Brand New - At the Bottom

At the Bottom - Brand New

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So...what just dropped this morning?

Oh. Right. New single. From a pretty cool band called Brand New - you might have heard of them? It's a very different sound, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Time will tell, I suppose. Still, it's pretty exciting, almost like my junior year of high school all over again.

This is "At the Bottom", off the upcoming album Daisy, which comes out September 22, 2009.

My Five Most Anticipated Albums of 2009

Maybe it's just me, but 2008 was a rather slow year for music - or, at least, for the sort of music that I listen to. In actuality, it was probably an average year, seeing releases from names like Lil' Wayne, Fall Out Boy, and Beyonce, as well as countless others.

But what about kids like me? You know, the insufferable fucking hipsters? That's not to say that I don't enjoy the music of the aforementioned (although Fall Out Boy is pretty hit or miss), it's just that 2008 seemed to bring little more than teasers and disappointment. The hiatuses of Godspeed and The Blood Brothers were made permanent, Stars and Manchester Orchestra released short EPs to whet the appetite, and Glassjaw remained silent (again). And all the while, heavy hitters like Death Cab, TV On The Radio (I seem to be alone on this), M83, and Of Montreal rested on their laurels, turning lackluster efforts that underwhelmed in every sense. Sure, there were some great releases, but that's for another post. The point here is that, after the year this has been, I am particularly excited to see what the next twelve months has to offer.

And so, without further ado, the five albums that I cannot wait to hear, be it in 2009 or 2099...

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1. Brand New - ?

It took 3 years and a couple of leaked demos between Deja Entendu and The Devil And God (released in 2006). So, now it's 2009 - time for some more Brand New. As mentioned in their recent e-mail, Brand New should start touring sometime this year with an album to hopefully follow.

I'll be first in line to hear it.

2. Glassjaw - Glassjaw!

(You Think You're) John Fucking Lennon was a nice start, but amounted to little more than a tease. No more Head Automatica, no more United Nations. Daryl Palumbo, it's time to put up or shut up. I want Glassjaw, and I want it now.

3. This Is My Suitcase - ?

They're fun, and I want to hear more. Duh.

4. mewithoutYou - mewithoutYou & Friends

I know that nothing's going to top Brother, Sister. But I'd really love to hear them try.

5. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing

I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child was a great major debut, and I think that Manchester Orchestra has a few great records left in them. When I saw them a couple weeks ago, they played a few new songs (one of which had the chorus "Mean everything to nothing"), and I was pretty impressed. Their EP was enjoyable enough, and I have high hopes for the forthcoming LP.

Updates from Brand New

I think it's only fitting that the 100th post on this blog be about one of my favorite bands of all time: Brand New. Happy 100, and here's to one hundred more.

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It's been awhile since they've updated the website or played a show, and yesterday (as a member of their "Street Team") I received a nice e-mail from their drummer, Brian Lane, with a little bit of a status update on the band. They've apparently been recording for quite some time now, and he hinted at an album release sometime in the next year, as well as some shows.

Here's the e-mail, in its entirety:

Dear Friends,
The combination of the holidays and the inclement weather has set a bit of nostalgia upon me. Remember when we used to give you updates more often?
Anyway…
It has come to my attention that Brand New has basically been off tour for almost a year now. So here is your annual festive goings on:
We have all been in the studio on and off since about March. The convenience of recording around the corner has been great, but sometimes a little too comfortable setting. During 2008, we have rounded up some some pre-pro, some real-pro,and some semi-pro material. There are about 15 songs for us to play around with and it seems as though things are winding down and in the final stages.
We cannot exactly tell you when this record will be done, but we can tell you that the new year will bring a bit more excitement from our side of things. We are fully aware of how long we were gone last time, and are not planning on staying home much longer.
Perhaps when it gets a bit warmer out…we will begin to introduce a new website that will bring you endless amounts of entertaining information. We have also talked about playing some new music together.Outside of the dungeon. Which means maybe….…YOU will be able to listen to some of our new music also. maybe.
Until then, we wanted to let everyone know that we are alive and well. Still writing, recording, and frustrated with the lack of blood in mortal kombat vs. dc.
Thank you all for coming to the random Brand New shows scattered throughout the year, as well as Jesse’s shows. Any support for Brand New is appreciated, and we are all forever thankful.
More to come in the new year. Have a safe and happy rest of 2008, and hope to see everyone soon!
I will leave you…with this picture of garrett and his new ride at the studio.
.brian
.brand new