February 26, 2002 by A.S. Van Dorston

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead is a cumbersome but apt name for this brash, expansive band from Texas whose live shows leave behind smoking remnants of broken instruments and slayed audiences. Remember when bands used noise not simply to express anger, but to exult in the glorious vibrating air? It’s okay if you don’t, it’s been a while. Think late 80s Sonic Youth (especially live) and Drive Like Jehu. Encouraged perhaps by the relative success of the (albeit now defunct) At The Drive-In, Trail Of Dead finds itself in the unlikely position of being pushed aggressively by a major label, after two solid indie releases on Trance Syndicate and merge. I don’t know if they’ll be having radio hits anytime soon, but it’s a mother nonetheless.

“Baudelaire” evokes the delirious reverie of the poet that has inspired rock icons like The Doors, Patti Smith and Television. The primary difference between Source Codes And Tags and previous releases is that the complete reckless abandon is reeled in slightly to reveal just a hint of control, like on the stunning, symphonic “Another Morning Stoner.” “Relative Ways” consolidates Trail Of Dead’s strengths into a tuneful package. Generally the band cannot be contained by anything short of sprawling epics, welcoming the apocalypse with ten times the power of fellow Texan doomsday rockers Lift To Experience. They’re the noise rock answer to the cinematic melancholy of The Dirty Three, with “How Near How Far” adding vocal harmonies to the strings to dramatic effect. “Heart in the Hand of the Matter” pulls another surprise by adding piano to the chaos. From explosive fury to corrosive beauty and grand finales, Trail Of Dead offers the most fulfilling rock ‘n’ roll experience this year.

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