of slow." Cue to the best part. The harder, faster, louder ending. The part where Jesse starts yelling the best lines. The way he yells is hostile and insecure. It's like he is getting back at someone he loves by using this other drunken girl. He is so in your face and wants you to choke on his words. It's this last part of the song that gives this song its number 12 spot. Without it, it would still be genius typical Brand New, but the ending makes it epic Brand New. It is a surprise and a shock but done in a wonderful shout. If Lacey screams too high, it could be considered emo. If he screams too soft he could be considered lame. Jesse has found such a brilliant medium he must have even surprised himself.
Best quote(s): I will lie awake, and lie for fun and fake the way I hold you. Let you fall for every empty word I say. I love the way this line is repeated throughout the whole song. It’s the catchy part. If anything, this part is the part that gets stuck in your head after listening. Then it is shouted in your ears at the end. Bravo, Brand New.
#13 Jesus Christ -The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Contrary to what avid Brand New listeners might think, Jesus Christ is probably the most well-known Brand New song out there. It’s on the radio, actually. Whenever I quote this song it seems people know it right away. It's safe to say that this song is popular. This song appeals to a lot of different genres. Mainly rock and religious, which go great together. The final product of two different tastes has never sounded so tasty. As we all know, TDAGARIM is mainly about Jesse Lacey (and the rest of the band too) struggling with what he believes in. I wonder if Brian Lane had any objection to this song since he was raised Jewish. Probably not considering he seems like a nice guy and in an interview, Jesse stated that the whole band was struggling with the same kind of thing at the time. So who knows? Maybe they're just a bunch of religion confused Long Islanders.
No matter what, when you hear Jesus Christ you just want to lay your head back and shut your eyes. This song makes me so mellow and makes me think deeply. What if Thomas does ask to see your hands at the gates of heaven? What if you do really die all alone? And when you arrive you won't know anyone? Do you get the gold chariot? Do you float through the ceiling? The simple intro guitar notes draw you in right away. Then suddenly Jesse's voice comes like an angel. Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face. The kind you'd find on someone that could save. If they don't put me away, it'll be a miracle. And there he goes. The first stanza and you're already hooked. He acts like he's talking to you. As if you are the pretty face he is talking about. You can sense his loneliness and vulnerability. He doesn’t know where he is going, or what he is doing on this Earth. Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die. I'm a little bit scared what comes after. Oh, Jesse. You never cease to amaze me. Here he's trying to show that he's brave and will die for something he believes in. As you can see later on, he contradicts what he has said before. I know you think that I'm someone you can trust. But I'm scared I'll get scared and I swear I'll try to nail you back up. That line Is SO close to being best quote in the song. But everything Jesse says is true. None of us know where we're going when we die and it's a scary thought. The best we can do is to let life happen. It’s a good thing we don't know the day we die. Otherwise we would prepare and get scared and try to nail Him back up.
Do you believe your missing out, that everything good is happening somewhere else? But with nobody in your bed, the nights hard to get through. I think Jesse also wants to say to not spend your life alone. Having someone to love will make life so much more worth while. And him not being in love at the moment makes him think that he will die all alone. Sad sad sad. The end of the song has a long pause of instruments when Jesse belts out the last lines. The last few words to me are the most powerful. We all got wood and nails, trying to turn out hate in factories. We all got wood and nails, and we sleep inside of this machine.
Best quote(s): Well, Jesus Christ I'm alone again. So what did you do those three days you were dead? Cause this problem's gonna last more than the weekend. Great bible reference. Jesus was crucified and then was buried, then arose after three days. He walked around and proved he was the real Jesus by showing the holes in his hands, according to my mom. After hearing this lyric and this beautiful song, I almost want to capitalize the "H" in "he" whenever I am referring to Jesse Lacey.
