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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
Deja Entendu? Hardly...
By Versace Frolic
Translate the title of Brand New's brand new album (heh) from French to English and you come up with "already heard." Fortunately for music listeners 'round the world, this is hardly the case. After my third listen, I believe it's safe to say that Deja Entendu may in general be described as "experimental". And emo. Very very emo.
Admittedly, after giving the disc an introductory spin, I was shocked. What the heck happened to my Brand New?! Where's the poppy catchiness?! WHERE IS IT?! If any of you kids are looking for another "Seventy Times 7," you'd best try the next Taking Back Sunday album. Deja Entendu is mellow but harder, slower but more intense, and all out just fabulously DIFFERENT than the band's debut album, "Your Favorite Weapon."
I'd say the stand-outs are:
Track 4 - "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't" - These lyrics are genuinely something else. Starts off slow, builds up, then blows up.
Track 5 - "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" - The nearest thing remindful of YFW. This song riffs like mad, and is effortlessly one of the most mature songs Brand New has written to date.
Track 8 - "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis" - Basically just a actually great song. Sounds a bit like "Soco Amaretto Lime". The melody is touching... very emotive.
Track 10 - "Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I have To Do Is Die" - Crazy title, eh? This song is an epic seven minutes, full of attentiongetting hooks, and perchance the most experimental of the lot.
Bright Eyes fans will detect correspondings amid both bands' singers, in particular in "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light" (Mr. Oberst would be jealous) and the acoustic and heartfelt "Play Crack The Sky." Also, there is in general a lot more singing on the album, whereas in the past, Brand New has been known for their "scream-a-long" type vocals. While the choruses come in with the dual vocals that are classic East Coast style (Taking Back Sunday, Thursday), they are slower here than on the last album.
Overall, Deja Entendu is surprising, and much different from anything Brand New (or anyone) has ever done. My counsel is not to write it off after the original listen. No, it won't "grow on you" (this isn't cancer, people, it's MUSIC), but you might be astonished if you give it another go. Don't miss out on what may be the best release of 2003.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Matured, But Still Amazing
By brandnizzle023
When I firstborn started getting into Brand New, I had downloaded "Seventy Times 7" and "The Shower Scene" (both on Your Favorite Weapon). Needless to say, I loved both songs, particularly the former, and went out to buy the CD. It was more like your typical emo album - not one thing genuinely original, just a lot of well-written songs in regards to heartache. Months later, when I picked up their sophomore album, Deja Entendu, I was surprised, but surely not disappointed. In fact, it went on to become one of my personal bestloved albums - ever.
Perhaps you think that's stretching it a little, but then again, perhaps you haven't heard this album. It is apparent that Brand New, Jesse Lacey in particular, has matured, both in songwriting and in terms of sound. From heavy bass lines to distortion to beauteous acoustic melodies, this album has something for everyone. While Brand New still focuses on heartache sometimes, like in "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" and "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot," other songs on the album reflect dissimilar issues, such as cancer and greedy businessmen. And, as expected, Jesse's voice is ever-expressive. You feel the pain that he feels when he sings in regards to his grandfather being diagnosed with cancer. Wherever he is, no matter what circumstance he's in, you're right there with him, experiencing each moment.
As in most reviews, I'll give a basic rundown of the songs.
1. Tautou - This is like an intro track. Clocking in at 1:42, the only lyrics are "I'm sinking like a stone in the sea/I'm burning like a bridge for your body". Not too much may be said for it, but it's a nice intro.
2. Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades - This song has a lot of outstanding bass. Really, it does. But music aside, this song is when it comes to a boy who's abruptly found himself in a circumstance where he's growing up a LOT rapidly and without delay than he in truth wanted to. Surely a song where humans may relate.
3. I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light - This little number starts out acoustically, but builds. From what I may gather, it's in regards to traveling and being homesick.
4. Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't - This is one of the firstborn songs that I ever learned how to play on the guitar. Jesse's lyrics are honorable as far as he's concerned, writing such lines as "Oh, it hurts to be this good" and "These are the words you wish you wrote down/This is the way you wish your voice sounds." Different styles of music are evident throughout.
5. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows - Brand New's introductory single. I think. Either way, it's an magnificent song. The bridge is, by far, my bestloved part.
6. The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot - This is one of the unfeigned standout songs on this album. It's an apology from Jesse to an ex-girlfriend that he dumped for no reason. Mostly acoustic.
7. Jaws Theme Swimming - This song has a dissimilar sound than most songs on the album. It has a rather jazzy feel to it, I think.
8. Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis - I love this song. It's...well, I guess that, in a sense, you could say it's viciously honest. Sample lyric: "I will lie awake/Lie for fun and bogus the way I hold you/Let you fall for each empty word I say" Acoustic until the end.
9. Guernica - This is the song that Jesse wrote regarding his grandfather's cancer diagnosis. In it, he offers his own lungs and wishes that he could enter his grandfather's body and remove all of his cancer.
10. Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention, All I Have To Do Is Die - This is my bestloved song. Written with regards to the greed of the men behind the music (i.e. lawyers and such), it's incisively 7 minutes long. I love the guitar part.
11. Play Crack the Sky - This is a well-written metaphor for the terrible world of heartbreak and heartache. Completely acoustic.
This album might be hard for some fans of Brand New (or, in particular, Your Favorite Weapon) to accept, but the change was a good one. Indeed, Jesse, himself, stated that, had they devised another YFW, he felt that his fans would be cheated. Whether you're already a Brand New fan or not, I unquestionably commend picking up this album, or at least giving it a good listen. You just might think that I made a great deal of sense.
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful.
WOW i couldn't believe it!!
By Tyler Navoichick
I will be honorable right off the bat. I never gave "emo" a chance, i am into grunge and led zeppelin and stuff, But when i heard this cd it blew my mind. I couldn't believe that a band acctually may still make good music today here is a song by song review of this outstanding cd.
1.Tautou- This isn't the greatest song. It is still a nice "opener" song though. The aroused singing technique sounds good though. (3/5)
2.Sir Transit Gloria...Glory Fades- The bass riff in this blew my mind. The chorus hits you in the chest and blows you back. Lyrically it is very interesting Ive never heard another song like it. (6/5)
3.I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light- This has a genuinely cool acoustic intro and the chorus is solid. Overall it is a outstanding song. My favored portion is the Bridge. (4/5)
4.Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't- Crazy name but and astounding song. This song is just unbelievable lyrically and musically. The bridge lyrics when just the bass plays blows my mind each time i listen it. (5/5)
5.The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows- This song is just great. The Chorus is so rock solid it frightens me. The way he screams "The quiet things that recognise ever knows" gives me goosbumps. (5/5)
6.The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot- One word-- WOW. This song is so well written. It is by far one of the best acoustic songs i've ever heard. It is one of my favs on the cd. (6/5)
7.Jaws Theme Swimming- The main riff in this song is just pure genius. The song i think though kind of drags. Good solid Chorus though. (4/5)
8.Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis- This song is genuinely cool. It has a good deal of of the best lyrics of the cd. The way he sings this song is just amazingly genius. (5/5)
9.Guernica- This is an good song. The drums in truth move this song, which is cool. The Chorus is genuinely genuinely good. (5/5)
10.Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I Have To Do Is Die- This song just in truth moves me from beginning to finish, even altho it is long. The Chorus, again, is amazing. (5/5)
11.Play Crack The Sky- This song blew me away. IT is such a good song. Lyrically Musically and the he sings it is so genius. The end lyrics when there is like 3 layers of singing gives me goosebumps. (6/5)
All in All this cd genuinely opened my mind that there in truth is good music out there still. The songs are genuinely cool to sing to a girl (or boy) that you like, trust me they will be all over ya. But that is not what this CD is about, it is when it comes to good music. That is what life is for.
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