Worlds Apart [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2005)
• Original Release Date: January 25, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Interscope Records
• ASIN: B00075TZYA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,060 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The lesson of this album--which is by no means unenjoyable in its use of loud-soft-loud dynamics and psychedelic guitar textures--is that the art-rock of the future is apparently not so different from the art-rock of the past. This band used to sounding an awful lot like late ‘80s Sonic Youth, and you can't blame them for wanting to try something new, but does it have to sound like a screamo take on the Moody Blues? It’s easy to imagine the members of this Austin-based act resplendent in ELP-style capes as they sing the bombastic, gospel choir-backed ditty "All White." Then again, the group samples "We Did It Again" by British prog pioneers the Soft Machine at the end of that particular song, as if to say that not only are those who don’t know the past doomed to repeat it, but those who do, as well. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description
Japanese pressing of 2005 album, scheduled to include three bonus tracks. Universal. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS NOW, February 28, 2005

By	abc (nowhere) - See all my reviews

I just randomly decided to get this one day and I'm so glad I did. Best way to explain this would be indie punk, I think. I rarely give anything 5 stars (the only thing that comes to mind is arcade fire, and even that isnt as good as this). I love every single song on this ablum and that is extremely rare. I like the way that they know how and when to go loud rock/soft rock. Track by track? Ok...

1. Ode to Isis
GREAT introduction to the CD. Having an almost gothic instrumental to begin with then proceding to a scream and at the very end getting a womans voice saying "And you will know us by the trail of dead" is just fantastic.

2. Will You Smile Again?
FANTASTIC drums. Great, great, great drums. Having the singing start half way through the song is very cool indeed. Catchy too. I love this guys voice, I've gotta say.

3. Worlds Apart
Second best song on the album (imo). Loving the "candy store of ours" bit. Lovely lyrics. Everything about this song is great.

4. Summer of '91
Good use of the soft/loud technique, nice to sing along to.

5. Rest Will Follow
Third best song on the album (imo). This was the first song I loved on the whole album. The "...well I knooow, how the best will fall. And the rest will follooow..." bit was stuck in my head for days. Great drums.

6. Caterwaul
GREAT drums. This is the worst song on the album, yet it is still fantastic.

7. Classic Arts Showcase
This song sounds a bit like Incubus (early Incubus, that is). Damn I love this guys voice.

8. Let It Dive
BEST song on the album (imo). I love its simpleness and subtlety. The lyrics are nice as well. Alos, the pretend ending is great. I've noticed that these people do this alot. The piano at the very end is sweet. The voice at the end speaking in a foreign language (that may be Russian) freaks me out though. Sounds like some dying grandma.

9. To Russia My Homeland
What a fantastic instrumental. I LOVE this. Violins + drums = greatness.

10. All White
Beautiful. Background singers? Yes.

11. Best
Great to sing along to. The sudden stops are great, they work nicely. The lyrics again are mightly fine. "...and things couldn't be better..." "...this is one fine life..." "they are the best!, the best!, the best!..." The screaming lady at the end fits in nicely somehow. And the intertextuality of putting lyrics from Worlds Apart at the very very end is nice.

12. Lost City of Refuge
Soft, nice, sleepy and then BANG into an explosive rock. Love it, love it, love it. Again, the pretend ending, nice.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss the forest for the trees., November 26, 2005

By	Zachary W. Snow "zws" (Agoura Hills, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It seems to me that far too many people are really missing the boat on this album. You see, unlike all the folks who love to tell you that they knew T.O.D. WAY BACK WHEN, I first heard them on "Source Tags & Codes," which I instantly fell in love with. Then I bought "Secret of Elena's Tomb" (which everyone seems to forget about), and THEN I heard the s/t release and "Madonna." As far as I can tell, when you get to love a band from day one, you love who they WERE, not who they ARE. And I see that happening here. Rather than accepting "Worlds Apart" for what it is--a stunningly rich, textured album by a workmanlike band intent on honing their craft--fans of "Madonna"-era TOD would rather gripe about how they've become a "prog" band.

I would ask anyone who thinks "Worlds Apart" is a prog record to kindly go look up the term "progressive rock." It's not even neo-prog (Mars Volta, Coheed & Cambria, etc.) It's dense, intelligent rock. And to abuse a cliche, it truly IS the next natural step in their ouvre. Look at the aforementioned "Secret of Elena's Tomb," which received nearly universal acclaim: you see "Source Tags & Codes"-type rock, some acoustic material, and some electronic/sonic experimentation. You do NOT see the same material as on their first two releases. Conclusion? They are evolving. The Beatles evolved. (Sgt. Pepper anyone? Did that sound anything like the "Hard Day's Night" that had teenage girls fainting and wailing?) Led Zeppelin evolved. (Physical Graffiti anyone? Talking Heads were about to blow the world open with New Wave, and Zep was embracing the idea just to stay relevant.) Every musical act worth its salt evolves. For the sake of argument, look at Everclear as an example of a band refusing to evolve. And hence, their name is not mentioned without a derisive (and deserved) snigger. The departure of Busch has not rendered T.O.D. an overblown, cape-wearing bunch of proggy wanksters. They are redefining; and while "Worlds Apart" may not reach the heights of "Source Tags & Codes" (which is an unfair expectation), it is a terrifically inspired (yes, INSPIRED), inspirational, and cathartic record. We could pitch a fit over the hystrionics of "Ode to Isis" or the full choir behind "All White" or the strange decision to end a strong album with a weak song ("Lost City of Refuge"); but ultimately, these gripes pale beside the 1-2-3-4 punch of "Worlds Apart," "Summer of '91," "The Rest Will Follow," and "Caterwaul," not to mention the emotional and lyrical bombardment of "Will You Smile Again?" and the theatrical, churning stomp of "Let It Dive" (my favorite song here, and perhaps in their entire catalog). And who cares if "To Russia My Homeland" doesn't fit? It's tearfully gorgeous.

And may I remind you that this is NOT a concept album, NOT a prog album, and NOT a cohesive statement. Let go of what you've HEARD an album is SUPPOSED to be and JUST ENJOY IT. I've never heard a less cohesive statement than "Sgt. Pepper," but we don't gripe over that, do we? No, because we just enjoy the music. I think the people who love to complain "This isn't Source Tags!!!" are losing their focus on musical history. Expand your horizons. Go listen to Talking Heads. Go listen to The Roots. Go listen to "Their Satanic Majesty's Request," for crying out loud. Like a wine enthusiast who has been standing in the tasting room too long, drink some water! THEN you'll be ready to come back to your beloved Pinot Noir. (Incidentally, and this is off-topic: if you can't watch Sideways without concluding that Pinot Noir must be better than Merlot, you are a hopeless, brainless turd.)

T.O.D. is trying to make a grand statement, not a unified one; if a few eggs break for the proverbial omelette, so be it. Serve it up hot, please!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Afraid of change you are, March 6, 2005

By	Reid Northern (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think the reason a lot of people were let down by "Worlds Apart" is that they were expecting "Source Tags & Codes". Truly the mark of a great band is their ability to let style evolve without loseing the original appeal that made them popular. After all, If you're just going to make the same album over and over, What's the point? Where's the risk? I for one love were Trail of Dead's music is going and am looking forward to future releases from them. So F**k what ya heard about "Worlds Apart" and give it a chance you wanker.