Brand New Band • Page 635

First vote of this thing.

Jaws Theme
Me vs. Maradona
Tautou

Looks like I'm the dark horse.

 

You tied up jaws so you're ok in my book

 

Jaws- Love the riffs and the lyrics. Really tough choice though

Tommy- Really wanted to vote for Maradona in the first round but Tommy Gun is a classic

Crack the Sky- Tatou works great as an introduction but I have a lot more emotions tied up in Crack the Sky

 

The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot- I really love the verses and bridge in Jaws Theme, but the first two choruses take me out of the song a bit (which is a recurring complaint for me across the album). The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, however, still works entirely for me. The harmonies throughout are really creative and well-placed, the guitar leads add to the bittersweeet mood of the song, and the lyrics (if a bit overly dramatic) are a lot better at handling breakup feelings than those most other bands were writing at the time (and also including those from YFW). Plus, the bridge is an album highlight.
Okay, I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't- To be honest, this one was kind of difficult because I probably like Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis more from a musical standpoint, but it's kind of hard to get past those lyrics. I'm sure we aren't supposed to like the narrator of that song, similar to Desert, but I'm also not sure if that makes up for it and I hope the song isn't a first-hand account of Jesse's. Tommy Gun is another prime example of a song where I really like everything but the Chorus.
Play Crack the Sky- This song has cooled on me a bit over time, in all honesty, but I still think it's a really good song. I still really like the ending with the overlapping vocals.

 

Current totals at halftime:

Jaws Theme Swimming-11
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot-11

Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't-18
Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis-4

Play Crack The Sky-16
Tautou-6

That first match is still a brutal neck and neck match. The others are pretty solidified who won

 

Boy Who Blocked
Me vs Maradona
Play Crack the Sky

"The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" is one of my favorite songs of all time. That bridge is perfect.

 

The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot

Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis

Play Crack The Sky

 

I'm not pretending, but I have grown an appreciation for where they started in the wake of Science Fiction. I still have to tune out some of the lyrics though.

jesus christ man please explain this one it is perplexing. Daisy was at worst their second best album for eight years

idk if you've ever heard this but I either read or talked to someone who said Deja Entendu was entirely about showing the dark side of being a touring musician/"rockstar", a concept album (using that term real loosely) that is supposed to be a little bit Pinkerton and a little bit Cursive and I've viewed it that way ever since. Obvs it's all interpretation but I tend to view that song as a commentary on the predatory behaviors that are so prevalent in this scene. I just wanted to talk about it cause I haven't before and I think about it every time the song comes up

 

Jaws
Maradona
Tautou

 

Boy
Tommy
Tautou

 

The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot

Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't

Play Crack The Sky

 

Jaws Theme
Tommy Gun
Play Crack

 

So back and forth! I love it. Every song wins.

 

"Jaws Theme Swimming" vs "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot"
- I like Jaws for its unique storytelling, it and Maradona are a neat precursor to songs like Nobody Moves and Desert. The groove in the song gives it some teeth, but it can't beat The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot. That song is deceptively dark, a breakup song that at first makes you feel pity for the narrator, but as the song goes on start to think that they actually deserve being dumped. I don't think a lot of people register (at least I originally didn't) that the narrator isn't supposed to be pitied, which I think is a testament to Jesse's lyrics that he can make such a person sympathetic.

"Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't" vs "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis"
- Like Jaws, I can appreciate Jesse's storytelling in Maradona, but musically it just doesn't do much on my end. The climax barely registers with me. Tommy Gun on the other hand is captivating from the very first verse, which is evident from the fact that people recite it line for line at every show. The quiet verse and explosive chorus hints of Devil and God, and every time they play the bridge live my body feels compelled to crowd surf. I've always liked the interpretation that Tommy Gun is about the media's idea of a rockstar, which I think is captured perfectly.

"Play Crack The Sky" vs "Tautou"
- A bit of a no-brainer this round, Tautou is a great intro but as an individual song it doesn't have much to stand on. The segueway between it and Sic Transit is pretty dope though. Play Crack The Sky, like all of Brand New's closers is a classic. It blows my mind that Jesse wrote this song last minute and it originally wasn't even going to be on the record. The use of a sinking ship is not a unique metaphor for this genre of music, but the way Jesse delivers it makes me forget how cliche it is. Also, the Beatles reference at the end is an A+.

 

Jaws
Maradona
Play

 

Jaws
Tommy Gun
Crack The Sky

 

It's my favorite part of these brackets when you have albums and matchups that do that. I have done these for Blink-182, Taking Back Sunday, Linkin Park and now Brand New and every one of them has had an album or two whereits back and forth on who wins, and people like you liking every song.

 

Currently

Jaws Theme Swimming-15
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot-16

Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't-23
Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis-8

Play Crack The Sky-23
Tautou-8

 

And we learn
As we age
We've learned nothing

 

Cmon jaws.

 

Jaws
TG
PCTS

 

And my body still aches

 

If you're voting jaws, just let me know...

 

And you take
Cause they give

 

-Jaws
-Tommy Gun
-Play Crack