Brand New (band)

Brand New (band)
Name	Brand New
Origin	St. Albans, New York, U.S.
Genres	Emo; alternative rock; indie rock; post-hardcore
Years active	2000–2017 (hiatus), 2017–2018 (final shows)
Labels	Triple Crown Records; Razor & Tie; Procrastinate! Music Traitors
Associated acts	Taking Back Sunday; Saves the Day; Bad Books; Glassjaw; The Movielife

Brand New (band) was an American rock band formed in St. Albans, New York, in 2000 by Jesse Lacey, Vincent Accardi, Garrett Tierney, and Brian Lane. The group released five studio albums between 2001 and 2017, earning acclaim across scenes connected to emo, indie rock, and alternative rock, and touring with peers from punk rock and post-hardcore circles. Their career intersected with bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Saves the Day, Glassjaw, Circa Survive, and Thursday, and was marked by both high critical praise and later controversies.

History

The band formed after members of local Long Island outfits including The Rookie Lot coalesced around frontman Jesse Lacey, who had previously collaborated with musicians from Taking Back Sunday and Saves the Day. Early demos led to a signing with Triple Crown Records, and their debut album, released in 2001, arrived amid a wave that featured acts like Thursday and Glassjaw. Following lineup consolidation, they recorded with producers connected to Ethan Johns-style studios and engineers who worked with Foo Fighters and Interpol, leading to a denser sound on subsequent releases. Their second album, produced with personnel linked to Razor & Tie associates, expanded audiences via tours with Brand New (band)-adjacent acts such as Coheed and Cambria and My Chemical Romance. Mid-career, the band founded their imprint, Procrastinate! Music Traitors, partnering with artists from Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine's circles. Over time, they alternated between headline runs at venues like Radio City Music Hall and festival appearances alongside Lollapalooza and Warped Tour alumni. In 2017 they released their final studio album and performed farewell shows through 2018 before entering an indefinite cessation amid public scrutiny tied to allegations involving members and organizations such as The National Coalition Against Censorship-adjacent debates.

Musical style and influences

Musically, the band drew from post-hardcore predecessors like Quicksand (band) and Fugazi, integrating melodic elements associated with Saves the Day and Jawbreaker (band). Critics compared their textures to Radiohead and Interpol due to atmospheric production choices linked to engineers who worked with those groups. Lyrically, Jesse Lacey's narratives showed affinities with songwriters such as Conor Oberst and Julian Casablancas, while guitar interplay echoed players from Sunset Rubdown and Dinosaur Jr.. Later records incorporated experimental arrangements recalling The Cure and Pixies, and production techniques paralleled those used by Steve Albini and Brian Eno alumni. The band cited influences ranging from The Beatles and Led Zeppelin to contemporary acts like Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie, blending emo introspection with indie rock dynamics associated with The Strokes.

Band members

- Jesse Lacey — lead vocals, rhythm guitar. Previously involved with members from Taking Back Sunday and Saves the Day. - Vincent Accardi — lead guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals. Collaborated with artists from Bad Books and Kevin Devine projects. - Garrett Tierney — bass guitar, backing vocals; connections to Long Island scenes including The Movielife. - Brian Lane — drums, percussion; toured with acts affiliated to Vagrant Records and Equal Vision Records rosters.

Touring and session contributors included musicians associated with Manchester Orchestra and Glassjaw, as well as engineers who worked with Foo Fighters and Interpol.

Discography

- Your Favorite Weapon (2001) — released on Triple Crown Records, contemporaneous with releases from Thursday and Glassjaw. - Deja Entendu (2003) — featured singles that intersected with radio playlists alongside My Chemical Romance and Dashboard Confessional. - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006) — critically lauded, often discussed with albums by Radiohead and Interpol in retrospective lists. - Daisy (2009) — showcased abrasive textures akin to Noise rock influences found in Quicksand (band) and Drive Like Jehu lineages. - Science Fiction (2017) — final studio album released amid collaborations and distribution strategies similar to labels like Razor & Tie and independent imprints such as Procrastinate! Music Traitors.

They also issued EPs, singles, and B-sides circulated among collectors who follow scenes tied to Warped Tour and independent vinyl presses.

Tours and live performances

The band embarked on extensive touring across North America, Europe, and Australia, sharing bills with Taking Back Sunday, At the Drive-In, Coheed and Cambria, and Circa Survive. They played festivals alongside lineups that included Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds Festivals, and Bamboozle. Notable venues included Madison Square Garden-adjacent theaters and historic rooms frequented by Interpol and The National. Live shows were documented by music outlets that also covered Pitchfork, NME, and Rolling Stone tour reporting. Their performances drew dedicated fanbases rooted in Long Island and New Jersey scenes that produced bands like Senses Fail and The Movielife.

Controversies and allegations

In the late 2010s the band faced public allegations involving conduct by a founding member, which led to statements from organizations and fellow artists including those associated with Taking Back Sunday, Manchester Orchestra, and independent labels. Media coverage intersected with reporting practices used by outlets such as Pitchfork, NME, and Rolling Stone. The allegations prompted festival and venue reconsiderations akin to precedent cases involving acts removed from lineups alongside artists like Ryan Adams and Toby Keith in unrelated controversies. Discussions involved legal counsel familiar with cases handled in jurisdictions including New York (state), and prompted debates within communities connected to indie rock and emo about accountability and archival curation.

Legacy and critical reception

Critics and musicians have placed the band's work alongside influential albums from Radiohead, The Strokes, and Interpol, and writers from outlets such as Pitchfork and NME frequently cite their mid-2000s output in lists of defining records for emo and alternative rock. Peers from Taking Back Sunday, Saves the Day, Manchester Orchestra, and Circa Survive have acknowledged their impact on songwriting and touring models. Retrospectives in publications that also cover Rolling Stone and Spin discuss their albums' roles in shaping post-2000s indie and emo landscapes. The band's legacy remains contested within scenes that include artists from Long Island and the broader New York (state) music networks, reflecting both artistic influence and the consequences of later controversies.

Category:American alternative rock groups Category:Musical groups established in 2000