Non-bookish post: My Love Affair with Brand New

At the beginning of the year I said I wanted to write more personal posts. Posts that will give a little bit away about me and not just about the kinda of books I like. Well I racked my brain and I'm a pretty boring person to be perfectly honest, haha. I couldnt think of anything to write about... then I went to see one of my favourite bands - Brand New - play in Manchester a couple of weeks ago... So I thought I'd share a bit about them with you guys!

Some of you might know who Brand New are (Im looking at you Laura, AKA SisterSpooky) but many of you wont. This actually pleases me... mainly because it means you might find them and give them a listen because of this post but it saddens me too because these guys are amazing! Brand New found their way into my top three favourite bands during college by being unique, you cant explain them with a genre, they don't fit one and I love that about them.

Whenever someone asks about Brand New and "what type of music" they are I find it exceptionally difficult to answer. Their first album "Your Favourite Weapon" is pretty pop-punky but even that sounds different to your usual pop-punk... then the later three albums - "Deja Entendu", "The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me" and "Daisy" - well, they are just out there on their own.

Brand New at Wembley Arena

The band were pretty heavily influenced by Radiohead, The Smiths and Morrissey and this comes out in their music. I love Radiohead but my love for them came through Brand New and my boyfriend and it kinda makes me proud that this New Jersey band was so heavily influenced by English bands and singers as so often these days it's the other way round!

Something that I really love about Brand New is the way their songs tell stories... I can make up scenarios in my head and play out their songs just like the books that I read... some are more obvious, like my favourite song of theirs, Seventy Times Seven. This song is meant to have been a reaction to the singer, Jesse Lacey's, friend apparently sleeping with his girlfriend or something... there's a lot of conspiracy out on this one but basically the friend was John Nolan, the singer from Taking Back Sunday and he hit back with their song "There's No I in Team." The song title also comes from the Bible and is taken from where Jesus tells Peter that he should forgive his brother "seventy times seven" times.

Brand New at Manchester Academy

Anyway, another reason I love them is the atmosphere they give off when they are playing live. I've seen them a few times now, including once at Wembley Arena which was soooo worth the crazy travelling/very little sleep/expensive hotel room and trasping round London for two days! This most recent show, on February 9th was the best I've ever seen them, especially as Jesse actually spoke a lot! Seriously, I've seen them do a full set and not one of them spoke once! This photo is from them at Manchester Academy the other week and shows what I mean about the atmosphere, all smoky and awesome.

Finally, (cos I think I've blathered on about this band enough to bore you all stupid!) the reason I love them so much is because of my boyfriend. Tony and I bonded over Brand New, we met in a club and hell knows what was playing but basically he remembers me telling him that Brand New are one of my favourite bands and when he said he liked them too (I can't remember much of this and it is likely that the club we were in had Brand New on!) I was really happy and I think I started blathering on, much like this post. To this day we still bond over Brand New, obviously we have other things in common but there's a whole album that he can listen to and it reminds him of me so you know, they are a big part of us as a couple, the trip to London was our one year (we're now up to three) anniversary celebration! I have songs of theirs that remind me of him too and the gig the other week was one of his birthday presents from me. Not only are Brand New an awesome band, they also helped me get to know an awesome guy better and that's why he'll have to share me with them haha!

Me and Tony in London Jan 2010