The album starts of in typical Trail of Dead fashion; with noise, sweet glorious noise. ‘Introduction: Let Us Experiment’ is already one of my favourite pieces of music of the year and there is barely anything to it. It blends seamlessly (a trend that runs throughout the album) into the thumping ‘Pure Radio Cosplay’ that has the traditional TOD sound and Conrad Keely’s very distinctive vocal style (Yeah, they sound like Sonic Youth but everyone should OK?).
‘Cover The Days Like A Tidal Wave’ slows things down and the chords used and the sounds of them ringing out is a delight. It all builds up with an electronic pulse that develops underneath till it explodes for the last forty seconds or so and then drops back down and merges into ‘Fall Of The Empire’.
Trail of Dead use dynamics so much better than most bands and it shows evidently across ‘Tao Of The Dead’ and ‘The Spiral Jetty’ would fit at home on the last Arcade Fire album. If there are any weaknesses on the album it only comes down to ‘Ebb Away’ but it is still by no means a bad song, and the reprise of ‘Pure Radio Cosplay’ seems a little unnecessary. But the album hits a home run with the final track ‘Strange News From Another Planet’. An epic, enthralling sixteen minute journey with twists and turns that never lets up and never loses your interest.
‘Tao Of The Dead’ does not have a stand out track as such but as a whole piece of work it is solid, crisp and makes TOD sound vibrant as ever, even some seventeen years after their debut.
Top tracks: ‘Strange News From Another Planet’, ‘Introduction: Let Us Experiment’.
Released February 07 on Century Media
Echo Rating< (((???•)))
Posted by Mark R
