Where does rock go from here? Source Tags & Codes, next stop.
Written: Jul 14 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent guitar, variety, vivid experimentation, three varied vocal styles
Cons: Not immediately accessible, a little too broad and extravagant at times
The Bottom Line: There is no reason any fan of music, particularly grunge or alternative rock, should be without this album in their collection. It's groundbreaking, to say the least.
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| toolhead's Full Review: Source Tags & Codes by ...And You Will Know Us by ... |
With the rapidly de-evolving state in virtually all forms of popular music today, it's more than a mere understatement to say that if you want to find something worth listening to nowadays, you've got to do a little bit of digging in order to find it. Rarely will you find the most creative, original, or talented artists on the radio, no matter what genre you prefer, and mainstream-marketing corporations like MTV and Clear Channel radio are even worse for smothering genuine artists with attractive one-hit wonders. Needless to say, any true music fan worth his or her salt has realized, many times over by now, that inventive, enjoyable music is no longer readily available, and more and more, the talented artists of the new millennium are being discovered more by word of mouth and friend-to-friend recommendations than by advertising and mass marketing. One such promising band is the neo-alternative rock quartet with a tongue-twisting moniker, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead. The Dead (as I will know refer to them, saving both reader and reviewer large amounts of time and interest), have been around since 1994, but only now are making any significant splashes in the music universe, slowly peeling out of their underground appeal to reach to a more mainstream audience. However, it is fortunate (for both the band and their blossoming collection of fans) that the band has been able to do so all by their own talent, letting their wonderfully exciting and unique approach to rock speak for itself, and fans are simply liking what they're hearing. The snowballing success of The Dead is not because of hit radio singles or TRL guest appearances...it's because enough kids have bought the album, loved the album, and recommended it to their friends. Though the band has two prior full-length LPs under their belt, 2002's Source Tags & Codes is what's really brought this rush of well-earned attention to the band, and although it's their first major record label release (under Interscope), it in no way compromises their sound and ethics, and works as a perfect introduction to a band with such a bright future.
The Dead have created a sound that, while is not purely their own, incorporates different sounds, emotions, and dynamics to produce some of the best damn songwriting this reviewer has heard in years. Though they borrow heavily from bands like Dinosaur Jr. and mid-era Sonic Youth, instead of merely aping these two highly influential acts, the band has instead borrowed (marginally) from the sounds of these and a handful of other alternative rock artists, and then proceeded to build a very unique and distinct musical voice all their own. The Dead know how to master diversity in their songs, from energetic, fast-paced rocking anthems like "Homage" and "Days of Being Wild" to more casual, churning tunes such as "Relative Ways" and the sweetly-sorrow "How Near How Far". If Source Tags & Codes is any sign of what's to come from these boys, I think I'll be very pleased from what they release in the coming years.
The song starts out with what you might call a light-hearted love anthem, "It Was There That I Saw You", a tune that comes complete with (reasonably) romantic/melancholy lyrics and a few nice distorted--and clean--guitar arrangements. Not really my favorite song in the album, but straight out of the chute, these guys prove just how serious they are about waking you up with their unique brand of neo-alternative, introducing a quiet, gradually-building bridge as early as 1 minute, 6 seconds into the album, right after the first verse. This song also introduces us to the band's strong penchant for strings, something that will pop up spontaneously later throughout the album (and, fortunately, accompanies each song well, never seeming like an afterthought or pretentious icing on the cake).
After that brief number, we welcome in "Another Morning Stoner", one of the album's singles, and rightly so. This track, ripe with sparkling, emotive guitar lines and pounding, spastic drumlines (compliments of group founder, Conrad Keely), is one of my personal favorites, as it accurately displays the deep, sometimes almost-symphonic quality these boys give to their songs. They're never afraid to introduce new elements into a song, when it seems fit, giving a tune a better sense of both emotion and improved songwriting. "Another Morning Stoner", definitely one to check out. Up next is the tight, riff-based punktastic tune "Baudelaire", which sounds like a cohesive combination of Sixties surf rock, early Fugazi, and Elvis Costello. Surprisingly, it works, very well...although it's easily one of the most straightforward, simplistic songs on the album, it's also a hard rocking one, and not to be missed.
