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...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead

So Divided | Interscope
Rating: 3.0 stars
October 30, 2006 3:14:15 PM

These Austin-based noise-rock scoundrels have never met a fake-classical fillip they couldn’t find room for in a song. On last year’s Worlds Apart, they busted out a stately waltz called “To Russia My Homeland.” As promised by its hilariously over-the-top title, “Gold Heart Mountain Top Queen Directory,” a cut from this the Trail of Dead’s fifth full-length, reaches a new peak: there’s no noise in it, or even any real rock — it’s a pretty piano ballad that sounds like the Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By,” at least until the string section swells to life, at which point the tune starts to resemble a lighter-waving anthem from the new Meat Loaf CD. The rest of So Divided depends less on the band’s gear-smashing antics than on their sense of tunecraft, which isn’t as highly developed. They do strike the right combination in the title track, a nearly perfect approximation of Daydream Nation–era Sonic Youth.

. . . And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead + Celebration + Blood Brothers | Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston | November 8 | 617.931.2000

COMMENTS

“Gold Heart Mountain Top Queen Directory” is a great Guided by Voices song. You should listen to the original and then recognize. GbV - the greatest band ever.

POSTED BY guidedbynoises AT 11/10/06 6:41 PM
Are you kidding me? How can you even be writing about music without knowing "Gold Top..." is a Guided by Voices song? Give me a break... I'm hoping that this is the breakout album for trail of the dead... but please, get your ears to some music pre 2000 before you write any more reviews....

POSTED BY beefhonky AT 11/28/06 4:33 PM

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