Brand New – Science Fiction • Page 2

I mentioned it on Slack, but these kinds of comments mean the most coming from the people who allowed me this platform and continue to encourage and support my writing, so thanks a ton Ryan.

 

Only a "highly recommended"?


Love the review, always exciting to see a band do something so right.

 

Absolutely incredible review Aaron.

 

Is there a higher level?

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Ahhhh

 

I'm just joking. I'm pretty sure Highly Recomended is the highest it goes.

 

Lol! Got me. There should be a one off in this specific occasion that just says: "It's Brand New (!!!)"

 

No but that was the joke


I would like "Extremely Recommended"

or better yet

"Required"

 

Required is very nice.

 

terrific review. Sometimes these sorts of reviews get cheesy but not only did this one not get cheesy, but the ending was as artfully well written as the album.

 

"Those expecting another complete transformation should know that going in, because on first listen, Science Fiction is surprisingly tame (especially for a band who opened their previous album with “Vices”). The band doesn’t unearth an entirely new genre for themselves, despite strong Americana influences against a fitting dystopian setting."

I've been thinking the same thing as I listen to this. I can hear Daisy, TDAG, and the leaked demos all over this thing. Not that the album doesn't have its own clearly defined identity or whatever, but it's easily the Brand New album that feels the most like an organic follow-up, which is funny when you consider how much longer this gap was than any prior album gap.

 

Science Fiction gives us hints of past eras and the artists who influenced those eras; the crunchy power-pop of “Can’t Get It Out” and “No Control” recall the straightforward rock numbers of Deja Entendu

Deja still remains my favorite Brand New album, so no surprise those are my two favorite tracks off Science Fiction

 

Love this review! It paints a portrait to a reader, who may not be a hardcore Brand New fan, how great this band is and why fans like us love them as much as we do. It puts some things into words that I could never really explain to people. Because of that, this is a very "shareable" review. Thank you! Can't wait to hear Jason and Drew's take as well.

Also, it could just be the fact the Brand New thread was moving so fast and I missed it, but I thought I was the only one who heard (what I thought were very obvious) Modest Mouse sounds in Same Logic/Teeth (even has a "/" like a couple tracks from Long Drive does)

 

Minor typo "Can't Let It Go" instead of "Can't Get It Out"

Regardless thank you for the great review!

Sprinkled throughout Science Fiction is commentary on the band’s end; Lacey is “strumming with a heavy wrist” on “Can’t Let It Go,”

 

Great review as always Aaron. I will be honest and I was bit skeptical going into this because people on the site can get a bit over excited and hype things up a little too much. With that being said, I am really enjoying it and my top two songs off of it are Out of Mana and In The Water while my least favorite track as of my first listen is Same Logic/Teeth maybe because I don't think Jesse needs to scream and sounds pretty incredible just singing. Maybe it's me getting older haha! I definitely have a love/hate relationship with that song. I think it's because (as someone else mentioned) that it draws so many comparisons to Modest Mouse, which is another amazing band and one I listen to frequently. I look forward to listening to it quite a bit!

 

Fixed! Thanks for this, haha, it's always something.

 

Same Logic, Can't get it out, lit me up and 137 are amazing. Still getting around to the rest. So far this album is killing Daisy.

 

I take my hat off to you sir! Great review!! my very first thought while listening to "Lit me up" for the first time was also that it sounded just like "You Stole".

I specifically like that last part of the review where you mention how Jesse changed the lyrics just a little in "Soco Amaretto Lime" and how that little change really means a lot in the context of their whole career.
Well done!

 

Same. Those are largely the only songs I like off this. The rest is pretty meh.

 

Great write up. Billing this album as a "sigh of a relief" for long time fans is a great way to put it.I get that feeling every time I put it on.

This thing is such a culmination of everything they have been in the past. I love it.
Can't wait to see them in October and then later see how they finally put this thing to rest.

 

This record is insanely good. What a band. Hard to believe last year we got "I am a nightmare," and a year later we got all this. What a difference.

 

I don't normally comment on reviews but this is a masterwork that perfectly puts words to all the emotions that swirl around Brand New for a lot of us. Thank you!

 

Great review Aaron.
I'm loving this record after my first few listens. I definitely picked up the Morrisey vocals and Moon and Antarctica guitar twang. I feel confident saying I like this better than Daisy, in time it may even compare with Deja and Devil and God.

 

Devil and God often felt lile a meeting point between Moon and Antarctica and In Utero for mine. Science Fiction gives me similar vibes but maybe not In Utero. Definitely grunge in general. Of course both are far far more than imitations. I just picked up those influences.