Brand New achievement

There's something beautiful in the confusion and cacophony of Brand New's Daisy.

On the majority of the band's fourth studio album, frontman Jesse Lacey sounds as angry as he's ever been, but then mere minutes later he seems to be as reflective and as soft-spoken as on the band's seminal 2003 release Deja Entendu.

With those polar opposite characteristics in mind, it is not surprising that the material on Daisy is both similar to — and radically different from — anything the band has ever produced. It's fast, slow, introspective, vengeful, messy and crystal clear all at the same time. And while it may not be apparent at first, buried in the genre-shifting, screaming and pure poetry of Lacey's lyrics lies a true gem of an album.

The lyrics are tight, the music is inventive, and while listeners may not see it coming, they should be prepared to be blown away.
 

"Vices" kicks off the album in a way that could only make sense in this unpredictable context. It features what sounds like a 1940s-era piano sample, fronted by an operatic female voice. But about 80 seconds in, the song is interrupted by a short blast of distorted guitar, bass and pounding drums. After a second of silence, Lacey screams as if he was trying to be heard from underground. The track is angry, rough and possibly the most consistently aggressive the band has ever been, but it works wonderfully.

The track that follows the full-on assault of "Vices," "Bed," is a beautifully slow piece that contrasts its predecessor. Lacey practically croons over a steady and minimal drumbeat. The bass line stays the same for the majority of the song, and the guitars are kept to their bare minimum until guitarist Vince Accardi kicks it up for a low-decibel solo in the last few measures.

Daisy, like the band itself, is simply unclassifiable. The album is peppered with noisy rock-esque instrumentation that is complemented by Lacey's shrieks and laid down right next to the band's softer forays into indie and '90s emo.

The way Brand New juxtaposes so many styles, even within individual songs, is what is so great about its new release. Another example of this asset is "Sink," which is quietly sung in time with a simple drumbeat for the verse until both Lacey and the guitars erupt into screams and utter power, respectively, for the chorus.

And just because Brand New has gotten louder doesn't mean its songwriting talent has gone out the window. "In a Jar" is an amazing example of Brand New kicking up the intensity while still being able to compose insightful lyrics. Lacey apparently still hasn't made peace with his faith, although his struggle is not as prevalent a subject as on previous albums.

During the softer moments of "In a Jar," Lacey drops quiet wisdom such as "Holding out for rest but on the seventh day/ I've created nothing and I'm wide awake," and "There's too many saviors on my cross again/ I know I'm never going to be a perfect man." But during the choruses he absolutely bursts with intensity and passion, making the song as hard as anything on the rest of the album.

Then there is "You Stole," the token six-minute ballad on a Brand New record. In the first three minutes there's soft, picking guitars and a slow, deliberate drumbeat. Lacey also changes up his vocal delivery here: He sings in a lower octave than usual and takes on a less melodic, more conversational quality.

Intermittently the guitars and bass will become distorted and a solo may break out, but it all leads back to the simple and calm rhythm of the beginning of the song. Lacey also delivers one of his best lines to end a chorus when he proclaims "So if I'm a liar then you're a thief/ At least we both know where the other one sleeps." It's intense in a distinctly Brand New manner.

To pick the best song of the album is nearly impossible, with the tracks already mentioned standing out as much as the single "At the Bottom" and the amazing "Bought a Bride." The music is magnificent, the wordplay is inspirational, and even Lacey's screaming flows through the album seamlessly.

Daisy adds to Brand New's already stellar body of work. Each time the band has released an amazing album, the message board chatter is often not about the quality of the latest album but rather how well Brand New can follow up the album. Fans can stop worrying because it seems Brand New can do no wrong, and its quality music is not going to stop.

RATING: 5 stars out of 5

klucas@umdbk.com