Recent Release:...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead-Tao Of The Dead

(okay so I said I wouldn't use any single image you tube stuff. I was wrong. Get over it.)

The band with the longest name in rock is back with their seventh album. For those unaware, Trail Of Dead (I'm not typing all that out anymore) are an indie neo-prog rock band. Think The Pixies meet early Pink Floyd and you've got a good frame of reference. The band's strengths lie in the ability to mix multiple styles (punk, prog, folk, pop, whatever) into one cohesive package. That talent is certainly on display here, yet while the band has many strengths they are not without their weaknesses.

The good news about this record is that everything fans love about Trail Of Dead is here in abundance. Few groups today can create a soundscape the way T.O.D. (how's that for shortening the name?) do. This album takes the listener to many areas from the immediacy of opening track "Pure Radio Cosplay" which kicks off in an almost pop-punk vein to the all out fire of single "Summer Of All Dead Souls" to the acoustic song with the metal riff called "Weight Of The Sun", and the drifting "Ebb Away" there's plenty to sink one's teeth into here. Long time fans should be pleased, and new listeners intrigued.

But T.O.D. are an art rock band, and as with most bands of this nature the experiments run both ways. "Tao Of The Dead" is (so) divided into two separate parts, played in two different tunings. The first part takes up the majority of the disc, and is the most exciting part of the record. Part two:"Strange News From Another Planet" is a five part suite. It is also the name of principal songwriter Conrad Keely's graphic novel, the first section of which makes up the booklet for the disc.

Here's where the trouble comes in. All packaging would indicate that this is a concept album, but Keely has stated it is not. Surely "Strange News..." is, but if the rest is not then why are the songs in part one interconnected, and why are elements from the comic referenced in it? Perhaps in the age of the digital download the question is moot, but if the band is going to go to as much trouble with the packaging as is done here then there's got to be a reason, right? I mean, hey, it looks great but connect some dots guys.

Musically there are some issues as well, especially with part two. How shall I put this delicately? Part two of this record is, well...pretty boring. Especially after the extremes the listener is taken to throughout the first part of the disc. Perhaps it would have worked better as an opening sequence? Or did it need to be at the end because this actually is a concept record?

Obviously I am unsure of the conceptual nature. Certainly multiple themes are addressed but I'm not sure where the lyrics are going. The lyrics are not provided, which is fine, but it does make things harder to understand. That may be by design, I'm not sure. I do know that the mix could have been better, the vocals are too low throughout most of the album. It's okay to be a little vague and let the listener interpret for him or herself, but these issues all add up to getting in the way of my enjoyment of this disc. Which is a pity because i really like a lot of it. I just don't know what it all means.

All in all I do recommend "Tao Of The Dead" as a listening experience. There are some shortcomings to be sure, but this is the type of record, and band for that matter, that requires multiple listens to truly appreciate. So the next time you feel like listening to some art, or just challenging yourself a little musically, this would be a good way to go.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Daves.