...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Item: Source Tags and Codes
Author: Michael Hess

Source Tags and Codes

(2002)

Reviewed by Michael Hess

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Label Interscope RecordsDecapolisFebruary 2003

indie rock noise rock post-hardcore

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (which will be hereafter referred to as simply Trail of Dead or ToD) are a Post-Hardcore Indie rock outfit from Austin, Texas. "Source Tags and Codes" is their 3rd album, and major label debut on Interscope records. I've heard of this band only in passing prior to this release, which has received lots of praise from some high profile rock critics, making dozens of 2002 album of the year lists.

The album begins with the buzz of static before erupting into "It was There that I saw you", which gives you a glimpse of rock perfection for about 40 seconds, then takes a minute to catch its breath before exploding back into greatness. "Another Morning Stoner" raises the bar a little higher with one of the best guitar hooks I've heard in years.

The beautiful, shimmering first tracks are blown to pieces by the mortar-blast that is "Homage", the album's heaviest, most abrasive track. This rude awakening would be almost unforgivable if it wasn't followed up by the flawless "How Near, How Far." The drumming on this track is so tight it almost sounds mechanical, but a machine could never play with this much passion. "Source Tags and Codes" contains some of the most beautiful and most dangerous songs on a major label in recent memory. For all its pros, ToD definitely has room for growth. The singer, Conrad Keely fills the role admirably, but doesn't have a very distinctive vocal style.

"Source Tags and Codes" spans a lot of genres. At its more melodic moments, Trail of Dead reminds me of a post-hardcore Death Cab For Cutie. At its loudest, ToD is reminiscent of Nirvana and Built to Spill. The greatest feat of the CD is its versatility. Most of the songs can be enjoyed by themselves, but feel totally different together. Trail of Dead have created a spectacular album, but their best work is yet to come.

B+