And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Code
(Interscope)
Sometimes, it's hard to bring together a string of words that will properly articulate your feelings on something. Anything, really: whether it's a book, a movie, or a record... anything. Sometimes you don't know what you want to say because you seriously dislike it. Sometimes, you don't know what to say, because you really enjoy it. The latest album from Austin's ...Trail of Dead fits nicely into the latter category, as I've spent the better part of a week trying to come up with a good outline for this review.
Simply: Source Tags and Codes rocks. I mean, rocks. It's not often anymore that music like this moves me as much as this record did, but here I am, shouting praise about it.
However, let me lay a little caveat on you: if nothing else, I tend to employ hyperbole in my reviews, so, the record is good, but not super good. Well, I really like it. So maybe it is super good. But that's just it! I can't think of anything to say with this review!
So let's get down to the bones of it. Things start out with the excellent "It Was There That I Saw You," which melds Mogwai-esque guitar passages with sped-up verses and tense drumming. This is followed by the rough, angry "Another Morning Stoner," and the almost-ska trumpet freakout "Baudelaire," which is my least favourite track on the album.
Although the above description might make the album seem a little milquetoast, Source Tags and Codes contains some really striking tracks, such as the spooky "Heart in the Hand of the Matter" and the indescribably sad title track. Both offer a respite from the crunch and distortion of some of the other, spikier songs. The title track is very guitar driven, with singer-guy Conrad Keely delivering the album's best lyrics (check these out: "From the lives I've tried to lead/to the one that I received/each painted sign along the road/will melt away in source tags & code").
After I played this album for him, my friend Ryan said to me, "It's really good, but I'm kind of surprised you like it." Quite frankly, so am I. It's got traces of much of the stuff I've rallied against during my tenure on fakejazz (e.g., lack of originality, "emo" tendencies). But, to be honest, when things are done this well, it's hard not to enjoy it.
And You Will Know Them By the Trail of Money, indeed.
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