Album review

[Guest Kinetic]

(I sense that this isn't very good, but I'd like some outside opinions on why.  Read on.)

 

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

Source Tags and Codes

 

Rating:  ****1/4

 

Source Tags and Codes, the major label debut of Austin, Texas' ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, reminds me of an album I might have liked when I was 14.  You see, in those heady early teenage years, I was all about the heavy.  If it was loud, I listened to it.  If the adjective "bone-crunching" was at all apt, I listened to it.  If its content was likely to inspire a Bill O'Reilly special on Fox, you can be damn sure that I listened to it.  But, as a bit of foreshadowing for the musical awakening that was to take place in the years to come, I was never impressed by the wanky solos and guitar trickery so many metal types are wont to partake in.  The music's emotion, which seemed so raw and overwhelming compared to the MTV and radio fare that had already alienated me, was the main attraction.  Then I discovered indie rock, and it was all but over on that front.  Source Tags and Codes harkens back to that sound, while not abandoning the indie rock sensibility;  it's like equal parts Daydream Nation and Danzig.  And it'll rock your face.

 

The wall of sound-style production makes itself known within the first ten seconds of the album's opening track, "It Was There That I Saw You."  There's no negative space on this album; every bit is saturated by some noise.  Singer Conrad Keely waxes poetically about a former lover, wondering what became of her, as the band builds to gorgeous tempo change.  Eventually, it ends up back where it began before disappearing into static and the second song, "Another Morning Stoner."  The songs are all linked by ambience which, along with the saturated production quality, gives the impression of some otherwordly broadcast; a commercial-free radio transmission from purgatory.  The stand-out track here, however, is "How Near How Far."  Beginning with a rambling, typically noisy guitar part, it builds to a beautiful crescendo.  Nothing on the album matches it for sheer quality, but almost every track makes a valiant effort.

 

It's difficult to fault Source Tags and Codes for anything, really.  The art and lyrics could be accused of being the slightest bit pretentious, but so what?  Art is pretension, and nothing here is enough to make you gag.  All in all, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead's Source Tags and Codes is perfect for the 14 year old in all of us:  Angry, pretentious, and harder than fuck.

[Guest Mark4steamboat]

Ive seen them on Conan alot and i love this band. im totally getting the cd now.

[Guest Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye]

I don't know that band(perhaps wrongly) but the review is quite good...tells me pretty much all i need to know

 

angling for a music review column somewhere or something?

[Guest Kinetic]

I don't know that band(perhaps wrongly) but the review is quite good...tells me pretty much all i need to know

 

angling for a music review column somewhere or something?

I was angling for a music column on the site that the disgruntled ex-Smarks are setting up.  No go on that, at least for the time being.  But I have a copy of WWF The Music: Volume 4 and I'm ready when they are.

[Guest]

If you want criticism and it really isn't flaming I'd say put a lot less about YOUR muscial awakening and what you like in it. I don't really want to read about a reviewers personal views in a review. If I get the feeling that a reviewer only likes a certain type of band or music then their opinions outside that genre become meaningless to me. Unless you're going the gonzo route of course.

 

Source Tags and Codes, the major label debut of Austin, Texas' ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, reminds me of an album.......   The music's emotion, which seemed so raw and overwhelming compared to the MTV and radio fare.......  Source Tags and Codes harkens back to that sound, while not abandoning the indie rock sensibility;  it's like equal parts Daydream Nation and Danzig.  And it'll rock your face.

 

 

I'd keep that from the first paragraph and make your points more generic .

[Guest Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye]

Personally if I know about what the reviewer is into then I almost feel like a personal connection...After that its a piece of cake knowing whether you might like the reviewed album because if you read a review by someone who is biased against a style of music that you may like...than the cd they give a glowing review to will be less likely to rock your world...imo

[Guest Kinetic]

If you want criticism and it really isn't flaming I'd say put a lot less about YOUR muscial awakening and what you like in it. I don't really want to read about a reviewers personal views in a review. If I get the feeling that a reviewer only likes a certain type of band or music then their opinions outside that genre become meaningless to me. Unless you're going the gonzo route of course.

 

Source Tags and Codes, the major label debut of Austin, Texas' ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, reminds me of an album.......   The music's emotion, which seemed so raw and overwhelming compared to the MTV and radio fare.......  Source Tags and Codes harkens back to that sound, while not abandoning the indie rock sensibility;  it's like equal parts Daydream Nation and Danzig.  And it'll rock your face.

 

 

I'd keep that from the first paragraph and make your points more generic .

Wait...more generic?  That doesn't sound good at all.  I agree with Red Hot Thumbtack on this point; you need to know what the reviewers reference points are.  If I'm reading a review of a new Jewel album from a person who only listens to death metal, I'm not really going to put a lot of stock into that person's opinion.  By giving an idea of where I'm coming from in terms of taste, I tried to give the reader an indication of whether or not they think I know what I'm talking about or am worth listening to.  Thanks for the feedback, though.