No matter what, when you hear Jesus Christ you just want to lay your head back and shut your eyes. This song makes me so mellow and makes me think deeply. What if Thomas does ask to see your hands at the gates of heaven? What if you do really die all alone? And when you arrive you won't know anyone? Do you get the gold chariot? Do you float through the ceiling? The simple intro guitar notes draw you in right away. Then suddenly Jesse's voice comes like an angel. Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face. The kind you'd find on someone that could save. If they don't put me away, it'll be a miracle. And there he goes. The first stanza and you're already hooked. He acts like he's talking to you. As if you are the pretty face he is talking about. You can sense his loneliness and vulnerability. He doesn’t know where he is going, or what he is doing on this Earth. Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die. I'm a little bit scared what comes after. Oh, Jesse. You never cease to amaze me. Here he's trying to show that he's brave and will die for something he believes in. As you can see later on, he contradicts what he has said before. I know you think that I'm someone you can trust. But I'm scared I'll get scared and I swear I'll try to nail you back up. That line Is SO close to being best quote in the song. But everything Jesse says is true. None of us know where we're going when we die and it's a scary thought. The best we can do is to let life happen. It’s a good thing we don't know the day we die. Otherwise we would prepare and get scared and try to nail Him back up.
Do you believe your missing out, that everything good is happening somewhere else? But with nobody in your bed, the nights hard to get through. I think Jesse also wants to say to not spend your life alone. Having someone to love will make life so much more worth while. And him not being in love at the moment makes him think that he will die all alone. Sad sad sad. The end of the song has a long pause of instruments when Jesse belts out the last lines. The last few words to me are the most powerful. We all got wood and nails, trying to turn out hate in factories. We all got wood and nails, and we sleep inside of this machine.
Best quote(s): Well, Jesus Christ I'm alone again. So what did you do those three days you were dead? Cause this problem's gonna last more than the weekend. Great bible reference. Jesus was crucified and then was buried, then arose after three days. He walked around and proved he was the real Jesus by showing the holes in his hands, according to my mom. After hearing this lyric and this beautiful song, I almost want to capitalize the "H" in "he" whenever I am referring to Jesse Lacey.
#14 Magazines -Your Favorite Weapon
This song, as was my number 15 song, was very low on Guitarasaurus's (previously misspelled, I apologize for my ignorance) list. I didn't understand why so I needed to put this other perspective out there. Magazines is a fun song that just reminds you of high school. Actually, when I think about it, the whole YFW album screams high school to me for obvious reasons. Jesse Lacey knows that plain song writers use names like Beth or Sharona or Delilah. He comes up with (or knew) some girl with the name Laetita. That’s certainly a new one. Laetita you destroy me so I can't see why I feel so lonely when you and me could be together. Perfectly perfect together, I know. This odd-named girl must be oblivious to Lacey's passion for her. Either Laetita is the hottest cheerleader in school and Jesse is the broken hearted loser with musical talent that no one knows he has OR Laetita is a model in a magazine (hence the title) and Lacey has never met her before in his life. To me, I think the magazines have a different and perhaps grosser meaning. Jesse states Laetita you got my hand shaking. Oh baby please stop breaking my heart because I got the feeling you and I will never really get it on. This means he must have a personal relationship with her. She is maybe breaking his heart by ignoring him in the hallways of school or not knowing who he is at all. He also clearly wants to get it on with this Laetita chick, but without her he needs foxy magazines to uhm… Help him out in the mean time.
Another perspective, which goes along with the ignoring in high school thing, is that he and Laetita are secret lovers. Broken down in my dead bedroom, stuttering to pictures of you. I know that you can always see me. I saw you staring through my TV last night. Laetita maybe sneaks over but then leaves since she knows what she is doing would be considered wrong. She is still the pretty, popular cheerleader type who doesn’t want her friends or football players or anyone on the main social scene to know about her love affair with a so called "music geek". The chorus explains this theory. So I'll leave the door open all night in case you want to stop on by cause you've got to know who's been singing that song on the radio. The one that goes… Of course, then that would mean that the chorus was more literal than we all thought, which is not something that Jesse Lacey does a lot... Which is being literal. He's more of a "read between the lines" kind of guy. This is better in a way. This way he knows that we can all take what we want from each of his songs. Laetita, please go to Jesse before he is forever left with his magazines. If not, I'll just go. Haaaa.
