… AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
Worlds Apart
Interscope
· Spazzy punk rockers create bizarre and beautiful pop masterpiece.
I can’t even imagine what …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead were thinking when they went into the studio to record Worlds Apart. There is no apparent structure, pace or even cohesive thought to this album. At least none of what made 2002’s Source Tags And Codes a minor rock miracle with a major cult following.
And so what? With each song existing in its own private universe, Worlds Apart breaks new ground for our aural pleasure, filling our headphones with pianos and choral singers and some of the most outrageously hooky guitar playing I’ve heard in years. Each tune carries an unapologetic unfettered quality that is exhilarating.
With several album standouts, some songs were so catchy that I was singing along with them 45 seconds in. "A Classic Arts Showcase" contains a bridge so elegantly assembled that it becomes a mini-masterpiece. Fans of Source Tags And Codes may find songs like "All White" and "To Russia My Homeland" a bit melodramatic, but by then the CD’s half done and you’re either on board or looking for something else to spin.
It’s obviously way too early to start talking about album of the year. I’m just thrilled that …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead has officially set the bar.
5/5
MATTHEW CURRIE HOLMES
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