With two albums under the band's collective belt, Trail of Dead switched to major label Interscope to release Source Tags. Hopping to a major in the middle of a career is often frowned upon by elitist snobs, stating that they are "sell-outs" and pawns of the major label machine. But after an album like Source Tags and Codes, who can deny the brilliant production that not only upped the quality of the recordings, but also managed to retain the biting energy in each song. Being exploited or exploiting themselves is one thing; but switching to a major to get a bigger recording budget and garner new fans is another. And if anything, Trail of Dead has just beefed up its already solid fan base with Source Tags and Codes.
Many songs on Source Tags start off with fierce energy but eventually segue into a slower, quieter section that entices the listener, only waiting to explode again. Example: Album opener "It Was There That I Saw You" starts off like a highly charged ball-of-static with a vocal performance by Conrad Keeley that burns holes in your ears. Within a couple verses, the song implodes into a quiet guitar section playing minor arpeggios. The song slowly builds back up with the help of a string section, as the song catapults into a full throttle charge through your ears.
One of the album's most visceral songs, "Another Morning Stoner" has a similar structure but with a more dire energy. Spastic drums and slicing guitars dominate the track as it builds to a heart-stopping climax. The energy cools down for third track, "Baudelaire." Nothing too special happens within the song; in fact, it slightly detracts from the mood of the rest of the album. But things kick back harder than ever on "Homage," which sees the band rocking like there's no tomorrow.
The rest of the album continues in similar fashion, mainly dominated by strong tracks with only a couple weaker tracks. The riff-heavy "Monsoon" and dirty punk attitude of "Days of Being Wild" are among the weaker, but are by no means, horrible. Even with their mediocre appeal, they each have their better moments. But as for the rest of the songs, they are incredibly strong and undeniably brilliant. From the instrumental "After the Laughter," with its powerful piano chords and thick strings; to album closer "Source Tags and Codes," with its uplifting quality and string-laden outro; both are distinct departures from the rest of its catalog, providing a glimpse of what may come in the future.
So yes, you can append this review to the growing number of praise for Trail of Dead. Because by now, your wounds must have been exposed to all the hype surrounding the album. But please don't be stubborn and not get the album just because of the attention its been receiving; the hype is there for a reason. Take advantage, you capitalist pig.
1. It Was There That I Saw You
2. Another Morning Stoner
3. Baudelaire
4. Homage
5. How Near How Far
6. Heart in the Hand of the Matter
7. Monsoon
8. Days of Being Wild
9. Relative Ways
10. After the Laughter
11. Source Tags and Codes