At the risk of making a terrible band-name pun, Brand New’s latest release, “Daisy,” leads the band in a decidedly new direction. The pop-punk and emo sound that the band became famous for takes a backseat to a new vibe, one that marks a clear evolution from “The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.” It’s dysphoric, atonal and strangely beautiful.

The album begins with an old-time revival hymn that quickly gives way to pummeling guitars over frantic screaming. The catchiness of the repeated cries hints at Brand New’s pop-punk pedigree through the band’s messy catharsis. In making the album, the band stressed elements that the members wanted to play live rather than what would work on a studio album, and the result is a dichotomy of energy and lethargy.

The second track, “Bed,” embodies the feel of the album. Jesse Lacey’s vocals take on a melancholy, plaintive murmur over a moving sonic landscape. Perhaps the greatest marker of the album is how each track, though seemingly muted and depressive, takes on an extraordinarily dynamic energy. On the first single, “At the Bottom,” the band channels Modest Mouse in a jerky, alluring rhythm and structured chanting. The musicianship throughout the album is spectacular. The distorted bass on the title track physically moves the listener, and the lead guitar on “Bought a Bride” keens and shrieks through its emotion.

My personal favorite track is “Gasoline,” which combines Brand New’s old sound with early My Chemical Romance. The lyrics are precise, interesting rhymes punctuated with interludes of intensity and a huge range of guitar sounds. Lyrically, the album puts a new spin on old topics. Brand New has always been famous for its depictions of bitter romances, and lines such as, “So if I’m a liar/ And you’re a thief/ At least we know where the other one sleeps,” are no exception. That said, they also dabble in biblical imagery and discussions of things coming to an end.

“Daisy” is Brand New’s most cohesive album to date; the songs mesh their individual identities into a unique musical experience. Whether it’s quiet fervency or screaming in harmony, they’ve got a vision, and they’re sticking to it.

Rating: 4.5/5
For fans of: Big Black, My Chemical Romance, down-tempo, Marilyn Manson
Tracks to download: ‘At the Bottom’, ‘Gasoline’, ‘Bought a Bride’