Up next, we have track four, the rapid-fire post-punk tune titled "Homage". Easily the angriest, yet most cathartic tune on Source Tags and Codes, the majority of "Homage" seems to be little more than angsty, blistering punk, but in traditional Dead fashion, there's more than meets the eye in this one. Mixing up the traditional Nirvana 'loud chorus/quiet verses' songwriting formula, The Dead actually reverse this successful staple of many bands' songwriting, and makes the verses loud and bitter, while the choruses take a subtler, toned-down approach. Definitely a nice dose of variety and originality. Track five, my favorite song of the album, is the post-alternative ballad "How Near, How Far", a demonstration of the band's use of two musical parallels: fragile sensitivity and unadulterated aggression (particularly in the stop-start drums of Conrad Keely). Opening with a calm, melancholy guitar chord progression, the song then jumps quickly into a slightly heaver, fast-paced verse. During the song's emotive bridge, the intro guitar scale is brought back only to be played under a growing drone of vocals ('how near, how far' over and over again). Although it has a relaxed feel, I find this to be the most moving, relatable song on the album.
Skipping ahead a pair of tracks, we reach immolated "Days of Being Wild", a song that defines itself by its own title. Another tune that successfully captures the band's love (and playing ability) of post-punk, "Days of Being Wild" is an explosive, anathematic ball of fury akin to Bad Brains, only pausing temporarily for the anticipation-building bridge in the dead center of the song. Although it's basically a three-minute blast of punk/indie bliss, surprisingly, the band still maintains its consistently hopeful/empowering feel with the closing lyrical mantra; "Come down, dawn in one piece/Come down dawn to find some peace/Driven to shambles on a tip/I never said that I would quit/And the next song takes over...". Although I wouldn't say that the lyrics are the best part of this record, they are hardly ignorable, and give a personal, emotional boost to already wonderful songwriting.
After the lack-luster "Relative Ways", we are treated to the instrumental, piano-toting "After the Laughter", a short little tune that segueways nicely into the album's conclusion, "Source Tags and Codes". This hazy, guitar-drenched track will probably either leave you with an intense ringing in your ears or a comfortable feeling of the record that's just ended. "Source Tags and Codes" is one of the more casual-paced yet experimental tracks on the album, and it's a song you have to be in the right mood to enjoy...it's either too noisy for its own good, or the perfect way to draw such an amazing record to its finale (however, it is of note to point out a wonderful little string reprise at the end of the song, tidying things up nicely). Either outcome is just as likely.
So clearly, there is a lot of good to be had in this album, but then...why did I deliver it a less-than-perfect four star rating? Unfortunately, as eye opening and amazing as this record is, it does still have its share of faults, including a few sub-par songs on the record. Some of the more laid-back tunes, such as "Heart in the Hand of the Matter" and "Relative Ways" never gain the momentum to make them truly enjoyable, and the album suffers because of it. This pair of tracks does not wholly detract from an otherwise superb album, but they are subversive enough to keep it from the righteous five-star status it would otherwise deserve. It all comes down to a matter of semblance...if the entire record was nothing but the lighter, more down-to-earth songs, it would be cohesive enough to work. The same is true with the sweltering punk tunes, as well. Although the diversity of the album is one of its subtle blessings, it can also lead to a little head scratching, as some semblance between songs is noticeably missing at times. Also, although fans of Sonic Youth and the Pixies will be sure to find this record worth owning, at times, The Dead seem to be spending a lot of time aping both these acts, not merely paying homage to them, and the resemblance may grate on some older fans' nerves.
I would recommend Source Tags & Codes to fans of the following artists: Dredg, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Smashing Pumpkins, Fugazi, Pearl Jam, The Mars Volta, Radiohead, Television, At The Drive-In, Rush, The Get-Up Kids, Screaming Trees, and Weather Report.
To wrap things up, this album is not without its missteps, but overall, it is nothing less than a stellar album from a bright and energetic band with a lot of promise. After allowing Source Tags and Codes to infiltrate my ears (and mind, as they are certainly more intellectual than most bands today) over the past six months, I can expect nothing other than greatness from And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, and this record is a great jumping-off point for fans interested in seeing just what all the fuss is about. I promise, you are guaranteed to see exactly why so much hype is growing about these boys, and are almost certain to enjoy the record to a very thorough degree. This record implements the use of genres from punk and grunge to psychedelic and even jazz, so it's packed with enough to keep any listener interested for long times to come. If you're looking for something new and dynamic in music that also incorporates some of the keen songwriting tactics that made their predecessors so successful, look no further than Source Tags and Codes.
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying
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Epinions.com ID:
toolhead
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Location: M.O.N. Wyoming, United States
Reviews written: 18
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About Me:
This is probably some blathering review about some album...right?
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