I Am a Nightmare

"I Am a Nightmare"
Single by Brand New
ReleasedMay 17, 2016
Genre
Length3:20
LabelProcrastinate! Music Traitors
Songwriter(s)Jesse Lacey
Producer(s)Mike Sapone
Brand New singles chronology
"Mene"
(2015) 		"I Am a Nightmare"
(2016)

"I Am a Nightmare" is a single by American rock band Brand New, released on 17 May 2016.[1][2][3] The song was released as a digital download, with a 12-inch single made available to preorder online.[4] The single has been described by the band as being from their "upcoming release", with Lacey previously commenting in 2015 that he was unsure what format the new material would be delivered in.[5] Pitchfork Media awarded it Best New Track, praising Lacey for writing his most instantaneous hook in over a decade, whilst proclaiming that when the band announce their fifth album it would "break the internet".[6]

Background

[edit]

Frontman Jesse Lacey had previously commented to various media outlets that recording their previous record Daisy, the band felt as though they had reached "the end of the road" musically, and that their next record would likely involve backtracking and looking for another route they could have possibly taken.[7] Before releasing new material the band also looked to develop the infrastructure around them, building their own Black Site Studio, as well as expanding their record label, Procrastinate Music Traitors.[7][8] After releasing an older track "Mene" in 2015, the band discussed that whilst "Mene" did not entirely represent their new material, they had been writing more melodic and catchy music, with Lacey keen to avoid repeating the more exhausting and complicated songwriting formulas found on their previous album, Daisy.[5]

Release

[edit]

On 17 May 2016, a number of music news outlets reported that Brand New would be releasing a new track on 20 May 2016, with a 30-second sample made available through Amazon.com.[9] The band's longtime collaborator and producer, Mike Sapone also teased the track through his Instagram page.[10] Later on 17 May the song was made available, with the band and their label Procrastinate Music Traitors announcing that the single was available to stream and download immediately, with a 12-inch vinyl single available to preorder, with an expected release date of June 2016.[11][12]

The track was debuted live at Vogue Theatre in Vancouver on 1 June 2016, the first night of their Canadian tour.[13]

On August 12, 2016, the track reached #1 in the United Kingdom Official Vinyl Singles Chart, with previous single "Mene" taking the #2 position.[14]

Packaging

[edit]
The circular sticker on the cover is a photograph of the planet Uranus, taken by the Voyager 2 space probe.
The sticker of Uranus is peeled away to reveal an image of IRAS 12196-6300, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

The artwork and packaging were created by Morning Breath Inc., who previously contributed towards the packaging of Daisy and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.[15] The 12-inch black record features the song's lyrics etched into the b-side.[16] A circular sticker of gradient rainbow color exists upon the front cover which appears to be a false-color image of Uranus,[17] which when peeled away reveals an image of the emission-line star known as IRAS 12196-6300.[18]

Personnel

[edit]
Brand New
  • Jesse Lacey - vocals, guitar, production
  • Vincent Accardi - vocals, guitar, production
  • Garrett Tierney - bass, production
  • Brian Lane - drums, percussion, production
Production

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2012) Peak
position
UK Official Vinyl Singles Chart (Official Charts Company) 1[14]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Blistein, Jon (17 May 2016). "Hear Brand New's Brooding New Track 'I Am a Nightmare'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  2. ^ Shutler, Ali (17 May 2016). "LISTEN TO BRAND NEW'S 'I AM A NIGHTMARE'". Upset. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  3. ^ Payne, Chris. "Brand New Previews New Song 'I Am a Nightmare': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  4. ^ Bartleet, Larry (17 May 2016). "Brand New announce new album via mysterious email". NME. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b Lozano, Alejandro (July 2015). "El Sonido del Silencio" [The Sound of Silence] (Digital Magazine). Rockzone (in Spanish) (116). IXO Publishing: 48–49, 50–51, 52–53, 54–55, 56–57. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  6. ^ Cohen, Ian (19 May 2016). "Brand New - I Am a Nightmare". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b Baxter, Meaghan (2 August 2012). "Brand New". Vue. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  8. ^ "AN INTERVIEW WITH JESSE LACEY OF BRAND NEW (GUELPH AUG 2012)". Extreme Nonchalance. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original (Interview) on 26 October 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  9. ^ Ross, Alex Robert (17 May 2016). "HOLY CRAP THERE'S A NEW BRAND NEW SONG, IT'S REAL, AND YOU CAN HEAR SOME OF IT". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  10. ^ Rettig, James (17 May 2016). "Preview New Brand New Single "I Am A Nightmare"". Stereogum. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  11. ^ Biddulph, Andy (17 May 2016). "BRAND NEW HAVE UNVEILED A NEW SONG". Rock Sound. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  12. ^ ""I Am A Nightmare" 12" Vinyl + Digital Download". Procrastinate Music Traitors. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  13. ^ Sacher, Andrew (2 June 2016). "Brand New began tour, made live debut of "I Am A Nightmare" (setlist, video) Read More: Brand New began tour, made live debut of "I Am A Nightmare"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 40 - 12 August 2016 - 18 August 2016". Official Charts Company. 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  15. ^ "A new cover we designed with a nifty x-acto number 11 blade, printed with some pretty cool bells and whistles! for @brandnewrock 's 12" I Am A Nightmare". Instagram. Morning Breath Inc. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Listen to Brand New's Latest Single "I Am A Nightmare"". KROQ. CBS. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  17. ^ "NSSDCA Photo Gallery: Uranus". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  18. ^ "A stellar fingerprint". www.spacetelescope.org. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  19. ^ "Brand New to Release 'I Am A Nightmare' This Week - Listen to Full Track Now". Broadway World. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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