So this is probably the longest post for this year, and it's also my favourite record of 2017. I understand that the idea of Brand New has been ruined for a lot of people, and whilst I can understand that; I still love this album. My feelings on this album don't really need to be known, and there are far too many photographs to really allow much room for talking. So let's dive in. This is the deluxe edition I ordered some 4 months or so ago. I'm of the opinion that this was well worth the wait, and well worth the additional expense. Some people have been let down by the cover/ packaging, but I'm more than into it.
The cover is essentially a large envelope that opens from the back, with the cover art glued on the front. As you can see on the bottom right corner there is a fairly visible ding (an email came out to those who preordered stating there would be imperfections in the packaging); but I don't mind too much, and it was shipped in a sturdy box style mailer too, so it's not a problem on my end.
The back cover apparently takes influence from another release, but it doesn't seem familiar to me.
The cover opens from the back much the same as an envelope, with some heavy adhesive on the top flap. It took a bit of getting in to; and I assume some people have truly fucked the packaging trying to get in to the contents.
The album is 180 gram from what I can feel. The pressing overall is pretty great, a couple of tracks sound ever so slightly muddy in places though. The deluxe also comes with different centre labels and inner sleeves from the other pressings which is a nice touch.
If anyone keeps up with this blog, you'll remember the post on the CD that was sent out prior to receiving this. It's a nice touch that I ended up with umber 9/500 when you consider this is PMT009.
The inners contain a set of live photos and what look like blueprints for a car on the A/C sides.
The B/D sides contain all of the credits for the record, and the album title and running time respectively.
The A/B dust sleeve has some print on the inside too, although the C/D side inner seems to be plain blue.
On to all the bonus stuff that comes with it now!
First up are these 3 oddities. The top left is a mock up advertisement for records in a can. I'm not sure what this relates o, if anything at all. I'm pretty certain Morning Breath did all the packaging and art/layout etc. It's just another strange addition that gives more questions than answers. Next to it is the download code, and beneath that is a sealed envelope. I'm pretty sure that it contains pressed flowers. I would crack it open to check, but the idea of trying to store them anywhere after the fact is pretty off-putting. Again, from what I've read online, some copies came with loose flowers that got inside the inner sleeves and that just sounds the worst.
Next up is a Pogolith. I assumed much like the others it would contain lyrics and maybe some guitar tabs and doodles. However, it's far more photography based with sparse bits of writing including a small poem of sorts. I was kind of hoping for a lyric book, and indeed a Pogolith for this (hopefully ones for Your Favorite Weapon and Daisy will surface soon too).
A small excerpt of what lies within. If anyone really wants a more in depth run down of this, I half considered doing a small video.
The second book contains additional art from Morning Breath. I'm fairly certain that these are exclusive to the bundle. This book looks like it would benefit from 3D glasses (y'know, the old blue and red lens type), and maybe that has some kind of link to the Red/Blue on the cover and the variant that corresponds.
Both books are pretty hefty in size, I would just be here for way too long to photograph every page. And, plus it leaves a little to the imagination. I've found that over the last decade or so, this band have offered more questions than answers. They're also surely to become more obscure in time too.
One of two big double sided posters. Anyone with sharp eyes might see Jesse wearing a Monsters Outside enamel pin on his hoodie. This poster is made from matte stock paper of some description. The closest comparison to mind is the free posters that Deathwish Inc. sometimes gives away. There were Touche Amore 'Is Survived By' and a Modern Life Is War 'Fever Hunting' posters in circulation with orders a few years back. It feels kinda similar to that I guess.
The second poster comes on textured paper and feels a little sturdier. The top image takes up one side, and the other two images take up half of the other side each. If you open it up fully on this side, one image appears upside down.
Finally, and perhaps the most practical of all the extras is this exclusive slip-mat that I'll definitely never use and it will stay inside the sleeve forever alongside the posters and books. It's a shame because the slip-mat would serve a way better purpose in use; and the art would obviously looks better on a wall instead of folded up in a sleeve. I guess I just can't separate stuff from where it should be. The set would feel incomplete and scattered to me. Maybe one day I'll get over it.
Finally, this is a less than elegant photo of everything together. There is far more here than you can fit into one shot. Overall I'm incredibly happy with everything here, and it remains firmly my favourite record of 2017.
Cheers!