Best quote(s): Girl, come to me. The only broken hearted loser you'll ever need. Or I'll be left alone forever with my magazines. Again, the dirty magazine metaphor comes in to play. One day, I googled Brand New tattoos, just to see if anyone had BN lyrics permanently tattooed on them, which would be cool by the way, and I came across a guy with a tattoo on his arm that said "The only broken hearted loser you'll ever need." It was so amazing that someone decided to take Jesse Lacey's brilliant words and tattoo them where everyone could see it. That guy is now a walking advertisement for this song. Cool, right?
Another perspective, which goes along with the ignoring in high school thing, is that he and Laetita are secret lovers. Broken down in my dead bedroom, stuttering to pictures of you. I know that you can always see me. I saw you staring through my TV last night. Laetita maybe sneaks over but then leaves since she knows what she is doing would be considered wrong. She is still the pretty, popular cheerleader type who doesn’t want her friends or football players or anyone on the main social scene to know about her love affair with a so called "music geek". The chorus explains this theory. So I'll leave the door open all night in case you want to stop on by cause you've got to know who's been singing that song on the radio. The one that goes… Of course, then that would mean that the chorus was more literal than we all thought, which is not something that Jesse Lacey does a lot... Which is being literal. He's more of a "read between the lines" kind of guy. This is better in a way. This way he knows that we can all take what we want from each of his songs. Laetita, please go to Jesse before he is forever left with his magazines. If not, I'll just go. Haaaa.
Best quote(s): Girl, come to me. The only broken hearted loser you'll ever need. Or I'll be left alone forever with my magazines. Again, the dirty magazine metaphor comes in to play. One day, I googled Brand New tattoos, just to see if anyone had BN lyrics permanently tattooed on them, which would be cool by the way, and I came across a guy with a tattoo on his arm that said "The only broken hearted loser you'll ever need." It was so amazing that someone decided to take Jesse Lacey's brilliant words and tattoo them where everyone could see it. That guy is now a walking advertisement for this song. Cool, right?
#15 Untitled 05 (Cleanser) -Fight Off Your Demons Demos
This song is very worthy of its very high ranking on my list. The lyrics are phenomenal. The chords are catchy. The seriousness and sexiness in Lacey's voice is undeniable. Untitled 05 to me is about a robbery that went wrong. Lacey starts off by softly setting the scene. I can barely move. I can barely see where we're going now. The road is washed out from the river that flooded just north of town. He is stating his nervousness but he knows that it's too late to go back now. He needs to do what he needs to do. Maybe this bank robbery is for the purpose of impressing a girl. Only Jesse Lacey knows. The whole first part of the song expresses his uncertainty that they will get away. The best best best best plans of both mice and men can go terribly wrong, and probably will so please nobody speaks. Nobody get any smart ideas. We don't have any heroics. We may just get out of here. His run-on sentences express his uneasy feelings towards this plan of his. Plus, he says WE don't have any heroics so we know Lacey is not acting alone. Listeners can feel Jesse's pain for wanting to get this heist done and over with. All he wants is to get out alive. Maybe a metaphor to a problem he has in real life? Since Jesse Lacey is not a known [bank] robber. That we know of…
Skip to the chorus, the backbone of the song. Weighing the cost of the love you make, measure again. Yeah. Feeling the weight of the bones you break, break them again. Yeah. The poetic way Lacey brings those two lines together as a harmony is beyond me. All I know is that it sends chills up my spine, in a good way. A great way. A fantastic way. The guitar played wonderfully by Vinnie Accardi sends your chills from your spine to your entire body when he finishes you off at the end solo.
