The Shape Of Punk To Come: Rites Of Spring And Brand New

In 1986, during one of their few rare shows, the short lived Washington D.C. band Embrace had something on their minds. Specifically - a buzzword many magazines and news outlets were touting at that time. Vocalist Ian MacKaye took his time to reflect and calmly explained his  frustration to those uninitiated:

“I must say – ‘emo-core’ must be the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life. But, just in case you’re wondering – I read in my Thrasher the other day – that in fact, what my band along with what other bands in the city [are] playing is ‘emo-core’… Emotional hardcore. As if hardcore wasn’t emotional to begin with.” (Source: Culture Creature, January 25, 2016)

Admittedly, at first, the term emotional hardcore truly does appear redundant. A haphazard attempt to contextualize the legacy and attitude of a genre whose identity was heavily rooted in emotional expression. A phenomenon punks highly despised - being sensationalized and characterized by a catchphrase. Tracing back, even before hardcore was officially a genre, the length musicians took to showcase their disregard for status-quo was a spectacle in and of itself. The trademark defiance was just one of many elements that aided punk in sweeping the culture by storm. The weaponization of inner struggle being a defining aspect. Vocalist Keith Morris on Black Flag’s 1979 track  “Nervous Breakdown” expresses:

“I'm about to have a nervous breakdown

My head really hurts

If I don't find a way out of here

I'm gonna go berserk”

And yet what Embrace and many other similar bands offered was radically different. It was punk turned inward. A raw display of inner turmoil that was fueled by introspection and reflection. “The speed, and the passion, remained. But all shred of machismo was excised, replaced by startling melody, stark expressions of vulnerability and lyrics that reached for the existential.” (Source: The Guardian, 27 November, 2012). 

Paired with the yet to unfold “Revolution Summer” events, the maturation of punk rock signified a watershed moment in turning the implications of vandalism and brutality within the scene, against itself. Agreeing on the term Emo-core is up to debate, however, the influence is difficult to deny. There were many artists contributing to this factor but no other band unleashed themselves like Rites Of Spring did. An unstoppable torrent of unbridled might that engulfed the local scene almost over night. Quickly spreading to other parts of the US and eventually Europe.

 

Formed in 1984, Rites Of Spring, consisted of vocalist Guy Picciotto, Brendan Canty on drums (both would later form the post-hardcore group Fugazi with Embrace’s Ian MacKaye), bassist Mike Fellows and guitarist Edward Janney.

It was the sharp brutality of the genre preceding them and a keen lyrical poignancy that put the band on the map. Performing just under 20 shows throughout their whole career, Rites Of Spring, rarely spared their instruments and voices, if ever. The fans made sure to not miss a single performance. The heaviness of guitar tone, weighing on the shoulders of Picciotto’s desperate delivery materialized into something intensely important - conviction. Picciotto’s inner turmoil was fueled by a dangerous amount of burning passion. Every word hanging off of the vocalist’s mouth carried both emotional expression and a craving to rid himself of the pain, stopping at nothing, delving deep into introspection and acknowledging his faults. 

“The violence and nihilism that had become identified with punk rock, largely by the media, had begun to take hold in D.C. and many of the older punks suddenly found themselves repelled and discouraged by their hometown scene. It was a time of redefinition and Rites of Spring more than led the charge.” (Source: Dischord, 1984 - 1986). 

A shift in underground culture was brewing. It was punk rebelling against punk as we know it. A moment in music and young people’s lives that advocated for expression of mental disturbance. Their issues, be they minor or major, at that point in time were valid. Paired with an even bigger emphasis on instrumental innovation that seemingly “defied musical and stylistic rule”, Rites Of Spring earned themselves the title of trendsetters.

 

It was becoming ever apparent that a new genre, following the wave of early emo-core, was shaping to become something special. To the dismay of the Washington D.C. crowd, many musicians after it would polish the sound and develop it into something that defined the underground scene of 90s and 2000s. Perhaps one of the more known contributors of this continuation was the band Brand New who cozily lead the charge with their modern take on Emo that had already dropped suffix '-core'. 

Brand New formed in 2000 in Long Island, New York. Practically everyone knows them if they know Emo music, be it for their iconic and dark themed music, or their hard to search for name. Though they had quite an ominous “break-up” in 2018, their music stands influential on an entire generation of Emo musicians and music lovers.

Their releases come in a huge variety and is perfect for people getting into Emo music from all different angles — their first album, Your Favorite Weapon, goes into a pop punk retelling of personal high school drama and leads into a more mature Deja Entendu, that delves into the themes Brand New is most known for. It features raunchy storytelling on Sic Transit Gloria … Glory Fades and a tie-back into the drama featured on their previous album with Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t.

 

The darker themes on Deja Entendu lead perfectly into their discography’s crescendo; The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. This iconic album has become a must-listen in much of Emo rock music, and features haunting lyrics and memorable instrumentals. A staple on this album and the perfect descriptor of Brand New’s music would be Limousine. This song was one that made me, along with numerous others, understand the love surrounding this band’s lyricism. The almost 8-minute long ballad features the horrifying and true story of a 2005 car crash involving a drunk driver, 7-year old Katie Flynn and her mother. Their limousine was struck by a drunk driver after a wedding and the driver along with Katie were killed on impact, while her mother survived.

“And I’ve one more night to be your mother,

<...> 

Seven loved you so much,”

Another highlight on this album would be Jesus Christ, which follows feelings of religion and existentialism, something that comes up repeatedly throughout Brand New’s discography. The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me leaves you asking questions about your own faith and experiences like no other album ever could.

 

2009’s Daisy is what I view to be the odd one out. Though thematically, it matches up and even takes it farther, it has a new found angst musically and the lyrics seem to be much more surface level. A grungier tone is found on the distorted guitar of Bought a Bride, and the haunting samples throughout the title track, Daisy.

“It was hailed as a disappointingly “good” record by those of us who became accustomed to greatness, and even though time has been kind to the album’s reputation, it is still viewed as the lesser of two – possibly three – masterpieces in Brand New’s discography.” (Sowing on Sputnikmusic, 7 July 2016)

Science Fiction closes off their discography in a perfect wrap-up. 90s rock and Morrissey influence can be heard leaving their footprints all over these songs, especially on bass heavy songs like Can’t Get it Out and No Control. This LP goes in-depth on, you guessed it, religion, but also new found courage in areas of mental health, references to pop culture and history, and even romance.

“I finally found all my courage, it was buried under the house, not just a manic depressive, toting around my own cloud, I've got a positive message, sometimes I can't get it out,”

“Let's all go play Nagasaki, we can all get vaporised,”

“I want to say I'm in love with you, and I'm more than the skin of my teeth, I digress, I am a mess, I'm in love with you,”

A huge variety of writing and textures can be heard throughout, at times it’s gritty on 451 or somber on Could Never Be Heaven. In the time I’ve spent active in music communities and exploring community opinions, this is one of the only albums I’ve found that matches up on a fan base and critic level. It’s widely loved.

If you are new to Emo music, they can be a great starting point. Listen to what sounds intriguing to you. All of Brand New’s albums can connect to someone. Brand New is truly unique. Few bands have gone through such a gut-wrenching saga of albums, nor will they be remembered for this level of influence. They permanently shifted Emo and alternative music, and they can be found scattered around all genres via influence. They entered as a freshly formed, ambitious pop-punk powerhouse, and left as icons.