Customer Reviews

So Divided

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am mainly reviewing this album a little higher because the other review was so bad. If you did not like Worlds Apart then this album is not for you. So Divided continues in the direction that they started on with The Secret Of Elena's Tombs. I have to disagree with one part of the other review on here that actually I hear a kind of return to Source Tags & Codes. Most of the noise is gone but some of the psychadelic sounds that were underneath all the noise is more upfront now. This album is really more a long the lines of 4 stars. And yes there are rumours that this may be the last album by this band. I hope not but a band like this is always underappreciated at the time of their existence and when they are gone people long for them to get back together. The band does have a more prog rock sound but I don't here the emo reference here. Trail of Dead have always been about exploring their darker emotions in song.

This review goes to 3 groups:

A)Completely new listeners: Probably the first thing that should be cleared up is what to expect from a band called ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The answer? Not what you'd expect. It's not death metal. It's not thrash, or hardcore, or even really punk (past fans look at section "C"). If you've been reading reviews and have seen references to Oasis, or the Beatles...those would certainly be closer comparisons than their name would imply. Why go over this? Because you'll probably land in two categories. If you like hardcore or death metal exclusively, then you'll listen for a minute and want to throw it out. Others who are just curious will probably be pleasantly surprised...because that's what Trail of Dead has become. Pleasant. For you this album is: *** three stars.

B) Those that discovered Trail of Dead through their last album, Worlds Apart. As it's been said a thousand times, if you like that album, this is the best of that album, honed, and magnified. You'll probably appreciate the melody, the knack for creating surprising easy to swallow alt rock. ***** five stars

C) If you've known Trail of Dead since the beginning...or at least since Source Tags and Codes... I hate to say it but this is not the same band. Gone is the explosiveness, the ferocity, the coursing crashing power. If somehow you skipped worlds apart and went straight to this...you'd be shocked, and probably a little saddened. * one star

Summary: Trail of Dead have proven to be a tidal wave...all power and commotion...then suddenly peace. If you can appreciate both, awed by a sunset over the water as easy as the crashing storm, Then you'll appreciate Trail of Dead's transformation.

Overall, three stars, because ultimately, the power is what forced you to listen. This album is nice. It's a great listen. But will it last? Will you feel compelled to go back again and again. No. Not really. A sunset is nice if you happen to be there...but you don't go out of your way to find it.

Let's just hope the coming night brings a storm.

Conrad and the boys are back with a vengeance on 'So Divided' Where `World's Apart' was really a huge departure from the sound fans have come to love about the Trail of Dead, this sounds like the best parts of both of their two previous albums molded together. Once again there is a wide variety of songs (including not only a Guided By Voices cover but also a song that could have been taken straight off the last Shins CD), but somehow it all seems to flow just fine even when listening to the whole thing at once. In Conrad's own words, "On the previous record, I was trying harder to be optimistic, but I also wasn't really writing about myself. All the stuff I wrote on this record is definitely about what I've been going through, and I didn't mince words or try to paint a prettier picture."

The rocking, psychedelic, fuzzed out sound that everyone loved on `Source Tags' has returned, but it's now melded perfectly with the anthemic quality introduced on `World's Apart'. This new style works magnificently on standouts like "Wasted State of Mind" and the title track. I can already envision entire audiences singing along and blazing lighters to "Wasted State of Mind". "So Divided" is just an instant classic. It starts out pretty laid back, but before the second verse, the tempo doubles, racing along through the next two verses as if some amphetamines had just kicked in. It all culminates in the long, crashing third verse with Conrad screaming some great lyrics:
"You think your future is warm and bright,
But it is death and I'm your destiny.
You think you'll be protected by God,
I'll put you out of your misery."
If you haven't already figured it out, by the time you get to the end of this song you will know that the Trail of Dead have definitely got the groove back.

On "Naked Sun" Keely seems like he's begging for Oasis comparisons until a minute and a half in when you think the next verse is gonna start and instead you get a jazz breakdown with Conrad playing one of the sax's himself. The song picks back up again and kicks along like normal for another couple minutes before trailing off into a typical ToD style musical buildup, with a group singing the final lyrics ("I'll burn a way out") over and over, louder every time. Eventually you begin to hear this amazing guitar solo kind of playing way back in the mix, but it's so good you will strain to hear it. The Trail of Dead aren't known for their solos, but this one sounds like Neil Young in his prime, shredding the sh#t out of Old Black.