So, there has to be a bad part to every one of these (unless it's number one). The drums are nothing to call home about, no offense, Brian Lane. It is very long, clocking in at 6:59. Not a good solo to vocals ratio, since there are long bouts of just instrumentals running throughout. I believe that these kinks in a near-perfect demo were only because… It was only a demo. If this song was worked on longer and harder, there is no doubt in my mind that it would have been an epic win and skyrocketed their popularity. In a way, it’s a good thing that didn't happen. Brand New knows they could be so much bigger with a genius as a lead singer. I think they make sure they don't get too big and sell out. Well done, Brand New. And thank you for doing what you do. You're great at it.
Best quote(s): We'll keep keep keep keep you alive cause you're pretty. And we need something to look at while we tear you up, take what you love, and burn it down. You swear to build and we swear to come and burn it down. If that line does not give you chills, I don't know what will. The robbers clearly have a hostage and a possible gun or weapon of some sort. They could easily kill whoever they want at whatever time they please. This line, to me, is an excuse to not kill anyone. They're not there to hurt anybody. They want money and to be out of there. Keeping someone alive because they're pretty is no excuse for a crazy person. If they want you dead, you're dead. That's all.
Skip to the chorus, the backbone of the song. Weighing the cost of the love you make, measure again. Yeah. Feeling the weight of the bones you break, break them again. Yeah. The poetic way Lacey brings those two lines together as a harmony is beyond me. All I know is that it sends chills up my spine, in a good way. A great way. A fantastic way. The guitar played wonderfully by Vinnie Accardi sends your chills from your spine to your entire body when he finishes you off at the end solo.
So, there has to be a bad part to every one of these (unless it's number one). The drums are nothing to call home about, no offense, Brian Lane. It is very long, clocking in at 6:59. Not a good solo to vocals ratio, since there are long bouts of just instrumentals running throughout. I believe that these kinks in a near-perfect demo were only because… It was only a demo. If this song was worked on longer and harder, there is no doubt in my mind that it would have been an epic win and skyrocketed their popularity. In a way, it’s a good thing that didn't happen. Brand New knows they could be so much bigger with a genius as a lead singer. I think they make sure they don't get too big and sell out. Well done, Brand New. And thank you for doing what you do. You're great at it.
Best quote(s): We'll keep keep keep keep you alive cause you're pretty. And we need something to look at while we tear you up, take what you love, and burn it down. You swear to build and we swear to come and burn it down. If that line does not give you chills, I don't know what will. The robbers clearly have a hostage and a possible gun or weapon of some sort. They could easily kill whoever they want at whatever time they please. This line, to me, is an excuse to not kill anyone. They're not there to hurt anybody. They want money and to be out of there. Keeping someone alive because they're pretty is no excuse for a crazy person. If they want you dead, you're dead. That's all.
I'm going to start posting my Brand New ranking on here, even though no one reads this.
I just want it on a site. So... here goes!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A-Z of good songs. Just cause I'm bored.
A- Aberinkula by the Mars Volta
great eerie song, one of the only ones i like from this band
B- Being Bad Feels Pretty Good by Does It Offend You, Yeah?
this song reminds me of Kathleen, we get into a lot of trouble together.
C- Caress Me Down by Sublime
my favorite song by the band, though half is in spanish
D- Don't Speak by No Doubt
this is my favorite song of all time of any band. woo!
E- Easy/Lucky/Free by Bright Eyes
depressing song about death, but still pretty
F- Flying High by Jem
this song is from the OC, which i am in love with
G- Good to Know That If I Ever Need Attention, All I Have to Do is Die by Brand New
the solo is ripped off from the eagles, but still an awesome song
H- High Times by Elliott Smith
this song is fucked up and it's about being fucked up
I- I'm Looking Through You by the Beatles
i think my favorite song by them. it reminds me of sociology class
J- Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day
killer song, me and my dad bond over the whole american idiot cd
K- Kids by MGMT
probably the most catchy song by the band, very senior year for me
L- Limousine by Brand New
my second favorite song by them, its about something that is real and has a fantastic message
M- My Leftovers by Porcelain and the Tramps
this song got me into the band all together, it's so clubish and irresistible
N- No Rain by Blind Melon
so 90's, so catchy
O- Opening the Hymnal/Babies by Cursive
this 2:32 short song packs so much into it, and is my number 1 most played song
P- the Professor by Damien Rice
fuck you fuck you fuck you and all you've been through
Q- the Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New
very commercial for the band, but really awesome intro
R- River by Ellis Paul
one of the best songs by far, written for river phoenix
S- Shame On You by Hot Hot Heat
this song really grows on you due to the different sound of the singer's voice
T- Transcending by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
another river phoenix favorite, the anger towards the end makes it
U- Under Pressure by the Used and My Chemical Romance
great remake of a fabulous classic by queen
V- Violence by Blink-182
a little generic but still grows on the listener
W- We're Gonna Have Us A Champagne Jam by Chiodos
my favorite song by the band, great lyrics
X- XXXX (The First 1000 Years of Solitude) by Crime in Stereo
this is literally the only X song i had, but still a wonderful band
Y- You'll Only End Up Joining Them by Kevin Devine
such a mellow voice and great message for good old kevin
Z- Zombie by the Cranberries
my only z. this completes the list!
If any of you wanna steal my music, heres a perfect chance. I love all these songs.
Enjoy!!
xox. Tracy
great eerie song, one of the only ones i like from this band
B- Being Bad Feels Pretty Good by Does It Offend You, Yeah?
this song reminds me of Kathleen, we get into a lot of trouble together.
C- Caress Me Down by Sublime
my favorite song by the band, though half is in spanish
D- Don't Speak by No Doubt
this is my favorite song of all time of any band. woo!
E- Easy/Lucky/Free by Bright Eyes
depressing song about death, but still pretty
F- Flying High by Jem
this song is from the OC, which i am in love with
G- Good to Know That If I Ever Need Attention, All I Have to Do is Die by Brand New
the solo is ripped off from the eagles, but still an awesome song
H- High Times by Elliott Smith
this song is fucked up and it's about being fucked up
I- I'm Looking Through You by the Beatles
i think my favorite song by them. it reminds me of sociology class
J- Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day
killer song, me and my dad bond over the whole american idiot cd
K- Kids by MGMT
probably the most catchy song by the band, very senior year for me
L- Limousine by Brand New
my second favorite song by them, its about something that is real and has a fantastic message
M- My Leftovers by Porcelain and the Tramps
this song got me into the band all together, it's so clubish and irresistible
N- No Rain by Blind Melon
so 90's, so catchy
O- Opening the Hymnal/Babies by Cursive
this 2:32 short song packs so much into it, and is my number 1 most played song
P- the Professor by Damien Rice
fuck you fuck you fuck you and all you've been through
Q- the Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New
very commercial for the band, but really awesome intro
R- River by Ellis Paul
one of the best songs by far, written for river phoenix
S- Shame On You by Hot Hot Heat
this song really grows on you due to the different sound of the singer's voice
T- Transcending by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
another river phoenix favorite, the anger towards the end makes it
U- Under Pressure by the Used and My Chemical Romance
great remake of a fabulous classic by queen
V- Violence by Blink-182
a little generic but still grows on the listener
W- We're Gonna Have Us A Champagne Jam by Chiodos
my favorite song by the band, great lyrics
X- XXXX (The First 1000 Years of Solitude) by Crime in Stereo
this is literally the only X song i had, but still a wonderful band
Y- You'll Only End Up Joining Them by Kevin Devine
such a mellow voice and great message for good old kevin
Z- Zombie by the Cranberries
my only z. this completes the list!
If any of you wanna steal my music, heres a perfect chance. I love all these songs.
Enjoy!!
xox. Tracy
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