"Life", "Eight Days of Hell", and "Witch's Web" are three kind of "pop" songs in a row. "Life" is similar to the Beatlesque songs from `World's Apart' but better. It has an interesting piano-backed coda sung by Lily Courtney, ending in the oh-so-true line "it`s hard getting older all the same." "Witch's Web" is - are you ready for this? - an acoustic song with not only country slide guitar, but also a chorus where Conrad finally shows us he can slip into a haunting falsetto.

So, it`s a month since this has been released and I`m still listening to it regularly and still finding it amazing and that begs the question: Is this better than `Source Tags & Code?' Well...no it's not. `Source Tags' was perfect in everyway, it had moments like the title track which I would place alongside the likes of even `Sticky Fingers' era Rolling Stones, or "Days of Being Wild" which is the aural equivalent of trashing a hotel room. `So Divided' does come damn close though, it deserves at least four and a half stars.

It seems like all the positive reviews of this album lament all of the reviewers who yearn for Source Tags. This to me seems like a misunderstanding that I see all too often.

I think most people understand that the majority of bands go through changes and have an ever-changing sound. To me, that is fine. A band like At The Drive In changed from album to album and it happened to always be great. But when you hear people complaining that the new Trail of Dead doesn't "sound enough" like Source Tags, they're not saying that they literally want an 11-song reproduction of that album, but more simply, they just want it to rock! And I'm sorry, but these guys officially DO NOT rock any more. I have been listening to them for a long time, and their sound has always been evolving, from the S/T to Madonna, to Source Tags and beyond. The first three albums rocked (though Madonna has far to many interludes) and Source Tags was definately the best one. after that, Elena's Tomb started well but declined as it went on, Worlds Apart has a couple great songs (Will You Smile Again, All White), but it's kind of bouncy and jangly and poppy, which I am definately not into. Obviously a lot of previous fans weren't into that either. Some are. That's fine. Lucky you - you can continue to happily follow this band's progression. Those of us who think this new major-label faux-indie-pop upturn is pure balls - sucks for us, because essentially we're restricted to three albums. So it's not like we all want every Trail of Dead CD to reproduce the exact sound of Source tags - we just want the rock back. Try to understand.

This is just like what happened earlier this year with the new AFI album. Bands change, and "real/longtime" fans can't handle it. The fact that Trail of Dead actually titled their new release "So Divided" means they could foresee the continued fan angst. Whatever. I focus on the music. Worlds Apart is where I got on board with this band--that's a gorgeous disc from start to finish. I've seen them live, (yes they rawk), and listened to their past material. Frankly, I don't think their older stuff is as melodic or developed. Can't get into it. Now, onto this new disc: it takes a few listens, but then it really grows on you. There's no initial payoff like "Will You Smile Again?", but "So Divided" gets me screaming along to the bombastic chorus ("put you out of your misery!"). Fave song is "Witch's Web". Love the symphonic touches at times: these are big powerful songs you can sink your teeth into. The final song is very Cure-ish, and a good exit to a fine disc. Love the fact Amanda Palmer plays piano on "Wasted State Of Mind". Can't wait to see them next week here in SF!

Call me immature or whatever but I prefer my Trail of Dead loud and dangerous. This is my least favorite of their albums. The songs Stand in Silence, Wasted State of Mind and So Divided are good, but still didnt rock me like their older songs: Another morning stoner, caterwaul, relative ways and a ton of others did. Maybe it'll grow on me the way Pretty Girls Make Graves latest Elan Vital did...

But their tour with The Blood Brothers should rock me. Both those bands kill it live.

I was taken in completely at the first listen, and left without words to describe how truly awesome this album is. This is one of the best albums I have heard in all my 32 years.

Sure they've changed there sound, so what. This new album is not great but it is very good and if this was someone else's album everyone would love it, but because it comes from the band who brought us Sources Tags and Codes it gets a bad rep. And just because a band has piano in there songs does not make them sound like the beatles, as if that's a bad thing in the first place. The Guided by Voices cover is great. Wasted State of Mind is my favorite track

You have to admit it is different. There are some good riffs, but seems to be all over the place. Sometimes this is good though. A few tracks (last two) come across like they listened to Becks Sea Change and did cover tunes. I thought their previous disc was very good and rate it a five. I gave this a four because frankly, this is better than most new records out there, though not as good as Worlds.

Edit: It deserves 5 stars- I should have listened more.

Ugh, this album sucks. What happened? When I first heard this band, I thought: Great, here's a talented new band that rocks out but keeps it melodic and creative. And now a few years later and they're doing Guided By Voices covers and borderline Broadway showtunes. Man, what a bummer. First At The Drive-In turns into Mars Volta and now this.